--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you talk about aiding this country…" description: "\"When you talk about aiding this country against that country or about fighting terrorism, when you actually take that decision and strip it down, it al..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/robert-d-kaplan-12644_country_when-you-talk-about-aiding-this-country_167981.png" --- # When you talk about aiding this country against that… ![“When you talk about aiding this country against that country or about fighting terrorism, when you actually take that decision and strip it down, it always comes down to one person in the field giving specialized training to somebody else in the field.” quote by Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/robert-d-kaplan-12644_country_when-you-talk-about-aiding-this-country_167981.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/robert-d-kaplan-12644_country_when-you-talk-about-aiding-this-country_167981.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/robert-d-kaplan-12644_country_when-you-talk-about-aiding-this-country_167981.png) > “When you talk about aiding this country against that country or about fighting terrorism, when you actually take that decision and strip it down, it always comes down to one person in the field giving specialized training to somebody else in the field.” [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Strategic outcomes often hinge on a single individual's expertise and training, highlighting the outs importance of personal skill in complex operations. **In simple terms:** One skilled person can shape large‑scale efforts. Key Takeaway Invest in specialized training for key personnel. Themes leadership training strategy Mood analytical serious Type strategic political When to use this quote - military interventions - counter‑terrorism - foreign aid Key Concepts human capital expertise decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations mitigate dependence on one expert? - What systems support broader capability? A Different Perspective Overreliance on individuals can create single points of failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Fighting terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting-terrorism/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) ## Related quotes > [Research in any domain of science today requires specialized training to build up knowledge and clinical competence. To make major breakthroughs, we need people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyamvada-natarajan/research-in-any-domain-of-science-today-requires-specialized-training/) [Priyamvada Natarajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyamvada-natarajan/) > [It is time to recognize conventional MBA programs for what they are - or else to close them down. They are specialized training in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/it-is-time-to-recognize-conventional-mba-programs-for-what-they-are/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [And it is essential that in fighting terrorism, sacrifices should not be made on democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulent-ecevit/and-it-is-essential-that-in-fighting-terrorism-sacrifices-should-not/) [Bulent Ecevit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulent-ecevit/) > [I'm trying to fight the terrorism that's actually causing the other forms of terrorism. You know, the root cause of terrorism is the stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/i-m-trying-to-fight-the-terrorism-that-s-actually-causing-the-other/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [Contrary to what many people believe, terrorism is actually a very expensive business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-napoleoni/contrary-to-what-many-people-believe-terrorism-is-actually-a-very/) [Loretta Napoleoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-napoleoni/) > [Terrorism is actually a very expensive business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-napoleoni/terrorism-is-actually-a-very-expensive-business/) [Loretta Napoleoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-napoleoni/) > [Mr. Speaker, I agree with those who say that the Global War on Terrorism is actually a Global War of Ideas and that terrorism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/mr-speaker-i-agree-with-those-who-say-that-the-global-war-on/) [Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/) > [We know broadly from research is that religiosity does not correlate with sympathy for terrorism. It's actually quite the opposite. The more religious someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/we-know-broadly-from-research-is-that-religiosity-does-not-correlate/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [Fighting terrorism is not unlike fighting a deadly cancer. It can't be treated just where it's visible - every diseased cell in the body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/fighting-terrorism-is-not-unlike-fighting-a-deadly-cancer-it-can-t-be/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [Israel, an embattled democracy, has been fighting terrorism for over 100 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/israel-an-embattled-democracy-has-been-fighting-terrorism-for-over/) [Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/) > [I know that New York City remains the highest density urban area in the country and by far dedicates more of its own funds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-serrano/i-know-that-new-york-city-remains-the-highest-density-urban-area-in/) [Jose Serrano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-serrano/) > [We need new partnerships in fighting terrorism and building peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lindh/we-need-new-partnerships-in-fighting-terrorism-and-building-peace/) [Anna Lindh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lindh/) > [Ironically, the Canadian naval vessels, aircraft and personnel in the Persian Gulf I mentioned earlier who are fighting terrorism will provide more support indirectly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cellucci/ironically-the-canadian-naval-vessels-aircraft-and-personnel-in-the/) [Paul Cellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cellucci/) > [Publicly, we're saying we're better at fighting terrorism. Privately, we know that the bureaucracy has only gotten worse, since the high-level people are scared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hunt/publicly-we-re-saying-we-re-better-at-fighting-terrorism-privately-we/) [David Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hunt/) > [Upholding human rights is not merely compatible with fighting terrorism, it is essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joichi-ito/upholding-human-rights-is-not-merely-compatible-with-fighting/) [Joichi Ito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joichi-ito/) ## More by Robert D. Kaplan > [“And so this is where the post Cold War has brought us: to the recognition that the very totalitarism that we fought against in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/and-so-this-is-where-the-post-cold-war-has-brought-us-to-the/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“Or take the opportunity offered to the United States following the attacks of September 11, 2001, when both Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mohammed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/or-take-the-opportunity-offered-to-the-united-states-following-the/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“One marker, which I would read a bit later on, tells the familiar story of Narcissa Whitman, "trail-blazer and martyred missionary," who followed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/one-marker-which-i-would-read-a-bit-later-on-tells-the-familiar-story/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [Given the level of anti-Americanism in the world, given the level of frustration with the United States throughout the Muslim world, you've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/given-the-level-of-anti-americanism-in-the-world-given-the-level-of/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [The Cold War went on for so long that it bred a kind of worldwide military establishment. Even when budgets went down in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-cold-war-went-on-for-so-long-that-it-bred-a-kind-of-worldwide/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“So far we have seen the weakening and collapse of small and medium-sized states in Africa and the Middle East. But quasi-anarchy in larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/so-far-we-have-seen-the-weakening-and-collapse-of-small-and-medium/) [Robert D. 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It is from the disparity that we are going to get all the political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-more-dynamic-the-capitalistic-expansion-the-greater-the-disparity/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [It is easy to be a moral perfectionist when one is politically unaccountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/it-is-easy-to-be-a-moral-perfectionist-when-one-is-politically/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [The masses cannot ultimately be free: only the individual can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-masses-cannot-ultimately-be-free-only-the-individual-can-be/) [Robert D. 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Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“Europe's era of internal cohesion may already be past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/europe-s-era-of-internal-cohesion-may-already-be-past/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) [Explore all 54 Robert D. Kaplan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. 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