Able Quote by Paul Wolfowitz
“The Western alliance should have supported the Sunni opposition against the Assad regime from the beginning. As far as Iraq is concerned, if it had stayed stable the way it was in 2008, IS would not have been able to expand in Iraq the way they did. The mistake was that Barack Obama withdrew the armed forces from Iraq too fast.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public remarks, 2010, US policy discussion
Advocates early support for Sunni groups to prevent ISIS rise, blaming rapid US troop withdrawal as a strategic error.
In simple terms: Support Sunni opposition early, avoid rapid withdrawal.
Key Takeaway
Back early, avoid abrupt exits.
Themes
geopolitics
military strategy
terrorism
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
policy
strategic
When to use this quote
- Middle East policy
- counterterrorism planning
- military deployment decisions
Key Concepts
Power vacuums
regional stability
foreign intervention
Questions to Reflect On
- Could earlier support have prevented ISIS expansion?
- What are risks of prolonged foreign military presence?
A Different Perspective
Rapid withdrawal can create power vacuums that extremist groups exploit.
![“On Syria, it's clear that the indiscriminate attacks on civilians by the [Bashar] Assad regime and Russia will only worsen the humanitarian catastrophe and that a negotiated end to the conflict is the only way to achieve lasting peace in Syria.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bff/barack-obama-17_achieve_on-syria-it-s-clear-that-the-indiscrimin_1977501.jpg)
