---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A defeat for ISIS in Iraq will be defeat…"
description: "\"A defeat for ISIS in Iraq will be defeat for ISIS in Syria.\" — Patrick Cockburn"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bae/patrick-cockburn-28053_defeat_a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat_2273923.png"
---

#  A defeat for ISIS in Iraq will be defeat for ISIS in Syria.

![“A defeat for ISIS in Iraq will be defeat for ISIS in Syria.” quote by Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bae/patrick-cockburn-28053_defeat_a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat_2273923.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bae/patrick-cockburn-28053_defeat_a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat_2273923.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bae/patrick-cockburn-28053_defeat_a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat_2273923.png)

> “A defeat for ISIS in Iraq will be defeat for ISIS in Syria.”

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A victory against ISIS in Iraq signals a similar outcome in Syria, highlighting interconnected battlefields.

**In simple terms:** Defeat in Iraq means defeat in Syria.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the strategic link between regions.

Themes

geopolitics military strategy terrorism

Mood

analytical informative

Type

journalistic political

When to use this quote

- policy planning
- military operations
- media analysis
- public awareness

Key Concepts

international relations conflict studies

Questions to Reflect On

- What factors could cause divergent outcomes?
- How does regional cooperation affect success?

A Different Perspective

Complexities may differ between theaters.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Syria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria/)

## Related quotes

> [We're making progress. Our military is assisting in Iraq. And we're hoping that within the year we'll be able to push ISIS out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-re-making-progress-our-military-is-assisting-in-iraq-and-we-re/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [ If we topple \[Bashar\] Assad, the result will be ISIS will take over Syria, and it will worsen U.S. national security interests. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/if-we-topple-bashar-assad-the-result-will-be-isis-will-take-over/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [The rise of ISIS in Iraq is a wider threat to the stability of the Middle East and the West than many realise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maajid-nawaz/the-rise-of-isis-in-iraq-is-a-wider-threat-to-the-stability-of-the/)

[Maajid Nawaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maajid-nawaz/)

> [I hope by the time I am president that we will have pushed ISIS out of Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-hope-by-the-time-i-am-president-that-we-will-have-pushed-isis-out/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [The only people that have ever fought ISIS in Syria is not the regime; it is the Free Syrian Army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-keane/the-only-people-that-have-ever-fought-isis-in-syria-is-not-the-regime/)

[Jack Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-keane/)

> [When the air forces of the U.S., Russia, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and others are already engaged with Isis in Syria, it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/when-the-air-forces-of-the-u-s-russia-france-jordan-saudi-arabia/)

[Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/)

> [It's a bit questionable whether Turkey is a model country or not, since our government is supporting ISIS in Syria, since there are legislations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/it-s-a-bit-questionable-whether-turkey-is-a-model-country-or-not/)

[Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/)

> [Stategy in Iraq- defeat al-Qaeda; limit Iran's influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/stategy-in-iraq-defeat-al-qaeda-limit-iran-s-influence/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [What we now have in Iraq is a defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-waxman/what-we-now-have-in-iraq-is-a-defeat/)

[Henry Waxman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-waxman/)

> [We are going to be able to defeat ISIS on the ground there, as well as in this world, because of the Muslim Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-are-going-to-be-able-to-defeat-isis-on-the-ground-there-as-well-as/)

[Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/)

> [Air power will not defeat ISIS. It has not been able to deny ISIS freedom of maneuver and the ability to attack at will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-keane/air-power-will-not-defeat-isis-it-has-not-been-able-to-deny-isis/)

[Jack Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-keane/)

> [We need a president who stands up, number one, and says, we will defeat ISIS. And number two, says the greatest national security threat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-a-president-who-stands-up-number-one-and-says-we-will-defeat/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [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/)

> [Our country doesn't win anymore. We don't win on trade. We don't win on the military. We can't defeat ISIS. We're not taking care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/our-country-doesn-t-win-anymore-we-don-t-win-on-trade-we-don-t-win-on/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [We've got to keep fighting, and I will defeat ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-ve-got-to-keep-fighting-and-i-will-defeat-isis/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## More by Patrick Cockburn

