--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know of a single instance of…" description: "\"I don't know of a single instance of these Arab freedom fighters holding up pictures of bin Laden. I know many instances of them displaying American fl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/paul-wolfowitz-9082_american-flag_i-don-t-know-of-a-single-instance-of-the_2971772.jpg" --- # I don't know of a single instance of these Arab freedom… ![“I don't know of a single instance of these Arab freedom fighters holding up pictures of bin Laden. I know many instances of them displaying American flags in Benghazi or painting 'Facebook' on their foreheads in Cairo. The idea of freedom . . . is absolutely contradictory to what bin Laden stood…” quote by Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/paul-wolfowitz-9082_american-flag_i-don-t-know-of-a-single-instance-of-the_2971772.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/paul-wolfowitz-9082_american-flag_i-don-t-know-of-a-single-instance-of-the_2971772.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56b/paul-wolfowitz-9082_american-flag_i-don-t-know-of-a-single-instance-of-the_2971772.jpg) > “I don't know of a single instance of these Arab freedom fighters holding up pictures of bin Laden. I know many instances of them displaying American flags in Benghazi or painting 'Facebook' on their foreheads in Cairo. The idea of freedom . . . is absolutely contradictory to what bin Laden stood for, which was . . . taking Muslims back to some medieval theocracy and encouraging people to die not for freedom but to go to paradise and to kill innocent people along the way. The contrast is really striking.” [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the paradox of extremist groups claiming freedom while supporting violent, theocratic agendas, contrasting them with superficial displays of patriotism. **In simple terms:** Extremists claim freedom but enforce oppression; superficial patriotism masks deeper contradictions. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge false narratives of freedom. Themes politics religion terrorism contradiction Mood critical reflective Type analytical political When to use this quote - policy analysis - media literacy - public discourse - counter‑terrorism strategy Key Concepts extremism media framing identity propaganda Questions to Reflect On - How do symbols of patriotism affect public perception of extremist groups? - What responsibilities do media have in portraying such contradictions? A Different Perspective Extremist groups may genuinely believe they fight for freedom, complicating simple moral judgments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American flag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-flag/) [Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) [Flags](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flags/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-fighter/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Innocent people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent-people/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Medieval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medieval/) [Muslims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muslims/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Paradise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradise/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Theocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theocracy/) ## Related quotes > [I much more enjoy the company of freedom fighters and justice campaigners than I do the company of hedge fund managers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-browder/i-much-more-enjoy-the-company-of-freedom-fighters-and-justice/) [Bill Browder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-browder/) > [The only violence was when these so-called 'freedom fighters' terrorized the poor Africans in the villages... They were told what to do and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-smith/the-only-violence-was-when-these-so-called-freedom-fighters/) [Ian Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-smith/) > [I continue to take inspiration from John Locke, John Stuart Mill and those more recent freedom fighters of the 1960s who challenged conformism and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fox/i-continue-to-take-inspiration-from-john-locke-john-stuart-mill-and/) [Claire Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fox/) > [I might add how in the world can you say, or can anyone say, that it will dignify the American Negro to beg in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-might-add-how-in-the-world-can-you-say-or-can-anyone-say-that-it/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [President Bush met repeatedly with human rights activists and freedom fighters from all over the world to give them encouragement and protection and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-bush-met-repeatedly-with-human-rights-activists-and-freedom/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Freedom is a gift, given to us by our freedom fighters. They sacrificed their whole lives so that we could live in a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/freedom-is-a-gift-given-to-us-by-our-freedom-fighters-they-sacrificed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [More than 200 years have passed when America first won freedom. Still, the feeling of pride lingers in all our hearts, minds and souls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/more-than-200-years-have-passed-when-america-first-won-freedom-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will only say that many freedom fighters of India found their calling in the institutions of Britain. And many makers of modern India,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/i-will-only-say-that-many-freedom-fighters-of-india-found-their/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Freedom fighters don't always win, but they're always right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/freedom-fighters-don-t-always-win-but-they-re-always-right/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [For me, only freedom fighters like Kartar Singh Sarabha and Bhagat Singh are my fathers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurpreet-ghuggi/for-me-only-freedom-fighters-like-kartar-singh-sarabha-and-bhagat/) [Gurpreet Ghuggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurpreet-ghuggi/) > [They call them terrorists, I call them freedom fighters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/they-call-them-terrorists-i-call-them-freedom-fighters/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [Freedom can be gained only at the point of an IRA rifle, and I apologize to no one for saying that we support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/freedom-can-be-gained-only-at-the-point-of-an-ira-rifle-and-i/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [In 1985, a group of mujahedeen came to Washington and was greeted by President Reagan, who