--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing we've learned from the last 20…" description: "\"The thing we've learned from the last 20 years of counterterrorism is the significant value you get from removing leadership from the battlefield in de..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/michael-morell-26084_battlefields_the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20_2723619.jpg" --- # The thing we've learned from the last 20 years of… ![“The thing we've learned from the last 20 years of counterterrorism is the significant value you get from removing leadership from the battlefield in degrading the organization.” quote by Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/michael-morell-26084_battlefields_the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20_2723619.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/michael-morell-26084_battlefields_the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20_2723619.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/michael-morell-26084_battlefields_the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20_2723619.jpg) > “The thing we've learned from the last 20 years of counterterrorism is the significant value you get from removing leadership from the battlefield in degrading the organization.” [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Removing leaders from conflict degrades terrorist groups, showing the strategic value of decapitation. **In simple terms:** Targeting leaders weakens terrorist groups. Key Takeaway Focus on leadership removal in counterterrorism. Themes counterterrorism leadership strategy Mood analytical cautious Type strategic policy When to use this quote - military - policy - intelligence Key Concepts decapitation organizational theory Questions to Reflect On - What are the risks of leadership removal? - How can you mitigate collateral effects? A Different Perspective May cause unintended power vacuums. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battlefields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battlefields/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [You have to have a military and intelligence approach to removing leadership that results in rapid frequent removals from the battlefield. It's got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/you-have-to-have-a-military-and-intelligence-approach-to-removing/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [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 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 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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Michael Morell > [I'm concerned, too, about ISIS' ability, right, to infiltrate people. But we have got some very effective, robust processes for vetting people. We brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/i-m-concerned-too-about-isis-ability-right-to-infiltrate-people-but/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ The \[Edward\] Snowden disclosures created this perception that people's privacy was being put at significant risk. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/the-edward-snowden-disclosures-created-this-perception-that-people-s/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [If you were watching CNN, they were saying the NSA is listening to your phone calls. It's reading your emails. When you call your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/if-you-were-watching-cnn-they-were-saying-the-nsa-is-listening-to/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [One great lesson from history we need to keep on re-learning. It is that sometimes your adversaries tell you exactly what they're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/one-great-lesson-from-history-we-need-to-keep-on-re-learning-it-is/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [What I want you to know is that ‘Zero Dark Thirty' is a dramatization, not a realistic portrayal of the facts,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/what-i-want-you-to-know-is-that-zero-dark-thirty-is-a-dramatization/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [You have to have a military and intelligence approach to removing leadership that results in rapid frequent removals from the battlefield. It's got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/you-have-to-have-a-military-and-intelligence-approach-to-removing/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ Donald Trump didn't even understand, right, that \[Vladimir\] Putin was playing him. So, in Putin's mind, I have no doubt that Putin thinks that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-right-that-vladimir-putin-was/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [I want the vetting to be solid. But I also want to bring these people in because not bringing them in sends a message,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/i-want-the-vetting-to-be-solid-but-i-also-want-to-bring-these-people/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [As far as Paris goes, we don't know for sure yet how these guys communicate among themselves and how they communicated back to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/as-far-as-paris-goes-we-don-t-know-for-sure-yet-how-these-guys/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [Do I believe Edward Snowden contributed to the rise of ISIS? Yes. Would they have gotten there without the help he provided them? Probably.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/do-i-believe-edward-snowden-contributed-to-the-rise-of-isis-yes-would/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ \[Hillary Clinton\] never misused \[ information that the Central Intelligence Agency has\]. She always protected it. I would trust her with the crown jewels… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/hillary-clinton-never-misused-information-that-the-central/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ Companies made these decisions about encryption when they were finding it very difficult to sell their products overseas because the \[Edward\] Snowden disclosures created… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/companies-made-these-decisions-about-encryption-when-they-were/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [One of the lessons we've learned from the last 25 years of terrorism is that groups that have safe havens are able to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/one-of-the-lessons-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-25-years-of-terrorism/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [Intelligence officers are supposed to put the facts on the table and really walk away from the policy discussion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/intelligence-officers-are-supposed-to-put-the-facts-on-the-table-and/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ Look at it from \[Vladimir\] Putin's perspective, right. He's a trained intelligence officer, worked for the KGB, very talented, manipulated people much smarter than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/look-at-it-from-vladimir-putin-s-perspective-right-he-s-a-trained/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) [Explore all 22 Michael Morell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) ## More Battlefields quotes > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Men grow old quickly on the battlefield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/men-grow-old-quickly-on-the-battlefield/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [We have won an armistice on a single battlefield, not peace in our world. We may not now relax our guard nor cease our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/we-have-won-an-armistice-on-a-single-battlefield-not-peace-in-our/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Madaming is the sort of thing that happens to you - like getting a battlefield commission or becoming the dean of women at Stanford…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-stanford/madaming-is-the-sort-of-thing-that-happens-to-you-like-getting-a/) [Sally Stanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-stanford/) > [It is unfortunate when final decisions are made by chieftains headquartered miles away from the front, where they can only guess at conditions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/attila-the-hun/it-is-unfortunate-when-final-decisions-are-made-by-chieftains/) [Attila the Hun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/attila-the-hun/) > [There are courageous and honest men enough in both sections to fight. There is no question of courage involved. The people of both sections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-toombs/there-are-courageous-and-honest-men-enough-in-both-sections-to-fight/) [Robert Toombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-toombs/) > [Energy will be the immediate test of our ability to unite this Nation, and it can also be the standard around which we rally.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/energy-will-be-the-immediate-test-of-our-ability-to-unite-this-nation/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [The women has her own battlefield with every child she brings into the world she fights a battle for the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-women-has-her-own-battlefield-with-every-child-she-brings-into/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [What's always got me is the fact that when people talked on the telly about Iraq, before Afghanistan kicked off, you'd get only these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-kemp/what-s-always-got-me-is-the-fact-that-when-people-talked-on-the-telly/) [Ross Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-kemp/) > [I was in the midst of it all - saw war where war is worst - not on the battlefields, no - in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-was-in-the-midst-of-it-all-saw-war-where-war-is-worst-not-on-the/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [A dance performance is rather like going out into a battlefield. You have to hold the attention of as many as five to 10,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamini-krishnamurthy/a-dance-performance-is-rather-like-going-out-into-a-battlefield-you/) Yamini Krishnamurthy > [ \[President Johnson\] had the political will to say that having one in five Americans living in the kind of abject conditions their fellow citizens… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/president-johnson-had-the-political-will-to-say-that-having-one-in/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [ \[on L. Ron Hubbard\] I'm not in favor of his religion by any means. But he wrote a book called 'Battlefield Earth' that was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/on-l-ron-hubbard-i-m-not-in-favor-of-his-religion-by-any-means-but-he/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Digiphrenia - how technology lets us be in more than one place - and self - at the same time. Drone pilots suffer more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/digiphrenia-how-technology-lets-us-be-in-more-than-one-place-and-self/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) [Browse all 231 Battlefields quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battlefields/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing we've learned from the last 20 years of counterterrorism is the significant value you get from removing leadership from the battlefield in degrading the organization.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Morell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20-years-of-counterterrorism-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Battlefields" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20-years-of-counterterrorism-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/michael-morell-26084_battlefields_the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20_2723619.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/michael-morell-26084_battlefields_the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20_2723619.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/michael-morell-26084_battlefields_the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20_2723619.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing we've learned from the last 20 years of counterterrorism is the significant value you get from…” — Michael Morell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Morell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The thing we've learned from the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20-years-of-counterterrorism-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/the-thing-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-20-years-of-counterterrorism-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```