--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One can describe them as a boa: when it…" description: "\"One can describe them as a boa: when it feels threatened, it runs to somewhere else.\" — Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf-3653_baghdad_one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-f_1012518.jpg" --- # One can describe them as a boa: when it feels threatened… ![“One can describe them as a boa: when it feels threatened, it runs to somewhere else.” quote by Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf-3653_baghdad_one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-f_1012518.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf-3653_baghdad_one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-f_1012518.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf-3653_baghdad_one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-f_1012518.jpg) > “One can describe them as a boa: when it feels threatened, it runs to somewhere else.” [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When threatened, a being may flee to a different place, seeking safety. **In simple terms:** Threatened beings often flee. Key Takeaway Recognize fear and choose constructive response. Themes fear flight self‑preservation adaptation Mood anxious reflective Type advice psychological When to use this quote - conflict - personal safety - stressful situations Key Concepts psychology survival instinct Questions to Reflect On - What does your fear tell you? - How can you face threats directly? A Different Perspective Fleeing may avoid confronting root problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baghdad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [The fact is that as soon as they reach Baghdad gates, we will besiege them and slaughter them. Until now they have refused to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-fact-is-that-as-soon-as-they-reach-baghdad-gates-we-will-besiege/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [When you are a strong woman, you will attract trouble. When a man feels threatened, there is always trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-taylor-bradford/when-you-are-a-strong-woman-you-will-attract-trouble-when-a-man-feels/) [Barbara Taylor Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-taylor-bradford/) > [I believe when the country feels threatened it is important that we are seen to be working together to find an appropriate structure for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/i-believe-when-the-country-feels-threatened-it-is-important-that-we/) [Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/) > [Can you feel that there is something in you that is at war, something that feels threatened and wants to survive at all cost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/can-you-feel-that-there-is-something-in-you-that-is-at-war-something/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“While fighting to survive the intense stream of information while trying to manage expectations and live up to standards, our inner self feels threatened.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-o-brien/while-fighting-to-survive-the-intense-stream-of-information-while/) [Alan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-o-brien/) > [The force that was in the airport, this force was destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-force-that-was-in-the-airport-this-force-was-destroyed/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [The Cruise missiles do not frighten anyone. We are catching them like fish in a river.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-cruise-missiles-do-not-frighten-anyone-we-are-catching-them-like/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Our estimates are that none of them will come out alive unless they surrender to us quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/our-estimates-are-that-none-of-them-will-come-out-alive-unless-they/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [I can assure you that those villains will recognize, will discover in appropriate time in the future how stupid they are and how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/i-can-assure-you-that-those-villains-will-recognize-will-discover-in/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [How can you lay siege to a whole country? Who is really under siege now? Baghdad cannot be besieged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/how-can-you-lay-siege-to-a-whole-country-who-is-really-under-siege/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Today we slaughtered them in the airport. They are out of Saddam International Airport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/today-we-slaughtered-them-in-the-airport-they-are-out-of-saddam/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Saddam Hussein's soldiers and his great forces gave the Americans a lesson which will not be forgotten by history. Truly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/saddam-hussein-s-soldiers-and-his-great-forces-gave-the-americans-a/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [We're giving them a real lesson today. Heavy doesn't accurately describe the level of casualties we have inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/we-re-giving-them-a-real-lesson-today-heavy-doesn-t-accurately/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [They are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks. They will surrender, it is they who will surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/they-are-going-to-surrender-or-be-burned-in-their-tanks-they-will/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [The authority of the civil defense ... issued a warning to the civilian population not to pick up any of those pencils because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-authority-of-the-civil-defense-issued-a-warning-to-the-civilian/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) ## More by Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf > [These mercenaries, I swear by God, those who are still in Washington, they have sent their troops to be burned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/these-mercenaries-i-swear-by-god-those-who-are-still-in-washington/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [The authority of the civil defense ... issued a warning to the civilian population not to pick up any of those pencils because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-authority-of-the-civil-defense-issued-a-warning-to-the-civilian/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [The midget, Bush, and that Rumsfeld deserve only to be beaten with shoes by freedom loving people everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-midget-bush-and-that-rumsfeld-deserve-only-to-be-beaten-with/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Search for the truth. I tell you things and I always ask you to verify what I say. I told you yesterday that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/search-for-the-truth-i-tell-you-things-and-i-always-ask-you-to-verify/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Their casualties and bodies are many. Their equipment and vehicles, several were destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/their-casualties-and-bodies-are-many-their-equipment-and-vehicles/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [The Iraqi troops and the Iraqi fighters are in control of all the places, as we have witnessed, no big change in that. