--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem is, you have to look at…" description: "\"The problem is, you have to look at Afghanistan also in a global context where we've canceled basically our missile defense system undercutting the Cze..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/rahm-emanuel-4413_afghanistan_the-problem-is-you-have-to-look-at-afgha_1991583.jpg" --- # The problem is, you have to look at Afghanistan also in a… ![“The problem is, you have to look at Afghanistan also in a global context where we've canceled basically our missile defense system undercutting the Czech Republic in Poland. We've I think not dealt with Iran with the kind of resolve that would show that we understand the nature of that threat.” quote by Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/rahm-emanuel-4413_afghanistan_the-problem-is-you-have-to-look-at-afgha_1991583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/rahm-emanuel-4413_afghanistan_the-problem-is-you-have-to-look-at-afgha_1991583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/rahm-emanuel-4413_afghanistan_the-problem-is-you-have-to-look-at-afgha_1991583.jpg) > “The problem is, you have to look at Afghanistan also in a global context where we've canceled basically our missile defense system undercutting the Czech Republic in Poland. We've I think not dealt with Iran with the kind of resolve that would show that we understand the nature of that threat.” [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that U.S. defense policy neglects broader regional threats, weakening overall security posture. **In simple terms:** Neglecting wider threats weakens security. Key Takeaway Address all regional threats holistically. Themes security policy geopolitics defense strategy Mood concerned urgent analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy planning - defense budgeting - international diplomacy - threat assessment Key Concepts deterrence regional stability military readiness Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance defense resources globally? - What risks arise from ignoring regional threats? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on one area can blind to others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Czech republic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/czech-republic/) [Iran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iran/) [Missile defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missile-defense/) [Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poland/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Republic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republic/) [Resolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolve/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) ## Related quotes > [We ought to deploy a missile defense shield to the Czech Republic and Poland, which Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama pulled back on out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/we-ought-to-deploy-a-missile-defense-shield-to-the-czech-republic-and/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The US have dealt with Iran. I'm not saying attack it; I'm saying we should have taken it seriously. The Iranian connection to 9/11…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-baer/the-us-have-dealt-with-iran-i-m-not-saying-attack-it-i-m-saying-we/) [Robert Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-baer/) > [The true credit for our safety and security goes to our men and women who are serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-hutchinson/the-true-credit-for-our-safety-and-security-goes-to-our-men-and-women/) [Asa Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-hutchinson/) > [Look at Iraq; look at Afghanistan, where at great personal physical risk people have gone to the polls and have rejected the appeal from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/look-at-iraq-look-at-afghanistan-where-at-great-personal-physical/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [Certainly Amadeus because it was a very powerful time for me, we filmed it in the Czech Republic at a time of lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-jones/certainly-amadeus-because-it-was-a-very-powerful-time-for-me-we/) [Jeffrey Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-jones/) > [The Czech Republic are coming from behind in more than one way now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-motson/the-czech-republic-are-coming-from-behind-in-more-than-one-way-now/) [John Motson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-motson/) > [There is this huge Roma problem in Europe. There are a lot of Romas who are discriminated against in countries like the Czech Republic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/there-is-this-huge-roma-problem-in-europe-there-are-a-lot-of-romas/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [We had a poster of the Davis Cup in 1986. It was in Prague, the Czech Republic against Sweden, and we went to watch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martina-hingis/we-had-a-poster-of-the-davis-cup-in-1986-it-was-in-prague-the-czech/) [Martina Hingis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martina-hingis/) > [I'd always admired the intellectuals who had made the transition into politics - Mario Vargas Llosa in Peru, Vaclav Havel in the Czech Republic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/i-d-always-admired-the-intellectuals-who-had-made-the-transition-into/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [Regarding 'Ferris Bueller,' I was in the Czech Republic once, in Prague, making a movie at the same time as Jeffrey Jones, who played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-mcclurg/regarding-ferris-bueller-i-was-in-the-czech-republic-once-in-prague/) [Edie McClurg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-mcclurg/) > [The Czech Republic, severed from its old Slovak half, sits in apparent landlocked contentment, inside the European Union but outside the troubled Euro Zone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/the-czech-republic-severed-from-its-old-slovak-half-sits-in-apparent/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [Ours is a war not against a religion, not against the Muslim faith. But ours is a war against individuals who absolutely hate what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/ours-is-a-war-not-against-a-religion-not-against-the-muslim-faith-but/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I do not consider the Lisbon Treaty to be a good thing for Europe, for the freedom of Europe, or for the Czech Republic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-klaus/i-do-not-consider-the-lisbon-treaty-to-be-a-good-thing-for-europe-for/) [Vaclav Klaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-klaus/) > [We have to be thankful to the Czechs that they did their duty. The Czech Republic won, I can't believe it. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruud-van-nistelrooy/we-have-to-be-thankful-to-the-czechs-that-they-did-their-duty-the/) [Ruud van Nistelrooy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruud-van-nistelrooy/) > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) ## More by Rahm Emanuel > [The GOP is broken. They need a Bill Clinton moment with someone to figure things out. Let me just say - and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/the-gop-is-broken-they-need-a-bill-clinton-moment-with-someone-to/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [For all the things that make Chicago great, for all the things that make us proud to call ourselves Chicagoans, the violence that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/for-all-the-things-that-make-chicago-great-for-all-the-things-that/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [In the White House, you can be on the pitcher's mound or you can be in the catcher's position. Put points on the board.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/in-the-white-house-you-can-be-on-the-pitcher-s-mound-or-you-can-be-in/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [Because of the president's leadership, every American will have access to affordable, quality health care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/because-of-the-president-s-leadership-every-american-will-have-access/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [Republicans are 'bad people who deserve a two-by-four upside their heads.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/republicans-are-bad-people-who-deserve-a-two-by-four-upside-their/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [We have work to do, and Tuesday Americans sent Washington a clear message - get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/we-have-work-to-do-and-tuesday-americans-sent-washington-a-clear/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [In millions of encounters each year between the police and the public, it may be too much to expect that every officer will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/in-millions-of-encounters-each-year-between-the-police-and-the-public/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [No officer should be allowed to behave as if they are above the law just because they are responsible for upholding the law. Permitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/no-officer-should-be-allowed-to-behave-as-if-they-are-above-the-law/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [We need to deal with the problem of al Qaeda, make sure that they can't have a sanctuary in Afghanistan and guarantee that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/we-need-to-deal-with-the-problem-of-al-qaeda-make-sure-that-they-can/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [Deliberation is a good thing when it comes to fighting wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/deliberation-is-a-good-thing-when-it-comes-to-fighting-wars/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [The moment somebody's a president and you call him "Mr. President," (the person represents) our culture, our history, our sense as our nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/the-moment-somebody-s-a-president-and-you-call-him-mr-president-the/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [You may say I may be unfit to be mayor. But you can never say I'm an unfit mayor,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/you-may-say-i-may-be-unfit-to-be-mayor-but-you-can-never-say-i-m-an/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [I do not believe the government has the right to investigate somebody's private life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/i-do-not-believe-the-government-has-the-right-to-investigate-somebody/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [Today, because of President Obama's courage to my kids can stay on their parents' plan until they are 26. Insurers cannot take you off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/today-because-of-president-obama-s-courage-to-my-kids-can-stay-on/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [The Afghan - obviously the parties will decide which course of action. The most important there, get a government that is seen as legitimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/the-afghan-obviously-the-parties-will-decide-which-course-of-action/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) [Explore all 111 Rahm Emanuel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) ## 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": "The problem is, you have to look at Afghanistan also in a global context where we've canceled basically our missile defense system undercutting the Czech Republic in Poland. 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