--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obama said he went to Libya because of…" description: "\"Obama said he went to Libya because of his conscience. Did anyone ever wrestle with his conscience and lose?\" — Mort Sahl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/mort-sahl-7819_conscience_obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-h_2820227.jpg" --- # Obama said he went to Libya because of his conscience. Did… ![“Obama said he went to Libya because of his conscience. Did anyone ever wrestle with his conscience and lose?” quote by Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/mort-sahl-7819_conscience_obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-h_2820227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/mort-sahl-7819_conscience_obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-h_2820227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/mort-sahl-7819_conscience_obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-h_2820227.jpg) > “Obama said he went to Libya because of his conscience. Did anyone ever wrestle with his conscience and lose?” [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conscience can be a heavy burden, especially when actions conflict with moral beliefs. **In simple terms:** Conscience can cause inner conflict. Key Takeaway Align actions with conscience. Themes ethics politics personal responsibility Mood introspective serious political Type ethical personal When to use this quote - policy decisions - public statements - personal dilemmas - career choices Key Concepts moral psychology leadership integrity Questions to Reflect On - Do you act when conscience warns? - What cost does ignoring conscience exact? A Different Perspective People may ignore conscience for convenience or ambition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Conscience Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-did-1525452/) [Conscience Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-lose-2875085/) [Libya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libya/) [Libya Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libya-conscience-3584010/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Went Libya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-libya-3584011/) ## Related quotes > [When you battle with your conscience and lose, you win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-battle-with-your-conscience-and-lose-you-win/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When you battle with your conscience and lose, you win. -Henny Youngman, comedian and violinist (1906-1998)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/when-you-battle-with-your-conscience-and-lose-you-win-henny-youngman/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [Without integrity and conscience we lose our freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/without-integrity-and-conscience-we-lose-our-freedom/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“And if it is a mystery, then we, too, had the right to preach mystery and to teach them that it is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/and-if-it-is-a-mystery-then-we-too-had-the-right-to-preach-mystery/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“He drank a good deal at times. But the alcohol did not seem to affect him. His stony expression never changed. But sometimes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kavan/he-drank-a-good-deal-at-times-but-the-alcohol-did-not-seem-to-affect/) [Anna Kavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kavan/) > [The courage of New England was the courage of conscience. It did not rise to that insane and awful passion, the love of war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-choate/the-courage-of-new-england-was-the-courage-of-conscience-it-did-not/) [Rufus Choate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-choate/) > [Behold, I am become a reproach to thy holy name, by serving any ambition and the sins of others; which though I did by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-laud/behold-i-am-become-a-reproach-to-thy-holy-name-by-serving-any/) [William Laud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-laud/) > [Perhaps conscience did not always produce cowards. Sometimes it made a man feel better about himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ludlum/perhaps-conscience-did-not-always-produce-cowards-sometimes-it-made-a/) [Robert Ludlum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ludlum/) > [We don't comment on special forces operations. And if you run an operation for a long time as we have here, and in Libya,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/we-don-t-comment-on-special-forces-operations-and-if-you-run-an/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [I mean, you can agree or disagree with Iraq or Afghanistan, but by the way, now the great campaigning cause out there is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-mean-you-can-agree-or-disagree-with-iraq-or-afghanistan-but-by-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [We put our fingers in the eyes of those who doubt that Libya is ruled by anyone other than its people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muammar-al-gaddafi/we-put-our-fingers-in-the-eyes-of-those-who-doubt-that-libya-is-ruled/) [Muammar al-Gaddafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muammar-al-gaddafi/) > [Iran, Libya and Syria are irresponsible states, which must be disarmed of weapons of mass destruction, and a successful American move in Iraq as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/iran-libya-and-syria-are-irresponsible-states-which-must-be-disarmed/) [Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/) > [I'm going to be specific so you can render your verdict. Let's go to North Africa, she was the chief engineer of the disastrous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-m-going-to-be-specific-so-you-can-render-your-verdict-let-s-go-to/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the-thirty-three-thousand/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) ## More by Mort Sahl > [Remember that no matter how selfish, how cruel, how unfeeling you have been today, every time you take a breath, you make a flower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/remember-that-no-matter-how-selfish-how-cruel-how-unfeeling-you-have/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Comedians have to challenge the power. Comedians should be dangerous and devastating - and funny. That's the hardest part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/comedians-have-to-challenge-the-power-comedians-should-be-dangerous/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Too much comedy today is vulgar, not clever. I say that as a comedian and as a consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/too-much-comedy-today-is-vulgar-not-clever-i-say-that-as-a-comedian/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [“The beat generation is a coffeehouse full of people expectantly looking at their watches waiting for the beat generation to come on. \*1958”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/the-beat-generation-is-a-coffeehouse-full-of-people-expectantly/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [“I don't think crucifixion is the answer. I believe in the resurrection. I like that part of the story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/i-don-t-think-crucifixion-is-the-answer-i-believe-in-the-resurrection/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [My life needs editing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/my-life-needs-editing/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Every time the Russians throw an American in jail, the Committee throws an American in jail to get even.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/every-time-the-russians-throw-an-american-in-jail-the-committee/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [you don't know what you think unless you say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/you-don-t-know-what-you-think-unless-you-say-it/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [I'm a radical, and I always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/i-m-a-radical-and-i-always-have-been/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Those who the gods would make rich and famous on TV, they first drive mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/those-who-the-gods-would-make-rich-and-famous-on-tv-they-first-drive/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Obama says his recreation consists of reading the Constitution... looking for a loophole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/obama-says-his-recreation-consists-of-reading-the-constitution/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [There's a great feeling of powerlessness in America. When I express ideas to people, they say, 'That's terrific, but do you think it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/there-s-a-great-feeling-of-powerlessness-in-america-when-i-express/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [If you can't join them, beat them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/if-you-can-t-join-them-beat-them/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [One thing about being narrow-minded: you'll never be lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/one-thing-about-being-narrow-minded-you-ll-never-be-lonely/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [Nixon's the kind of guy that if you were drowning fifty feet off shore, he'd throw you a thirty foot rope. Then Kissinger would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/nixon-s-the-kind-of-guy-that-if-you-were-drowning-fifty-feet-off/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) [Explore all 87 Mort Sahl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Obama said he went to Libya because of his conscience. Did anyone ever wrestle with his conscience and lose?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mort Sahl" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-his-conscience-did-anyone-ever/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-his-conscience-did-anyone-ever/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/mort-sahl-7819_conscience_obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-h_2820227.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/mort-sahl-7819_conscience_obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-h_2820227.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/mort-sahl-7819_conscience_obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-h_2820227.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Obama said he went to Libya because of his conscience. Did anyone ever wrestle with his conscience and lose?” — Mort Sahl", "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": "Mort Sahl", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Obama said he went to Libya...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-his-conscience-did-anyone-ever/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/obama-said-he-went-to-libya-because-of-his-conscience-did-anyone-ever/#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 } } ] } ```