--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The biggest problem was the politicians…" description: "\"The biggest problem was the politicians knew nothing about fighting a war.\" — R. Lee Ermey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bb/r-lee-ermey-13937_about_the-biggest-problem-was-the-politicians_3115930.jpg" --- # The biggest problem was the politicians knew nothing about… ![“The biggest problem was the politicians knew nothing about fighting a war.” quote by R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bb/r-lee-ermey-13937_about_the-biggest-problem-was-the-politicians_3115930.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bb/r-lee-ermey-13937_about_the-biggest-problem-was-the-politicians_3115930.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bb/r-lee-ermey-13937_about_the-biggest-problem-was-the-politicians_3115930.jpg) > “The biggest problem was the politicians knew nothing about fighting a war.” [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politicians often lack direct combat experience, leading to misguided war decisions. **In simple terms:** Leaders without battlefield knowledge make poor war choices. Key Takeaway Seek expertise before deciding war policy. Themes leadership military policy experience decisionmaking Mood critical reflective Type analytical advisory When to use this quote - government deliberations - military planning - public debates - policy formulation Key Concepts civil-military relations strategic competence political accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can civilian leaders better incorporate military insight? - What safeguards ensure informed war decisions? A Different Perspective Expertise may be ignored due to political pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Biggest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biggest/) [Biggest problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biggest-problem/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Fighting War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting-war/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Knew Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-fighting-1010805/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politicians Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians-knew-663921/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-politicians-1491572/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [They wouldn't be politicians if they knew what they were doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rogers/they-wouldn-t-be-politicians-if-they-knew-what-they-were-doing/) [Jim Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rogers/) > [If more politicians knew poetry, and more poets knew politics, I am convinced the world would be a little better place in which to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/if-more-politicians-knew-poetry-and-more-poets-knew-politics-i-am/) [John F. 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That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-antoine/hatred-could-not-be-the-basis-of-her-resolution-to-fight-it-provided/) [Jacques Antoine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-antoine/) > [I would like to believe that people knew what they were fighting for and why they wanted a revolution, and exactly what it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-would-like-to-believe-that-people-knew-what-they-were-fighting-for/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“As soon as I'd walked out of my normal working life and into the apartment we now shared, I went to war with damn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-wild/as-soon-as-i-d-walked-out-of-my-normal-working-life-and-into-the/) [Meredith Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-wild/) > [“Richard knew he was fighting for his life, and he was terribly happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-kushner/richard-knew-he-was-fighting-for-his-life-and-he-was-terribly-happy/) [Ellen Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-kushner/) > [“Things had changed between us in a profound way, something I think we both knew. All our fighting and nitpicking seemed so silly now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-wylde/things-had-changed-between-us-in-a-profound-way-something-i-think-we/) [Joanna Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-wylde/) ## More by R. Lee Ermey > [A day without blood is like a day without sunshine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/a-day-without-blood-is-like-a-day-without-sunshine/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Without discipline, there is no Marine Corps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/without-discipline-there-is-no-marine-corps/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [What is your major malfunction?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/what-is-your-major-malfunction/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I always love to come to Austin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-always-love-to-come-to-austin/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Back in the old Corp, we weren't training those privates to infiltrate into the peacetime Marine Corp. We were training those privates to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/back-in-the-old-corp-we-weren-t-training-those-privates-to-infiltrate/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [You'd be surprised how many kids and young people come to the website and send me email that they are actually going into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/you-d-be-surprised-how-many-kids-and-young-people-come-to-the-website/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [America's trying to do the best for its veterans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/america-s-trying-to-do-the-best-for-its-veterans/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [It's my firm conviction that when Uncle Sam calls, by God we go, and we do the best that we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/it-s-my-firm-conviction-that-when-uncle-sam-calls-by-god-we-go-and-we/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [When you try to find funding for a VVA function, it doesn't seem like it's any trouble at all. People come out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/when-you-try-to-find-funding-for-a-vva-function-it-doesn-t-seem-like/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I got to write most of everything I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-got-to-write-most-of-everything-i-said/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I play well with everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-play-well-with-everybody/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [For me, it's an honor for the military to ask me to go to Iraq, Afghanistan, or GITMO. I'm happy to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/for-me-it-s-an-honor-for-the-military-to-ask-me-to-go-to-iraq/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I'm never, like I say, I'm never happy, I'm never satisfied, it's never good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-m-never-like-i-say-i-m-never-happy-i-m-never-satisfied-it-s-never/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I've never had to spend any time in the VA hospital, so I really can't speak for those guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-ve-never-had-to-spend-any-time-in-the-va-hospital-so-i-really-can-t/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I hate to hear 'Less is more.' It's a crock of crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-hate-to-hear-less-is-more-it-s-a-crock-of-crap/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) [Explore all 48 R. Lee Ermey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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