> [There are some things that could hold it together, notably oil revenues. But at the moment, the much vaunted surge has had a measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/there-are-some-things-that-could-hold-it-together-notably-oil/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [Mosul stands rally at a sort of juncture of sectarian and ethnic differences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/mosul-stands-rally-at-a-sort-of-juncture-of-sectarian-and-ethnic/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [I don't think the whole of Iraq would be under al-Sadr, but I think he would be the predominant force on the Shia side.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/i-don-t-think-the-whole-of-iraq-would-be-under-al-sadr-but-i-think-he/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [Young Shia who have been brought up with nothing, who are pretty anarchic, pretty dangerous. In 2004 when they came close to killing me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/young-shia-who-have-been-brought-up-with-nothing-who-are-pretty/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [Muqtada leads the only real mass movement in Iraq. It's a mass movement of the Shia, who are 60 percent of the population, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/muqtada-leads-the-only-real-mass-movement-in-iraq-it-s-a-mass/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [But from the moment George Bush decided to overthrow Saddam, the people who were going to benefit here were the Shia, who are 60…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/but-from-the-moment-george-bush-decided-to-overthrow-saddam-the/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [Muqtada is radical in the sense that he wants the U.S. occupation to end and has always said so from the beginning. Secondly, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/muqtada-is-radical-in-the-sense-that-he-wants-the-u-s-occupation-to/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [Despite the fact that there's billions of dollars sitting in the Iraqi government reserves, somehow they are incapable of getting it out to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/despite-the-fact-that-there-s-billions-of-dollars-sitting-in-the/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [You know, if you want to meet a lot of Iraqi leaders, the best places are the hotels in Amman or in London. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/you-know-if-you-want-to-meet-a-lot-of-iraqi-leaders-the-best-places/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [There's a lot of expectation in the Middle East that post-Obama there will be a sort of tougher U.S. line on Assad, there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/there-s-a-lot-of-expectation-in-the-middle-east-that-post-obama-there/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [ Muqtada belongs to the most famous religious family in Iraq, which is the al-Sadr family. He's really the third in line. \[Muqtada's father\] drew… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/muqtada-belongs-to-the-most-famous-religious-family-in-iraq-which-is/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [Turkey is saying that it wants to preserve Sunni dominance in Mosul. Obviously, there, the Kurds, the Shia, the Iraqi government have their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/turkey-is-saying-that-it-wants-to-preserve-sunni-dominance-in-mosul/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [It's always sort of amazing, sitting in Baghdad, to watch visiting dignitaries being received in the Green Zone by politicians who have usually very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/it-s-always-sort-of-amazing-sitting-in-baghdad-to-watch-visiting/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [Everything that happens in Iraq affects countries outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/everything-that-happens-in-iraq-affects-countries-outside/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

> [There are sort of Kurdish districts there in Mosul, or there used to be, but the Kurds mostly fled or were driven out. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/there-are-sort-of-kurdish-districts-there-in-mosul-or-there-used-to/)

[Patrick Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

[Explore all 20 Patrick Cockburn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/)

## More Defeat quotes

> [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/)

[Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/)

> [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/)

[Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/)

> [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/)

[Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/)

> [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/)

[Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/)

> [Defeat furnishes good material to the poets and the artists, but none of us care to have the glory of the conquered apply to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/defeat-furnishes-good-material-to-the-poets-and-the-artists-but-none/)

[Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/)

> [“We don't have to defeat any individual but our own self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/we-don-t-have-to-defeat-any-individual-but-our-own-self/)

[Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/)

> [“Defeat is a disease, and victory is the cure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defeat-is-a-disease-and-victory-is-the-cure/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The glow of victory and the harsh chill of defeat are two sides of the same coin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-lenartowicz/the-glow-of-victory-and-the-harsh-chill-of-defeat-are-two-sides-of/)

Maria Lenartowicz

> [After a big defeat, any player feels affected - it is about how long he needs to recover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/after-a-big-defeat-any-player-feels-affected-it-is-about-how-long-he/)

[Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/)

> [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gichin-funakoshi/the-ultimate-aim-of-karate-lies-not-in-victory-or-defeat-but-in-the/)

[Gichin Funakoshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gichin-funakoshi/)

> [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/)

Victor J. Dzau

> [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/)

[Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/)

[Browse all 2,603 Defeat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A defeat for ISIS in Iraq will be defeat for ISIS in Syria.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patrick Cockburn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat-for-isis-in-syria/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Defeat"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat-for-isis-in-syria/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bae/patrick-cockburn-28053_defeat_a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat_2273923.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bae/patrick-cockburn-28053_defeat_a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat_2273923.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bae/patrick-cockburn-28053_defeat_a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat_2273923.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A defeat for ISIS in Iraq will be defeat for ISIS in Syria.” — Patrick Cockburn",
                "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": "Patrick Cockburn",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cockburn/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A defeat for ISIS in Iraq...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat-for-isis-in-syria/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cockburn/a-defeat-for-isis-in-iraq-will-be-defeat-for-isis-in-syria/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
