--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can deal with Russia on…" description: "\"We can deal with Russia on counterterrorism. We have and I think we are right now. That's easy.\" — Michael McFaul" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/michael-mcfaul-32680_counterterrorism_we-can-deal-with-russia-on-counterterror_1463954.png" --- # We can deal with Russia on counterterrorism. We have and I… ![“We can deal with Russia on counterterrorism. We have and I think we are right now. That's easy.” quote by Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/michael-mcfaul-32680_counterterrorism_we-can-deal-with-russia-on-counterterror_1463954.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/michael-mcfaul-32680_counterterrorism_we-can-deal-with-russia-on-counterterror_1463954.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/michael-mcfaul-32680_counterterrorism_we-can-deal-with-russia-on-counterterror_1463954.png) > “We can deal with Russia on counterterrorism. We have and I think we are right now. That's easy.” [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that cooperation with Russia is feasible on counterterrorism despite broader tensions. **In simple terms:** Cooperate on counterterrorism. Key Takeaway Seek joint security efforts. Themes international relations security diplomacy counterterrorism Mood cautious pragmatic Type strategic policy When to use this quote - policy negotiation - intelligence sharing - regional stability - conflict resolution Key Concepts strategic collaboration geopolitics Questions to Reflect On - What incentives encourage cooperation? - How to manage broader tensions? A Different Perspective Mutual distrust can hinder collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Putin has had many positive experiences working with Western political leaders whose business interests made them more disposed to deal with Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/putin-has-had-many-positive-experiences-working-with-western/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [We have to have a president who is clear that you don't deal with Russia based on staring into his eyes and seeing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-have-a-president-who-is-clear-that-you-don-t-deal-with/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Maybe I'm not going to be able to do a deal with Russia, but at least I will have tried. And if I don't,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/maybe-i-m-not-going-to-be-able-to-do-a-deal-with-russia-but-at-least/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I would love to be able to get along with Russia. Now, you've had a lot of presidents that haven't taken that tack. Look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-would-love-to-be-able-to-get-along-with-russia-now-you-ve-had-a-lot/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [ The false reporting by the media, the false, horrible, fake reporting makes it much harder to make a deal with Russia, and probably \[Vladimir\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-false-reporting-by-the-media-the-false-horrible-fake-reporting/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [We talk a great deal about Russia today, and I'm afraid that in twenty years, we and Russia will be more similar than different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/we-talk-a-great-deal-about-russia-today-and-i-m-afraid-that-in-twenty/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The world of counterterrorism is like that old jigsaw puzzle in the back of the closet: Its many missing pieces and extra parts jumbled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-l-haney/the-world-of-counterterrorism-is-like-that-old-jigsaw-puzzle-in-the/) [Eric L. Haney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-l-haney/) > [The inattention of the Bush administration to the threat from al Qaeda had results. Shortly before 9/11, Bush's attorney general, John Ashcroft, turned down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-inattention-of-the-bush-administration-to-the-threat-from-al/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [ICE does a lot of other things that people don't realize. They work on counterterrorism, cyber security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacky-rosen/ice-does-a-lot-of-other-things-that-people-don-t-realize-they-work-on/) [Jacky Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacky-rosen/) > [I know what the counterterrorism feels like because I was there. But I also operated within limits. And within the United States government, we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-what-the-counterterrorism-feels-like-because-i-was-there-but-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We certainly have the best special operations forces in the world and know how to do counterterrorism extremely well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-esper/we-certainly-have-the-best-special-operations-forces-in-the-world-and/) [Mark Esper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-esper/) > [We have to defeat ISIS. That is my highest counterterrorism goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-have-to-defeat-isis-that-is-my-highest-counterterrorism-goal/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“counterterrorism efforts, through Richard Clarke and his interagency Counterterrorism Security Group (CSG). Spotlighting new concerns about unconventional attacks, these directives assigned tasks to lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/counterterrorism-efforts-through-richard-clarke-and-his-interagency/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Counterterrorism isn't really about the nunchakus, the guns and gadgets. It's about psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/counterterrorism-isn-t-really-about-the-nunchakus-the-guns-and/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [I used to have a little saying I used when people said, 'What are your priorities?' I'd give them a bit of government alphabet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hayden/i-used-to-have-a-little-saying-i-used-when-people-said-what-are-your/) [Michael Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hayden/) ## More by Michael McFaul > [It should never be the goal of U.S. foreign policy towards any country to have a - quote, unquote - "good relation." Then what?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/it-should-never-be-the-goal-of-u-s-foreign-policy-towards-any-country/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [“As long as the United States remains a democracy, I want to be in the ideological fight against illiberal nationalism and continue to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/as-long-as-the-united-states-remains-a-democracy-i-want-to-be-in-the/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [I want to be clear that when you mention the Republican critique of President Obama, that is not President-elect Trump's critique, right? So you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/i-want-to-be-clear-that-when-you-mention-the-republican-critique-of/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [In retrospect, all revolutions seem inevitable. Beforehand, all revolutions seem impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/in-retrospect-all-revolutions-seem-inevitable-beforehand-all/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [In the short run, the big windfall winners ... have been the