Assad Quote by Rand Paul
![“The other thing I said is the great irony is you will be back fighting against your own weapons. Had [Bashar] Assad been bombed when he used chemical weapons two years ago, ISIS would be in charge of all of Syria now.” quote by Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6ca/rand-paul-606_assad_the-other-thing-i-said-is-the-great-iron_1664725.jpg)
“The other thing I said is the great irony is you will be back fighting against your own weapons. Had [Bashar] Assad been bombed when he used chemical weapons two years ago, ISIS would be in charge of all of Syria now.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 2017
The quote warns that using weapons against enemies can later empower those enemies, leading to unintended consequences.
In simple terms: Using weapons can backfire and empower foes.
Key Takeaway
Consider long‑term effects before acting.
Themes
politics
war
unintended consequences
Mood
cautious
reflective
Type
political
strategic
When to use this quote
- military interventions
- foreign policy decisions
- arms sales
- counterterrorism strategies
Key Concepts
blowback
power dynamics
strategic foresight
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards can prevent blowback?
- How do we balance short‑term security with long‑term stability?
A Different Perspective
May overlook immediate threats in favor of future risks.
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![“Luckily for [Barack] Obama, the Russians came along and rescued him with this proposal [to confiscate Assad's chemical weapons] which he quickly accepted - it was a way out of the embarrassment of facing likely defeat. They still have the option of bombing if they want to. And incidentally, to add…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e47/noam-chomsky-42_accepted_luckily-for-barack-obama-the-russians-ca_2388051.jpg)
![“What is true is [Bashar] Assad got rid of his chemical weapons.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/47d/barack-obama-17_assad_what-is-true-is-bashar-assad-got-rid-of_675441.jpg)
![“For example, the use of chemical weapons [in Syria]- some on the Democrat side have said well, this encourages the North Koreans to use chemical weapons against our troops.” quote by Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/807/rand-paul-606_chemical-weapons_for-example-the-use-of-chemical-weapons_270335.jpg)
![“I think that if you believe in regime change, you're mistaken. In 2013, we put 600 tons of weapons - us, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar - into the war against [Bashar] Assad. By pushing Assad back, we did create a safe space.” quote by Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2da/rand-paul-606_arabia_i-think-that-if-you-believe-in-regime-ch_1949684.jpg)
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![“People talk about [Bashar] Assad running Syria. He doesn't control his own country. He's down to about 20, 25 percent of the country. What is this fiction that he is somehow the only person who can save Syria? There's - with Assad there, there is no Syria. So that's what the Iranians and the…” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f3d/john-f-kerry-996_assad_people-talk-about-bashar-assad-running-s_24339.jpg)
![“You cannot bring peace in Syria as long as [Bashar] Assad is, in fact, there.” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/41d/john-f-kerry-996_assad_you-cannot-bring-peace-in-syria-as-long_56711.jpg)
![“We have to do one thing at a time. We can't be fighting ISIS and fighting [Bashar]Assad. Assad is fighting ISIS. He is fighting ISIS. Russia is fighting now ISIS. And Iran is fighting ISIS.” quote by Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bca/donald-trump-18_assad_we-have-to-do-one-thing-at-a-time-we-can_115458.jpg)
![“[Bashar] Assad is one of the main reasons why ISIS even exists to begin with. Assad is a puppet of Iran.” quote by Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b6/marco-rubio-355_assad_bashar-assad-is-one-of-the-main-reasons_154139.jpg)
![“I think those who have wanted regime [of Bashar Assad] change have made a mistake.” quote by Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6b2/rand-paul-606_assad_i-think-those-who-have-wanted-regime-of_280205.jpg)
![“If [Bashar] Assad himself could save this whole process by saying, "I will engage in a managed transition where we all work together to stabilize the government, save the institutions of government, and turn on ISIL and preserve Syria." That could happen. It all depends on one man, and Russia and…” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/999/john-f-kerry-996_assad_if-bashar-assad-himself-could-save-this_309200.jpg)