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-iraqi-troops-and-the-iraqi-fighters-are-in-control-of-all-the/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [We will get them stuck in the mud and we will certainly defeat them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/we-will-get-them-stuck-in-the-mud-and-we-will-certainly-defeat-them/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [They are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks. They will surrender, it is they who will surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/they-are-going-to-surrender-or-be-burned-in-their-tanks-they-will/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [We're giving them a real lesson today. Heavy doesn't accurately describe the level of casualties we have inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/we-re-giving-them-a-real-lesson-today-heavy-doesn-t-accurately/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Those who ran away are now outside the distant perimeter wall of the airport. Now they're outside the wall and the heroic Republican Guard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/those-who-ran-away-are-now-outside-the-distant-perimeter-wall-of-the/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [We are determined to defeat them and destroy them on the walls of our capital, as we are determined to destroy their miserable armies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/we-are-determined-to-defeat-them-and-destroy-them-on-the-walls-of-our/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Our initial assessment is that they will all die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/our-initial-assessment-is-that-they-will-all-die/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [Saddam Hussein's soldiers and his great forces gave the Americans a lesson which will not be forgotten by history. Truly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/saddam-hussein-s-soldiers-and-his-great-forces-gave-the-americans-a/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [The time is not yet ripe to say what happened. When history's ready, then we can talk about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-time-is-not-yet-ripe-to-say-what-happened-when-history-s-ready/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [The information was correct, but the interpretation was not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-information-was-correct-but-the-interpretation-was-not/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) [Explore all 125 Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) ## More Baghdad quotes > [“I know a feeling like that only comes once in a lifetime, and I think you should follow your heart’s desires. I believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-ardalan/i-know-a-feeling-like-that-only-comes-once-in-a-lifetime-and-i-think/) [Ahmad Ardalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmad-ardalan/) > [My dad's Israeli. He was born in Baghdad to Iraqi Jews. Then, at age two, his parents wanted to move to their homeland and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-yamin/my-dad-s-israeli-he-was-born-in-baghdad-to-iraqi-jews-then-at-age-two/) [Elliott Yamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-yamin/) > [Almost immediately, I remember right when Tikrit even fell, a few days after Baghdad fell, there was talks of insurgency, there was talks of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farnaz-fassihi/almost-immediately-i-remember-right-when-tikrit-even-fell-a-few-days/) Farnaz Fassihi > [What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-chirac/what-is-at-stake-is-how-to-answer-the-potential-threat-iraq/) [Jacques Chirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-chirac/) > [Our military superiority is so great - it's far greater than it was in the Gulf War, and the Gulf War was over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/our-military-superiority-is-so-great-it-s-far-greater-than-it-was-in/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The authority of the civil defense ... issued a warning to the civilian population not to pick up any of those pencils because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-authority-of-the-civil-defense-issued-a-warning-to-the-civilian/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [The mission statement was ordered, and it sent the 800th MP Brigade, effective the first of July, up to Baghdad. I joined my brigade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/the-mission-statement-was-ordered-and-it-sent-the-800th-mp-brigade/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [The senior officer who met with reporters in Baghdad said there had been 21 car bombings in the capital in May, and 126 in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/the-senior-officer-who-met-with-reporters-in-baghdad-said-there-had/) [Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/) > [There are people who haven't faced the reality of what has gone on in Iraq. They still think that the old central state is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-w-galbraith/there-are-people-who-haven-t-faced-the-reality-of-what-has-gone-on-in/) Peter W. Galbraith > [If the U.N. secretary-general withdraws the inspectors from Baghdad ... this means that the secretary-general has abandoned its own responsibility in maintaining peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naji-sabri/if-the-u-n-secretary-general-withdraws-the-inspectors-from-baghdad/) [Naji Sabri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naji-sabri/) > [I think that were I in the middle of an obsession to write about, say, sudden oak death in California or my grandchildren or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/i-think-that-were-i-in-the-middle-of-an-obsession-to-write-about-say/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [They are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks. They will surrender, it is they who will surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/they-are-going-to-surrender-or-be-burned-in-their-tanks-they-will/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [I firmly believed we should not march into Baghdad ...To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-firmly-believed-we-should-not-march-into-baghdad-to-occupy-iraq/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [We're giving them a real lesson today. Heavy doesn't accurately describe the level of casualties we have inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/we-re-giving-them-a-real-lesson-today-heavy-doesn-t-accurately/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [I think that we live in a remarkably networked world. The problem with that, of course, is that tensions can travel in nanoseconds across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/i-think-that-we-live-in-a-remarkably-networked-world-the-problem-with/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) [Browse all 191 Baghdad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One can describe them as a boa: when it feels threatened, it runs to somewhere else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-feels-threatened-it-runs-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baghdad" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-feels-threatened-it-runs-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf-3653_baghdad_one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-f_1012518.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf-3653_baghdad_one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-f_1012518.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf-3653_baghdad_one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-f_1012518.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One can describe them as a boa: when it feels threatened, it runs to somewhere else.” — Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf", "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": "Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One can describe them as a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-feels-threatened-it-runs-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/one-can-describe-them-as-a-boa-when-it-feels-threatened-it-runs-to/#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 } } ] } ```