--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wherever you have weakening states and…" description: "\"Wherever you have weakening states and turmoil, you will have a fertile petri dish for terrorism.\" — Robert D. Kaplan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/robert-d-kaplan-12644_dishes_wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-t_1198258.png" --- # Wherever you have weakening states and turmoil, you will… ![“Wherever you have weakening states and turmoil, you will have a fertile petri dish for terrorism.” quote by Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/robert-d-kaplan-12644_dishes_wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-t_1198258.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/robert-d-kaplan-12644_dishes_wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-t_1198258.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/robert-d-kaplan-12644_dishes_wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-t_1198258.png) > “Wherever you have weakening states and turmoil, you will have a fertile petri dish for terrorism.” [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. Instability creates conditions that nurture extremist groups, making terrorism likely in chaotic regions. **In simple terms:** Chaos breeds terrorism. Key Takeaway Stabilize regions to reduce terrorism. Themes security geopolitics terrorism Mood cautious serious Type strategic analytical When to use this quote - conflict zones - foreign aid programs - counterterrorism strategy Key Concepts state fragility radicalization Questions to Reflect On - What policies can prevent state collapse? - How can international actors support fragile states? A Different Perspective Stabilization requires long-term commitment and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishes/) [Fertile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fertile/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [States Turmoil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-turmoil-3583352/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Turmoil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turmoil/) [Turmoil Fertile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turmoil-fertile-2913418/) [Weakening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakening/) [Weakening States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakening-states-3583351/) ## Related quotes > [ We can look at history and see that \[political turmoil is\] fertile ground for art. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-parker/we-can-look-at-history-and-see-that-political-turmoil-is-fertile/) [Morgan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-parker/) > [While ants exist in just the right numbers for the rest of the living world, humans have become too numerous. If we were to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/while-ants-exist-in-just-the-right-numbers-for-the-rest-of-the-living/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Let's just keep asking ourselves this question: 'Is what I'm about to do strengthening the web of connections, or is it weakening it?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-j-wheatley/let-s-just-keep-asking-ourselves-this-question-is-what-i-m-about-to/) [Margaret J. Wheatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-j-wheatley/) > [That which offends you only weakens you. Being offended creates the same destructive energy that offended you in the first place- so transcend your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/that-which-offends-you-only-weakens-you-being-offended-creates-the/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [The Islamic world is suffering not only because of external oppression but also because of the loss of its own dignity, of its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/the-islamic-world-is-suffering-not-only-because-of-external/) [Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/) > [This weakening is worsened by the widening distance between the governed and their governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-delors/this-weakening-is-worsened-by-the-widening-distance-between-the/) [Jacques Delors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-delors/) > [The five C's of expanding your capacity. 1. Build your confidence. 2. Expand your connections. 3. Improve your competence. 4. Strengthen your character. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heen/the-five-c-s-of-expanding-your-capacity-1-build-your-confidence-2/) [Sheila Heen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heen/) > [It is so true that in liquid modernity freedom was, so to speak, let off the leash, and for a quite a number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/it-is-so-true-that-in-liquid-modernity-freedom-was-so-to-speak-let/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [Lust is a monstrous sin which altereth, marreth, and drieth the body, weakening all the joints and members, making the face bubbled and yellow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/lust-is-a-monstrous-sin-which-altereth-marreth-and-drieth-the-body/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [After long centuries, agrarian civilization is weakening. Is sufficient attention being devoted to the arrangement and improvement of the life of the country people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/after-long-centuries-agrarian-civilization-is-weakening-is-sufficient/) [Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/) > [People talk about the brain weakening as it ages. Mine feels stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/people-talk-about-the-brain-weakening-as-it-ages-mine-feels-stronger/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) > [“Old age is far more than white hair, wrinkles, the feeling that it is too late and the game is finished, that the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-maurois/old-age-is-far-more-than-white-hair-wrinkles-the-feeling-that-it-is/) [Andre Maurois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-maurois/) > [Weakening the federal structure essentially hampers our unity in diversity, India's biggest strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pinarayi-vijayan/weakening-the-federal-structure-essentially-hampers-our-unity-in/) [Pinarayi Vijayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pinarayi-vijayan/) > [You say a new era in art is preparing; you sensed it coming; continue your studies without weakening. God will do the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cezanne/you-say-a-new-era-in-art-is-preparing-you-sensed-it-coming-continue/) [Paul Cezanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cezanne/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## 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/) > [When you talk about aiding this country against that country or about fighting terrorism, when you actually take that decision and strip it down,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/when-you-talk-about-aiding-this-country-against-that-country-or-about/) [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. