--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We got the Iran sanctions done. We got an…" description: "\"We got the Iran sanctions done. We got an agreement by Russia to allow us to use Afghanistan to transit supplies for our forces. We got a Security Coun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/philip-gordon-48165_afghanistan_we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an_1219445.jpg" --- # We got the Iran sanctions done. We got an agreement by… ![“We got the Iran sanctions done. We got an agreement by Russia to allow us to use Afghanistan to transit supplies for our forces. We got a Security Council resolution on Libya. We got Russia into the WTO to bring in to it a rules-based trading system. All of those things were in our interest. The…” quote by Philip Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/philip-gordon-48165_afghanistan_we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an_1219445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/philip-gordon-48165_afghanistan_we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an_1219445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/philip-gordon-48165_afghanistan_we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an_1219445.jpg) > “We got the Iran sanctions done. We got an agreement by Russia to allow us to use Afghanistan to transit supplies for our forces. We got a Security Council resolution on Libya. We got Russia into the WTO to bring in to it a rules-based trading system. All of those things were in our interest. The point is not whether we should work with Russia. The point is whether we should sacrifice other important interests to do so.” [Philip Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing strategic collaborations with Russia against other national interests requires careful prioritization. **In simple terms:** Weigh Russia cooperation against other goals. Key Takeaway Prioritize core interests over risky alliances. Themes foreign policy strategy trade Mood analytical cautious Type policy strategic When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - trade deals - military logistics Key Concepts geopolitics national interest multilateral agreements Questions to Reflect On - What are the long‑term costs of partnering with adversaries? - How can we protect vital interests while engaging Russia? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex geopolitical trade‑offs; risk of unintended consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Agreement Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement-russia-3729056/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Got Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-russia-2578005/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Resolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolution/) [Russia Allow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia-allow-3729058/) [Russia Wto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia-wto-3729057/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Trading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trading/) [Wto Bring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wto-bring-3729059/) ## Related quotes > [Nobody should have any illusion about the possibility of gaining military superiority over Russia. We will never allow this to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/nobody-should-have-any-illusion-about-the-possibility-of-gaining/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I think it would be great if America got along with Russia because we could fight ISIS together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-think-it-would-be-great-if-america-got-along-with-russia-because-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A wonderful man came to my office a week ago. A very highly respected man and he sat down and he said, "You know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/a-wonderful-man-came-to-my-office-a-week-ago-a-very-highly-respected/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If our country got along with Russia, that would be a great thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-our-country-got-along-with-russia-that-would-be-a-great-thing/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think it would be great if we got along with Russia because we could fight ISIS together, as an example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-think-it-would-be-great-if-we-got-along-with-russia-because-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I never met Putin. This is not my best friend. But if the United States got along with Russia, wouldn't be so bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-never-met-putin-this-is-not-my-best-friend-but-if-the-united-states/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [After spending many years in Wall Street and after making and losing millions of dollars I want to tell you this: It never was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lauriston-livermore/after-spending-many-years-in-wall-street-and-after-making-and-losing/) [Jesse Lauriston Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lauriston-livermore/) > [It's a topsy-turvy world in which a country can import the same amount of ice-cream, toilet paper and other goods to trading partners as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-simms/it-s-a-topsy-turvy-world-in-which-a-country-can-import-the-same/) [Andrew Simms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-simms/) > [My off-the-cuff remarks at the University of Virginia were with regard to global macro traders, who are on-call 24/7 and of whom there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tudor-jones/my-off-the-cuff-remarks-at-the-university-of-virginia-were-with/) [Paul Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tudor-jones/) > [For chat-room tyros who expect to make their first million day-trading by age 27, paging through the Sunday newspaper with a pair of scissors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/for-chat-room-tyros-who-expect-to-make-their-first-million-day/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [Tachyon OPC+ is a natural extension of our market-winning Tachyon platform, giving customers a clear path to minimizing the OPC error budget and producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/tachyon-opc-is-a-natural-extension-of-our-market-winning-tachyon/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [What we prefer to do is operate our investment bank in a way that is like what investment banks used to be, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-stephens/what-we-prefer-to-do-is-operate-our-investment-bank-in-a-way-that-is/) [Warren Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-stephens/) > [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [The idea of searching for some secret for trading success misses the point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-seykota/the-idea-of-searching-for-some-secret-for-trading-success-misses-the/) [Ed Seykota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-seykota/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) ## More by Philip Gordon > [One even tries to figure out why Donald Trump is so admiring of a leader who has cracked down on journalists and is suspected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/one-even-tries-to-figure-out-why-donald-trump-is-so-admiring-of-a/) [Philip Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/) > [I'm sure that Donald Trump's praise would lead to good relations with Vladimir Putin. But I think that's not what the American people expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/i-m-sure-that-donald-trump-s-praise-would-lead-to-good-relations-with/) [Philip Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/) > [I was going to the heart of this matter, which is, the issue of whether Europeans should contribute more to NATO, I think, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/i-was-going-to-the-heart-of-this-matter-which-is-the-issue-of-whether/) [Philip Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/) > [Secretary Hillary Clinton for four years was part of a policy of resetting Russian relations with Russia in our interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/secretary-hillary-clinton-for-four-years-was-part-of-a-policy-of/) [Philip Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/) > [While pursuing those relations with Russia, which are important - Russia is an important country - it is also important to stand by your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/while-pursuing-those-relations-with-russia-which-are-important-russia/) [Philip Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/) > [Donald Trump said that he thinks he can get along very, very well with Vladimir Putin and have very, very good relations with Russia.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/donald-trump-said-that-he-thinks-he-can-get-along-very-very-well-with/) [Philip Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/) > [I personally found Donald Trump's praise for Vladimir Putin troubling or even chilling, frankly. In a room full of military veterans, to be effusing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/i-personally-found-donald-trump-s-praise-for-vladimir-putin-troubling/) [Philip Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/) [Explore all 8 Philip Gordon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/) ## More Afghanistan quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I have been to Afghanistan many times, even before the Taliban collapsed. I was fascinated by the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-have-been-to-afghanistan-many-times-even-before-the-taliban/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-legal-system-in-afghanistan-is-very-immature-and-porous/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) [Browse all 1,159 Afghanistan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We got the Iran sanctions done. We got an agreement by Russia to allow us to use Afghanistan to transit supplies for our forces. We got a Security Council resolution on Libya. We got Russia into the WTO to bring in to it a rules-based trading system. All of those things were in our interest. The point is not whether we should work with Russia. The point is whether we should sacrifice other important interests to do so.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Gordon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an-agreement-by-russia-to-allow/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afghanistan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an-agreement-by-russia-to-allow/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/philip-gordon-48165_afghanistan_we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an_1219445.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/philip-gordon-48165_afghanistan_we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an_1219445.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/philip-gordon-48165_afghanistan_we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an_1219445.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We got the Iran sanctions done. We got an agreement by Russia to allow us to use Afghanistan to transit…” — Philip Gordon", "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": "Philip Gordon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gordon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We got the Iran sanctions done....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an-agreement-by-russia-to-allow/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gordon/we-got-the-iran-sanctions-done-we-got-an-agreement-by-russia-to-allow/#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 } } ] } ```