--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda…" description: "\"Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. First into Jordan ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/michael-scheuer-7471_al-qaeda_iraq-for-the-first-time-gives-al-qaeda-a_115156.jpg" --- # Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies… ![“Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. First into Jordan and Syria, and then into Lebanon, and virtually and ultimately into Israel and probably Egypt too. It also gives them haven to eventually work…” quote by Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/michael-scheuer-7471_al-qaeda_iraq-for-the-first-time-gives-al-qaeda-a_115156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/michael-scheuer-7471_al-qaeda_iraq-for-the-first-time-gives-al-qaeda-a_115156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/michael-scheuer-7471_al-qaeda_iraq-for-the-first-time-gives-al-qaeda-a_115156.jpg) > “Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. First into Jordan and Syria, and then into Lebanon, and virtually and ultimately into Israel and probably Egypt too. It also gives them haven to eventually work their way toward Turkey and into the Arabian Peninsula.” [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker warns that Iraq’s instability provides al‑Qaeda a continuous corridor for training and launching attacks across the Middle East, expanding the threat to multiple neighboring states. **In simple terms:** Iraq’s chaos fuels al‑Qaeda’s regional reach. Key Takeaway Territorial instability amplifies terrorist mobility. Themes terrorism regional security geopolitics strategic geography Mood urgent analytical Type strategic warning geopolitical analysis When to use this quote - military planners assessing border security - policy makers drafting counter‑terrorism strategy - analysts monitoring extremist movements Key Concepts state failure transnational threat diffusion Practical Applications - strengthen border cooperation - target safe‑haven networks Questions to Reflect On - How does state fragility affect terrorist logistics? - What measures can disrupt these corridors? A Different Perspective The analysis may overstate a single country’s role, ignoring local dynamics and other extremist groups. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allies/) [Egypt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egypt/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Lebanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lebanon/) [Safe haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe-haven/) [Syria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria/) [Territory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/territory/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) ## Related quotes > [Islam is a civilization that is fractured linguistically, ethnically, sectarian-wise, as ours is. 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He said the Americans only want oil, and, of course, Iraq has the second-largest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/any-strong-muslim-regime-that-threatens-israel-and-we-did-he-said-the/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [Our enemy is Al Qaeda and its allies, people who have publicly said they wish to attack the United States again, people who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-holbrooke/our-enemy-is-al-qaeda-and-its-allies-people-who-have-publicly-said/) [Richard Holbrooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holbrooke/) > [During all the first part of the Middle Ages, no other people made as important a contribution to human progress as did the Arabs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-khuri-hitti/during-all-the-first-part-of-the-middle-ages-no-other-people-made-as/) Philip Khuri Hitti > [For over seven years the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden/for-over-seven-years-the-united-states-has-been-occupying-the-lands/) [Osama bin Laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osama-bin-laden/) > [Why should we care about the coup? 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Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-thompson/) > [Anyone who isn't confused or conflicted on the topic of Israel probably isn't looking into it too deeply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/anyone-who-isn-t-confused-or-conflicted-on-the-topic-of-israel/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Without Hitler, the State of Israel probably would not exist today. To that extent he was probably the Jews' greatest friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-irving/without-hitler-the-state-of-israel-probably-would-not-exist-today-to/) [David Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-irving/) > [In terms of Iraq, al Qaeda valued Iraq because we destroyed a government it wanted destroyed and because we put soldiers on the ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/in-terms-of-iraq-al-qaeda-valued-iraq-because-we-destroyed-a/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [The Florida peninsula is, in fact, an emerging plateau, honeycombed with voids and vents, caves and underground waterways. Travelers on Interstate Highway I-75 have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-wayne-white/the-florida-peninsula-is-in-fact-an-emerging-plateau-honeycombed-with/) [Randy Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-wayne-white/) > [The men and women who serve this great nation, whether they are stationed in Iraq, Fort Riley, or the Korean Peninsula, or they serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-sebelius/the-men-and-women-who-serve-this-great-nation-whether-they-are/) [Kathleen Sebelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-sebelius/) > [My family immigrated when I was 3, and our predecessors inhabited the Korean Peninsula for as long as can be recalled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/my-family-immigrated-when-i-was-3-and-our-predecessors-inhabited-the/) [Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [The solution to North Korea is the reunification of the Korean Peninsula. China could influence the North; it supplies 80 to 90 percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/the-solution-to-north-korea-is-the-reunification-of-the-korean/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) > [It might be lonelier Without the Loneliness - I’m so accustomed to my Fate - Perhaps the Other - Peace - Would interrupt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/it-might-be-lonelier-without-the-loneliness-i-m-so-accustomed-to-my/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) ## More by Michael Scheuer > [Well, there are certain pockets of improvement. The one that I think is most important is that state and local law enforcement levels have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/well-there-are-certain-pockets-of-improvement-the-one-that-i-think-is/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [You become an anti-Semite. And as powerful as the Israeli lobby is, the Saudi lobby is just as powerful. In fact, the Saudis probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/you-become-an-anti-semite-and-as-powerful-as-the-israeli-lobby-is-the/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [Without the connotation good or bad, bin Laden's a great man in the sense that he's influenced the course of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/without-the-connotation-good-or-bad-bin-laden-s-a-great-man-in-the/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [I know these days it sounds a little odd, but American governments are very fearful