--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why is it that we go to immense lengths…" description: "\"Why is it that we go to immense lengths getting the Serbs who were responsible for the massacre of 7,000 at Srbrenica-that's slightly more than the tot..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/robert-fisk-7244_bin-laden_why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths_1581262.jpg" --- # Why is it that we go to immense lengths getting the Serbs… ![“Why is it that we go to immense lengths getting the Serbs who were responsible for the massacre of 7,000 at Srbrenica-that's slightly more than the total figure for New York 9/11-and we take them to a tribunal in The Hague, and one after another, we arraign them, try them, convict them, and punish…” quote by Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/robert-fisk-7244_bin-laden_why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths_1581262.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/robert-fisk-7244_bin-laden_why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths_1581262.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/robert-fisk-7244_bin-laden_why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths_1581262.jpg) > “Why is it that we go to immense lengths getting the Serbs who were responsible for the massacre of 7,000 at Srbrenica-that's slightly more than the total figure for New York 9/11-and we take them to a tribunal in The Hague, and one after another, we arraign them, try them, convict them, and punish them in front of the world, but no plans have been brought forward to get Osama bin Laden and his friends and put them on trial.” [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques the inconsistency of international justice, noting that perpetrators of the Srebrenica massacre are tried while others like Osama bin Laden are not. **In simple terms:** He points out uneven treatment of war criminals versus terrorists. Key Takeaway Demand equal accountability for all crimes. Themes justice politics war crimes Mood serious critical Type analytical advocacy When to use this quote - tribunals - terrorism investigations - policy debates Key Concepts international law double standards Questions to Reflect On - Why are some perpetrators prioritized over others? - What mechanisms can ensure consistent justice? A Different Perspective Legal and political complexities hinder uniform prosecution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bin laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bin-laden/) [Convicts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convicts/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Forward Osama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forward-osama-5973672/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [Getting Serbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-serbs-5973670/) [Hague Arraign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hague-arraign-5973673/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Immense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immense/) [Length](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/length/) [Massacres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/massacres/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Osama bin laden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/osama-bin-laden/) [Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Responsible Massacre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible-massacre-5973671/) [Serbs Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serbs-responsible-5973669/) [Trials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials/) [Tribunals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribunals/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [From the very beginning, our state and national constitutions and laws have laid great emphasis on procedural and substantive safeguards designed to assure fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-black/from-the-very-beginning-our-state-and-national-constitutions-and-laws/) [Hugo Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-black/) > [Reason and free inquiry are the only effective agents against error. 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Whenever there's a Bush in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/as-a-human-being-with-notoriety-and-a-big-mouth-i-ve-felt-most/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [ \[I\]f the policy of the Government, upon vital questions affecting, the whole people is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-f-the-policy-of-the-government-upon-vital-questions-affecting-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [But elimination will only happen if all countries - nuclear and non-nuclear states - genuinely work towards this result. Nuclear states must abolish their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-weeramantry/but-elimination-will-only-happen-if-all-countries-nuclear-and-non/) [C. G. Weeramantry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-weeramantry/) > [Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/fix-reason-firmly-in-her-seat-and-call-on-her-tribunal-for-every-fact/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Here, in the dread tribunal of last resort, valor contended against valor. Here brave men struggled and died for the right as God gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/here-in-the-dread-tribunal-of-last-resort-valor-contended-against/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Reconciliation has taken place here in Rwanda and was successful because Rwandans reconciled themselves internally. If the tribunal had taken place in Rwanda, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kagame/reconciliation-has-taken-place-here-in-rwanda-and-was-successful/) [Paul Kagame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kagame/) > [Do not give sentence in another tribunal till you have been yourself judged in the tribunal of Justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/do-not-give-sentence-in-another-tribunal-till-you-have-been-yourself/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [An author places himself uncalled before the tribunal of criticism and solicits fame at the hazard of disgrace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/an-author-places-himself-uncalled-before-the-tribunal-of-criticism/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Robert Fisk > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [And I think, in the end, that is the best definition of journalism I have heard; to challenge authority - all authority - especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/and-i-think-in-the-end-that-is-the-best-definition-of-journalism-i/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [Bin Laden was constantly revolving in his mind the fact that he had got rid of the Russians; therefore, the Americans can be got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/bin-laden-was-constantly-revolving-in-his-mind-the-fact-that-he-had/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [How could believers, people who regard themselves as true Muslims, get on those planes, quoting the words of God delivered through the Prophet to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/how-could-believers-people-who-regard-themselves-as-true-muslims-get/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [American power in the Middle East is collapsing. It doesn't need much more than a shove, and it will - and that's not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/american-power-in-the-middle-east-is-collapsing-it-doesn-t-need-much/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The Second World War is and was constantly being drudged up by Blair and Bush to rationalize the invasion of Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/the-second-world-war-is-and-was-constantly-being-drudged-up-by-blair/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [I'm not sure whether I've been happy. After my last book tour, I sat on my balcony with a cup of tea. I thought:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-m-not-sure-whether-i-ve-been-happy-after-my-last-book-tour-i-sat-on/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [“Terrorism” is a word that has become a plague on our vocabulary, the excuse and reason and moral permit for state-sponsored violence— our violence—which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/terrorism-is-a-word-that-has-become-a-plague-on-our-vocabulary-the/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [In just one year in Bosnia, thirty of my colleagues died. There is a little Somme waiting for all innocent journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/in-just-one-year-in-bosnia-thirty-of-my-colleagues-died-there-is-a/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [Israel lost its war. Will Assad's enemies lose, too?