called them "freedom fighters." These people, by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/in-1985-a-group-of-mujahedeen-came-to-washington-and-was-greeted-by/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [The mistake the apartheid government made was they gave the black people nothing, so they had nothing to lose. But now a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/the-mistake-the-apartheid-government-made-was-they-gave-the-black/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [Well, if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/well-if-crime-fighters-fight-crime-and-fire-fighters-fight-fire-what/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More by Paul Wolfowitz > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [It is kind of nice to have a common purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/it-is-kind-of-nice-to-have-a-common-purpose/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [I certainly don't like a label that suggests I believe that the military is the solution to most of the world's problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-certainly-don-t-like-a-label-that-suggests-i-believe-that-the/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [People change their habits. 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That's where IS spread from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/islamic-state-is-mainly-a-direct-result-of-the-failure-in-syria-that/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [I think one has to say it's not just simply a matter of capturing people and holding them accountable, but removing the sanctuaries, removing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-think-one-has-to-say-it-s-not-just-simply-a-matter-of-capturing/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [I told my father I had to try political science for a year. He thought I was throwing my life away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-told-my-father-i-had-to-try-political-science-for-a-year-he-thought/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [It's wonderful that so many people want to contribute to fighting aids or malaria. But, if somebody isn't paying attention to the overall health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/it-s-wonderful-that-so-many-people-want-to-contribute-to-fighting/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Jobs are a priority for every country. Doing more to improve regulation and help entrepreneurs is the key to creating jobs - and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/jobs-are-a-priority-for-every-country-doing-more-to-improve/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [I certainly think it's important to speak up and say how unacceptable Donald Trump is. I'm always more than willing to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/i-certainly-think-it-s-important-to-speak-up-and-say-how-unacceptable/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Support for peaceful reform by the people themselves is the right way to promote democracy, not the use of force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/support-for-peaceful-reform-by-the-people-themselves-is-the-right-way/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Someone once said that history has more imagination than all the scenario writers in the Pentagon, and we have a lot of scenario writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/someone-once-said-that-history-has-more-imagination-than-all-the/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Iraq has no history of ethnic conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/iraq-has-no-history-of-ethnic-conflict/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) [Explore all 75 Paul Wolfowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) ## More American flag quotes > [ It wasn't \[Barack\] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the-feeling-on-the-ground-it-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I wrote the script of Patton. I had this very bizarre opening where he stands up in front of an American flag and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-wrote-the-script-of-patton-i-had-this-very-bizarre-opening-where-he/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Is burning an American flag a disgusting, reprehensible act? Yes, it absolutely is, and I would tell that to the face of absolutely anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/is-burning-an-american-flag-a-disgusting-reprehensible-act-yes-it/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [“America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves. To quote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/america-is-the-wealthiest-nation-on-earth-but-its-people-are-mainly/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Colin Kaepernick is the latest professional athlete to spark a national debate about the meaning behind the American flag and the national anthem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/colin-kaepernick-is-the-latest-professional-athlete-to-spark-a/) Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf > [God bless America, land that I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-berlin/god-bless-america-land-that-i-love/) [Irving Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-berlin/) > [“The British government in 1807 had issued the “Orders in Council,” which enforced a naval blockade against France, and with a shortage of seamen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/the-british-government-in-1807-had-issued-the-orders-in-council-which/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [Instead of candidates hiring people, like yours truly, to create campaign media that works on both conscious and subconscious levels to sway the voting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/instead-of-candidates-hiring-people-like-yours-truly-to-create/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [The American flag is an enduring symbol of liberty, democracy, and justice. It is fitting that the House act to protect it as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-american-flag-is-an-enduring-symbol-of-liberty-democracy-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The night of September the 14th, 1814, saw heavy bombardment of Baltimore by the British. Despite this, the next morning, the large American flag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/the-night-of-september-the-14th-1814-saw-heavy-bombardment-of/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [“Superman – Moses in a costume, with his underpants on the outside. Captain America – the poster boy of the mad American patriot. Wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sinclair/superman-moses-in-a-costume-with-his-underpants-on-the-outside/) [David Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sinclair/) > [“The bold colors of the American flag stood out over her husband’s coffin. Colors of honor. Colors of freedom. 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