--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Twenty-first century war adds new risks…" description: "\"Twenty-first century war adds new risks: more and more often there are no front lines, no central command, no rules of engagement - only a chaotic coll..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/nancy-gibbs-2206_adds_twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks_2530192.png" --- # Twenty-first century war adds new risks: more and more… ![“Twenty-first century war adds new risks: more and more often there are no front lines, no central command, no rules of engagement - only a chaotic collision of politics, power, faith and bloodlust. Victims are as likely to be civilians as soldiers.” quote by Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/nancy-gibbs-2206_adds_twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks_2530192.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/nancy-gibbs-2206_adds_twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks_2530192.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/nancy-gibbs-2206_adds_twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks_2530192.png) > “Twenty-first century war adds new risks: more and more often there are no front lines, no central command, no rules of engagement - only a chaotic collision of politics, power, faith and bloodlust. Victims are as likely to be civilians as soldiers.” [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War today lacks clear fronts and rules, blending politics, power, faith, and violence, affecting civilians and soldiers alike. **In simple terms:** War is chaotic and blurs combat lines. Key Takeaway Recognize civilian risk. Themes war civilian impact modern conflict Mood serious urgent Type analytical informative When to use this quote - humanitarian aid - policy planning - media reporting Key Concepts politics ethics asymmetry Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do leaders have? - How can civilians be protected? A Different Perspective Complex to resolve due to many actors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adds/) [Central](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Century War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century-war-1335139/) [Chaotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaotic/) [Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilians/) [Civilians Soldiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilians-soldiers-1335138/) [Collision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collision/) [Command](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/command/) [Engagement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engagement/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/front/) [Likely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likely/) [Likely Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likely-civilians-1335140/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [More and more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-and-more/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-risks-1335137/) [Often](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/often/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risks/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) [Rules of engagement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-of-engagement/) [Soldiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldiers/) [Victims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victims/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Don't spend all of your time living confined without making new friends and taking new risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-spend-all-of-your-time-living-confined-without-making-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The 20th century was the century of war and blood. The 21st century is the century of dialogue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-20th-century-was-the-century-of-war-and-blood-the-21st-century-is/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [By the 20th century, war ceased to be an encounter between two armies. It became an encounter between two societies, because a factory worker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/by-the-20th-century-war-ceased-to-be-an-encounter-between-two-armies/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [Although the United States lost a quarter of a million men and women, civilians and soldiers, in World War II, that's considerably less than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/although-the-united-states-lost-a-quarter-of-a-million-men-and-women/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [In Iraq, State Department civilians and U.S. soldiers have been operating in the same location in an active war zone. While the troops have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/in-iraq-state-department-civilians-and-u-s-soldiers-have-been/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [Whoever refuses to remember the inhumanity is prone to new risks of infection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-von-weizsaecker/whoever-refuses-to-remember-the-inhumanity-is-prone-to-new-risks-of/) [Richard von Weizsaecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-von-weizsaecker/) > [In my 20 years as a photographer, covering conflicts from Bosnia to Gaza to Iraq to Afghanistan, injured civilians and soldiers have passed through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anja-niedringhaus/in-my-20-years-as-a-photographer-covering-conflicts-from-bosnia-to/) [Anja Niedringhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anja-niedringhaus/) > [It is my belief that whereas the twentieth century has been a century of war and untold suffering, the twenty-first century should be one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/it-is-my-belief-that-whereas-the-twentieth-century-has-been-a-century/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Enrique Muricano isn't afraid to try something new, to take risks, to possibly fail, and in turn, set himself apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/enrique-muricano-isn-t-afraid-to-try-something-new-to-take-risks-to/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [In the old world of business, there was often just one seat at the leadership table for women, two at best. That meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallie-krawcheck/in-the-old-world-of-business-there-was-often-just-one-seat-at-the/) [Sallie Krawcheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallie-krawcheck/) > [Al Qaeda attacked the U.S.S. Cole and bombed several U.S. embassies in East Africa in the late 1990s. We knew who did it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-troia-mcfarland/al-qaeda-attacked-the-u-s-s-cole-and-bombed-several-u-s-embassies-in/) [Kathleen Troia McFarland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-troia-mcfarland/) > [Under our rules of engagement, if I were ISIS, what I would do is collocate my headquarters next to a school or a hospital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zinke/under-our-rules-of-engagement-if-i-were-isis-what-i-would-do-is/) [Ryan Zinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zinke/) > [This is a serious problem that will lead to a serious debate about the first amendment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/this-is-a-serious-problem-that-will-lead-to-a-serious-debate-about/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Businesses need certainty, to see clearly the rules of engagement for investing in South Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-oppenheimer/businesses-need-certainty-to-see-clearly-the-rules-of-engagement-for/) [Nicky Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-oppenheimer/) > [I only ever wanted fame on my own terms, which was naive. I didn't understand the rules of engagement, that networking was an essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-fitzgerald/i-only-ever-wanted-fame-on-my-own-terms-which-was-naive-i-didn-t/) [Tara Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-fitzgerald/) ## More by Nancy Gibbs > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [The millennials were raised in a cocoon, their anxious parents afraid to let them go out in the park to play. So should we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-millennials-were-raised-in-a-cocoon-their-anxious-parents-afraid/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Be bored and see where it takes you, because the imagination's dusty wilderness is worth crossing if you want to sculpt your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/be-bored-and-see-where-it-takes-you-because-the-imagination-s-dusty/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [As you probably know, I've written a lot about the presidency, so it's obviously exciting when you get to interview a president and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/as-you-probably-know-i-ve-written-a-lot-about-the-presidency-so-it-s/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [ \[Former chief executives\] come away thinking that America needs