Islamists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/in-the-short-run-the-big-windfall-winners-have-been-the-islamists/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [I think something that's really understudied and misunderstood is the use of information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/i-think-something-that-s-really-understudied-and-misunderstood-is-the/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [Putin is now nationalist. And what he does is, he tells the Russian people, OK, you may have a little less chicken in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/putin-is-now-nationalist-and-what-he-does-is-he-tells-the-russian/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [Vladimir Putin knows exactly what he wants from the relationship with USA. In return for good relations, he wants lifting of sanctions, ratification, approval…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/vladimir-putin-knows-exactly-what-he-wants-from-the-relationship-with/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [I think Russia is dangerous, not a superpower. I know what the president is trying to say. I worked for him for five years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/i-think-russia-is-dangerous-not-a-superpower-i-know-what-the/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only stupid people or fools would think it was bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/having-a-good-relationship-with-russia-is-a-good-thing-not-a-bad/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [Vladimir Putin will be up for reelection, and he has shifted his whole political strategy inside of Russia from one where he promised the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/vladimir-putin-will-be-up-for-reelection-and-he-has-shifted-his-whole/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [Take cyber-capabilities. We have way more cyber-capability than Russia do. We could intervene in their elections easily. We choose not to do so because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/take-cyber-capabilities-we-have-way-more-cyber-capability-than-russia/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [Trump has got to define what he seeks to achieve with Russia, and then use diplomacy and sometimes coercion to achieve those ends. Right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/trump-has-got-to-define-what-he-seeks-to-achieve-with-russia-and-then/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [Russians don't want to fight ISIS in Syria. They want to leave that to us. Aside from that, I don't know what are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/russians-don-t-want-to-fight-isis-in-syria-they-want-to-leave-that-to/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) [Explore all 15 Michael McFaul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) ## More Counterterrorism quotes > [I used to have a little saying I used when people said, 'What are your priorities?' I'd give them a bit of government alphabet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hayden/i-used-to-have-a-little-saying-i-used-when-people-said-what-are-your/) [Michael Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hayden/) > [Counterterrorism isn't really about the nunchakus, the guns and gadgets. It's about psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/counterterrorism-isn-t-really-about-the-nunchakus-the-guns-and/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [“counterterrorism efforts, through Richard Clarke and his interagency Counterterrorism Security Group (CSG). Spotlighting new concerns about unconventional attacks, these directives assigned tasks to lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/counterterrorism-efforts-through-richard-clarke-and-his-interagency/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have to defeat ISIS. That is my highest counterterrorism goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-have-to-defeat-isis-that-is-my-highest-counterterrorism-goal/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We certainly have the best special operations forces in the world and know how to do counterterrorism extremely well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-esper/we-certainly-have-the-best-special-operations-forces-in-the-world-and/) [Mark Esper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-esper/) > [I know what the counterterrorism feels like because I was there. But I also operated within limits. And within the United States government, we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-what-the-counterterrorism-feels-like-because-i-was-there-but-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ICE does a lot of other things that people don't realize. They work on counterterrorism, cyber security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacky-rosen/ice-does-a-lot-of-other-things-that-people-don-t-realize-they-work-on/) [Jacky Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacky-rosen/) > [The inattention of the Bush administration to the threat from al Qaeda had results. Shortly before 9/11, Bush's attorney general, John Ashcroft, turned down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-inattention-of-the-bush-administration-to-the-threat-from-al/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The world of counterterrorism is like that old jigsaw puzzle in the back of the closet: Its many missing pieces and extra parts jumbled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-l-haney/the-world-of-counterterrorism-is-like-that-old-jigsaw-puzzle-in-the/) [Eric L. Haney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-l-haney/) > [We've evolved a lot since 9/11 also, in terms of our law enforcement capabilities, our intelligence capabilities, military, counterterrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-ve-evolved-a-lot-since-9-11-also-in-terms-of-our-law-enforcement/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I think what we've learned is that the terrorist threat is serious, but it shifts. You cannot make a single person the sole focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bremer/i-think-what-we-ve-learned-is-that-the-terrorist-threat-is-serious/) [Paul Bremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bremer/) > [The scientific community should work as hard as possible to address major issues that affect our everyday lives such as climate change, infectious diseases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-scientific-community-should-work-as-hard-as-possible-to-address/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [Counterterrorism analysts have known for years that al Qaeda prepares for attacks with elaborate 'targeting packages' of photographs and notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/counterterrorism-analysts-have-known-for-years-that-al-qaeda-prepares/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [The Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism will work on issues I am deeply passionate about given my combat experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/the-subcommittee-on-the-middle-east-north-africa-and-global/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I do not believe that a counterterrorism strategy all by itself, without a sufficient level of counterinsurgency, will work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/i-do-not-believe-that-a-counterterrorism-strategy-all-by-itself/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) Browse all 48 Counterterrorism quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can deal with Russia on counterterrorism. 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