of European reaction. They were afraid we would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/i-know-these-days-it-sounds-a-little-odd-but-american-governments-are/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [The whole importance of Iraq is that we have now created two things. One, Iraq is in the Arab heartland in terms of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/the-whole-importance-of-iraq-is-that-we-have-now-created-two-things/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [Bin Laden does reprehensible activities, and we should surely take care of that by killing him as soon as we can. But he's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/bin-laden-does-reprehensible-activities-and-we-should-surely-take/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [The uniqueness of the unit was more or less that it was focused on a single individual. It was really the first time the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/the-uniqueness-of-the-unit-was-more-or-less-that-it-was-focused-on-a/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [I think it's very instructive to look at a man like Ramsey Ahmad Yousef, who almost brought down the World Trade Center in 1993.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/i-think-it-s-very-instructive-to-look-at-a-man-like-ramsey-ahmad/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [The treatise found that he was perfectly within his rights to use them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/the-treatise-found-that-he-was-perfectly-within-his-rights-to-use-them/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [Every mujahadeen who comes in from outside the country finds an environment where Arabic is spoken. So in that sense, it's a tremendous come-on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/every-mujahadeen-who-comes-in-from-outside-the-country-finds-an/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [We've gone thorough religious wars and civil wars. America has gone through slavery, we've all gone through two world wars, segregation. Ultimately it's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/we-ve-gone-thorough-religious-wars-and-civil-wars-america-has-gone/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [I don't know what our capabilities are. If I were there, I think it would be nutty to do that. The only country on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/i-don-t-know-what-our-capabilities-are-if-i-were-there-i-think-it/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [One of the reasons they didn't go to Bosnia, bin Laden has explained extensively, was because they couldn't establish a base anywhere. Not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/one-of-the-reasons-they-didn-t-go-to-bosnia-bin-laden-has-explained/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [Where he was, where his cells were, where his logistical channels were, how he communicated. Who his allies were. Who donated to them. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/where-he-was-where-his-cells-were-where-his-logistical-channels-were/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [Until we respect bin Laden, we are going to die in numbers that are probably unnecessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/until-we-respect-bin-laden-we-are-going-to-die-in-numbers-that-are/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) [Explore all 91 Michael Scheuer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) ## More Al qaeda quotes > [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Critics have stepped up their attacks on the President for authorizing the National Security Agency to listen to international communications of known al Qaeda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/critics-have-stepped-up-their-attacks-on-the-president-for/) [Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/) > [“I do not go to church. I don’t go to Christian church or Jew church or any other church. I don’t go to church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-do-not-go-to-church-i-don-t-go-to-christian-church-or-jew-church-or/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [ This war \[in Syria\] is going to support Al-Qaeda and the same people that killed Americans in the 11th of September. The second thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/this-war-in-syria-is-going-to-support-al-qaeda-and-the-same-people/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The people who illegally cross into the country are from countries that have very close ties to al Qaeda, whether it's Yemen or Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/the-people-who-illegally-cross-into-the-country-are-from-countries/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [The White House was signaling that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein was of such urgency that it had priority over the crushing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/the-white-house-was-signaling-that-the-threat-posed-by-saddam-hussein/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I was on the front lines in the Cold War, and I was on the front lines in the fight against Al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-haspel/i-was-on-the-front-lines-in-the-cold-war-and-i-was-on-the-front-lines/) [Gina Haspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-haspel/) > [If you don't understand what al Qaeda was trying to do on 9/11, if you don't have a sense of who Osama bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/if-you-don-t-understand-what-al-qaeda-was-trying-to-do-on-9-11-if-you/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Some have argued that the President is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/some-have-argued-that-the-president-is-required-to-get-permission/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [The idea the president of the United States was warned that Al-Qaeda was going to attack the United States and did nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-idea-the-president-of-the-united-states-was-warned-that-al-qaeda/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [There's more evil in the charts than an Al-Qaeda suggestion box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/there-s-more-evil-in-the-charts-than-an-al-qaeda-suggestion-box/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) > [Muslim leaders around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/muslim-leaders-around-the-globe-have-to-continue-working-with-us-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Mistreatment of al Qaeda members and their friends and hangers-on is something I number among my moral concerns. But it's number 1,000,000,001.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/mistreatment-of-al-qaeda-members-and-their-friends-and-hangers-on-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [(The United States) is the same as al-Qaeda, under a different color flag, calling on the name a different God to sanction and approve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-wright/the-united-states-is-the-same-as-al-qaeda-under-a-different-color/) [Jeremiah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-wright/) > [“Sometimes I think that we should send all of the Killer Mediums to Afghanistan because al-Qaeda wouldn’t stand a chance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudnick/sometimes-i-think-that-we-should-send-all-of-the-killer-mediums-to/) [Paul Rudnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudnick/) Browse all 360 Al qaeda quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. 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