a strong, functioning presidency to succeed, and they become very protective of that office. Democrats… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/former-chief-executives-come-away-thinking-that-america-needs-a/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [It's hard to think of any tool, any instrument, any object in history with which so many developed so close a relationship so quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/it-s-hard-to-think-of-any-tool-any-instrument-any-object-in-history/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [“Lydon Johnson realized he really was President, that his identity had changed by President Kennedy's shocking death, when aides who had been like family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/lydon-johnson-realized-he-really-was-president-that-his-identity-had/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [A typical smart phone has more computing power than Apollo 11 when it landed a man on the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/a-typical-smart-phone-has-more-computing-power-than-apollo-11-when-it/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [George W. Bush, though a president's son, is cast as Reagan's heir even more than his father's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/george-w-bush-though-a-president-s-son-is-cast-as-reagan-s-heir-even/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [For God to be kept out of the classroom or out of America's public debate by nervous school administrators or overcautious politicians serves no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/for-god-to-be-kept-out-of-the-classroom-or-out-of-america-s-public/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Pain is the most private experience, but its causes, whether natural or man-made, demand public accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/pain-is-the-most-private-experience-but-its-causes-whether-natural-or/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [On the court, Jason Collins is not a huge basketball star, but he has already claimed his place in civil rights history as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/on-the-court-jason-collins-is-not-a-huge-basketball-star-but-he-has/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [When you are a media celebrity, every word you speak is dissected, as are those you choose not to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/when-you-are-a-media-celebrity-every-word-you-speak-is-dissected-as/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [If you want to humble an empire it makes sense to maim its cathedrals. They are symbols of its faith, and when they crumple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/if-you-want-to-humble-an-empire-it-makes-sense-to-maim-its-cathedrals/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [“The wand is mighter then the sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-wand-is-mighter-then-the-sword/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) [Explore all 179 Nancy Gibbs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) ## More Adds quotes > [When humans team up with computers to play chess, the humans who do best are not necessarily the strongest players. They're the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/when-humans-team-up-with-computers-to-play-chess-the-humans-who-do/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [Most actors are insecure enough already without having a director who adds to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-windsor/most-actors-are-insecure-enough-already-without-having-a-director-who/) [Marie Windsor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-windsor/) > [I really enjoy getting to go and play on other people's shows for an episode or two. It adds such variety to my repertoire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-zea/i-really-enjoy-getting-to-go-and-play-on-other-people-s-shows-for-an/) [Natalie Zea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-zea/) > [Pomegranate molasses is ubiquitous in Arabic cooking: it's sweet, sour and adds depth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/pomegranate-molasses-is-ubiquitous-in-arabic-cooking-it-s-sweet-sour/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [Did you know that the state is the proud owner of a condo complex in Conway? This budget adds a real estate manager position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lynch/did-you-know-that-the-state-is-the-proud-owner-of-a-condo-complex-in/) [John Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lynch/) > [I don't think neurobiology is going to replace aesthetics or art history. It's a parallel discipline that adds a new dimension. I always compare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kandel/i-don-t-think-neurobiology-is-going-to-replace-aesthetics-or-art/) [Eric Kandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kandel/) > [Incumbency adds a layer of advantage on top of this party dominance. But rather than foster an environment in which members of Congress feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-mann/incumbency-adds-a-layer-of-advantage-on-top-of-this-party-dominance/) [Thomas E. Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-mann/) > [Mastering one recipe is better than mastering too many. Learn something and own it, and you'll feel so much better about it. You'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-douglas/mastering-one-recipe-is-better-than-mastering-too-many-learn/) [Tom Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-douglas/) > [“Hope no one adds zombies to this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hope-no-one-adds-zombies-to-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No one in 'Banshee' has small opinions. They have strong beliefs, and they will defend them ferociously. Having that element in the show just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-starr/no-one-in-banshee-has-small-opinions-they-have-strong-beliefs-and/) [Antony Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-starr/) > [I'm a lot less travelled as an adult than I was as a child, but I think living in far flung places gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-pinborough/i-m-a-lot-less-travelled-as-an-adult-than-i-was-as-a-child-but-i/) [Sarah Pinborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-pinborough/) > [Every Christian's happiness adds to my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phillips/every-christian-s-happiness-adds-to-my-own/) [Michael Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phillips/) > [You know what I did? I turned down an offer to do 'Enemy of the People' with Steve McQueen. It doesn't matter that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ladd/you-know-what-i-did-i-turned-down-an-offer-to-do-enemy-of-the-people/) [Diane Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ladd/) > [If you're going to saute something, lightly spray olive oil in the pan or on veggies before you serve them. It adds a nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-sweeney/if-you-re-going-to-saute-something-lightly-spray-olive-oil-in-the-pan/) [Alison Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-sweeney/) > [Architecture adds dimensions to my life that would be impossible to acquire if I retired. The beautiful thing about architecture is that every project…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-pelli/architecture-adds-dimensions-to-my-life-that-would-be-impossible-to/) [Cesar Pelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-pelli/) [Browse all 89 Adds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Twenty-first century war adds new risks: more and more often there are no front lines, no central command, no rules of engagement - only a chaotic collision of politics, power, faith and bloodlust. Victims are as likely to be civilians as soldiers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nancy Gibbs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks-more-and-more-often-there-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks-more-and-more-often-there-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/nancy-gibbs-2206_adds_twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks_2530192.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/nancy-gibbs-2206_adds_twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks_2530192.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/nancy-gibbs-2206_adds_twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks_2530192.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Twenty-first century war adds new risks: more and more often there are no front lines, no central command…” — Nancy Gibbs", "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": "Nancy Gibbs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Twenty-first century war adds new risks:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks-more-and-more-often-there-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/twenty-first-century-war-adds-new-risks-more-and-more-often-there-are/#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 } } ] } ```