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/israel-lost-its-war-will-assad-s-enemies-lose-too/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [President Bush cruelly manipulated the grief of the American people - and the sympathy of the rest of the world - to introduce a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/president-bush-cruelly-manipulated-the-grief-of-the-american-people/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [I was very struck by the fact that Colin Powell said he would produce evidence of Osama bin Laden fault and then never produced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-was-very-struck-by-the-fact-that-colin-powell-said-he-would-produce/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [I've never seen a single demonstration in Pakistan, in the streets of Gaza, in the West Bank, in which the people have come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-ve-never-seen-a-single-demonstration-in-pakistan-in-the-streets-of/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [There is nothing so satisfying as to be shot at without effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/there-is-nothing-so-satisfying-as-to-be-shot-at-without-effect/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [President Bush will come here and there will be new "friends" of America to open a new relationship with the world, new economic fortunes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/president-bush-will-come-here-and-there-will-be-new-friends-of/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) [Explore all 92 Robert Fisk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) ## More Bin laden 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/) > [I wasn’t like, boo hoo, Bin Laden’s dead, but I wasn’t jumping. America’s a very nationalistic country, and in episodes like that of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scahill/i-wasn-t-like-boo-hoo-bin-laden-s-dead-but-i-wasn-t-jumping-america-s/) [Jeremy Scahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scahill/) > [R.I.P Osama Bin Laden - World Hide And Go Seek Champion (2001 - 2011)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/r-i-p-osama-bin-laden-world-hide-and-go-seek-champion-2001-2011/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “\[to Navy SEALs\] Quite frankly, I didn't even want to use you guys, with your dip and velcro and all your gear bullshit. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/to-navy-seals-quite-frankly-i-didn-t-even-want-to-use-you-guys-with/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [What makes me angry'is that it wasn't me who revealed that I had been with Osama Bin Laden. I originally denied being involved with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kola-boof/what-makes-me-angry-is-that-it-wasn-t-me-who-revealed-that-i-had-been/) [Kola Boof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kola-boof/) > [Taylor Gang or Die. Obviously Bin Laden didn't choose Taylor Gang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-gang/taylor-gang-or-die-obviously-bin-laden-didn-t-choose-taylor-gang/) [Taylor Gang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-gang/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [With Benghazi, I don't see anyone saying, 'Hey look, I am overall responsible for this and therefore, I take responsibility for what happened. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/with-benghazi-i-don-t-see-anyone-saying-hey-look-i-am-overall/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [The twin causes Bin Laden invokes are Islam and Arab self-determination, and armies rise to serve him. No need to convert or dogmatize. Believers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/the-twin-causes-bin-laden-invokes-are-islam-and-arab-self/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Wafah Dufour bin Laden, niece of Osama bin Laden has signed a contract to star in a reality show... called Skating with the Nieces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/wafah-dufour-bin-laden-niece-of-osama-bin-laden-has-signed-a-contract/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“It can certainly be misleading to take the attributes of a movement, or the anxieties and contradictions of a moment, and to personalize or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-can-certainly-be-misleading-to-take-the-attributes-of-a-movement/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [None of us, remember, knew that 9/11 was gonna happen. We didn't live in a state of anxiety and fear about Osama Bin Laden.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/none-of-us-remember-knew-that-9-11-was-gonna-happen-we-didn-t-live-in/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [Many of us didn't believe in the image of bin Laden as a wandering Old Man of the Mountains, living on plants and insects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/many-of-us-didn-t-believe-in-the-image-of-bin-laden-as-a-wandering/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) [Browse all 566 Bin laden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bin-laden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why is it that we go to immense lengths getting the Serbs who were responsible for the massacre of 7,000 at Srbrenica-that's slightly more than the total figure for New York 9/11-and we take them to a tribunal in The Hague, and one after another, we arraign them, try them, convict them, and punish them in front of the world, but no plans have been brought forward to get Osama bin Laden and his friends and put them on trial.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Fisk" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths-getting-the-serbs-who-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bin laden" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths-getting-the-serbs-who-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/robert-fisk-7244_bin-laden_why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths_1581262.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/robert-fisk-7244_bin-laden_why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths_1581262.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/robert-fisk-7244_bin-laden_why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths_1581262.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why is it that we go to immense lengths getting the Serbs who were responsible for the massacre of 7,000 at…” — Robert Fisk", "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 Fisk", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Why is it that we go...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths-getting-the-serbs-who-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/why-is-it-that-we-go-to-immense-lengths-getting-the-serbs-who-were/#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 } } ] } ```