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“Europe is a landscape; East Asia a seascape. Therein lies a crucial difference between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/europe-is-a-landscape-east-asia-a-seascape-therein-lies-a-crucial/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“Macedonia, the inspiration for the French word for "mixed salad" (macedoine), defines the principle illness of the Balkans: conflicting dreams of lost imperial glory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/macedonia-the-inspiration-for-the-french-word-for-mixed-salad/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [The more dynamic the capitalistic expansion, the greater the disparity. 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. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [The closer one gets to either the eastern or the southern fringe of the German-speaking world-the closer one gets, in other words, to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-closer-one-gets-to-either-the-eastern-or-the-southern-fringe-of/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“The South China Sea functions as the throat of the Western Pacific and Indian oceans—the mass of connective economic tissue where global sea routes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/the-south-china-sea-functions-as-the-throat-of-the-western-pacific/) [Robert D. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/) > [“A better age would have to follow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/a-better-age-would-have-to-follow/) [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 Dishes quotes > [I enjoy cooking, but stick to modern dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/i-enjoy-cooking-but-stick-to-modern-dishes/) [David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/) > [I had my first French meal and I never got over it. It was just marvelous. We had oysters and a lovely dry white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/i-had-my-first-french-meal-and-i-never-got-over-it-it-was-just/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [I go to my mom's house and she'll make me do the dishes or clean up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-wilson/i-go-to-my-mom-s-house-and-she-ll-make-me-do-the-dishes-or-clean-up/) [Gabriella Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-wilson/) > [Simple diet is best: for many dishes bring many diseases, and rich sauces are worse than even heaping several meats upon each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/simple-diet-is-best-for-many-dishes-bring-many-diseases-and-rich/) [Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/) > [Really, I don't know what I'd do with myself if I retire. Wash dishes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-lynn/really-i-don-t-know-what-i-d-do-with-myself-if-i-retire-wash-dishes/) [Loretta Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-lynn/) > [The thought processes that go through my head when I'm playing a game compared to the thought processes in real life are very, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-romero/the-thought-processes-that-go-through-my-head-when-i-m-playing-a-game/) [John Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-romero/) > [I don't like turkey. I mean, I do. But I don't like it on Thanksgiving. I don't need it. There are about 20 other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-morris/i-don-t-like-turkey-i-mean-i-do-but-i-don-t-like-it-on-thanksgiving-i/) [Wesley Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-morris/) > [Snobs are people who look down on other people, but that does not justify our looking down on them. Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Holy is the dish and drain, the soap and sink, and the cup and plate and the warm wool socks, and the cold white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-newcomer/holy-is-the-dish-and-drain-the-soap-and-sink-and-the-cup-and-plate/) [Carrie Newcomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-newcomer/) > [That's what actually caused me to run for office is, you know, my family story, the experience of growing up in a family where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/that-s-what-actually-caused-me-to-run-for-office-is-you-know-my/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Women are dirt searchers; their greatest worth is irradicating rings on collars and tables. Never mind real-estate boards' corruption and racism, here's your soapsuds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/women-are-dirt-searchers-their-greatest-worth-is-irradicating-rings/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [If I am incapable of washing dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them quickly so I can go and have dessert, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-i-am-incapable-of-washing-dishes-joyfully-if-i-want-to-finish-them/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [My mom had Julia Child and 'The Fannie Farmer Cookbook' on top of the refrigerator, and she had a small repertoire of French dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/my-mom-had-julia-child-and-the-fannie-farmer-cookbook-on-top-of-the/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I tell everybody the same thing: You have to make every dish so when you taste it, you should remember it when you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-puck/i-tell-everybody-the-same-thing-you-have-to-make-every-dish-so-when/) [Wolfgang Puck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-puck/) > [I find myself dreaming of doing normal things - like staying home and washing dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shalom-harlow/i-find-myself-dreaming-of-doing-normal-things-like-staying-home-and/) [Shalom Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shalom-harlow/) [Browse all 813 Dishes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wherever you have weakening states and turmoil, you will have a fertile petri dish for terrorism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert D. Kaplan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-turmoil-you-will-have-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dishes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-turmoil-you-will-have-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/robert-d-kaplan-12644_dishes_wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-t_1198258.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/robert-d-kaplan-12644_dishes_wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-t_1198258.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/474/robert-d-kaplan-12644_dishes_wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-t_1198258.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wherever you have weakening states and turmoil, you will have a fertile petri dish for terrorism.” — Robert D. Kaplan", "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": "Robert D. Kaplan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-kaplan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wherever you have weakening states and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-turmoil-you-will-have-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-kaplan/wherever-you-have-weakening-states-and-turmoil-you-will-have-a/#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 } } ] } ```