--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I resigned, I put the U.S…" description: "\"When I resigned, I put the U.S. Government on notice that I'm going to stick to policy issues, that I have no intention of going out and blowing the co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/scott-ritter-13498_exposed_when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government_29079.jpg" --- # When I resigned, I put the U.S. Government on notice that… ![“When I resigned, I put the U.S. Government on notice that I'm going to stick to policy issues, that I have no intention of going out and blowing the cover off of the intelligence operations, that those are truly sensitive and they should not be exposed.” quote by Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/scott-ritter-13498_exposed_when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government_29079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/scott-ritter-13498_exposed_when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government_29079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/scott-ritter-13498_exposed_when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government_29079.jpg) > “When I resigned, I put the U.S. Government on notice that I'm going to stick to policy issues, that I have no intention of going out and blowing the cover off of the intelligence operations, that those are truly sensitive and they should not be exposed.” [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) ## 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 announces a deliberate shift from covert intelligence work to overt policy advocacy, emphasizing the need to protect classified operations from public exposure. **In simple terms:** Transition from secrecy to policy focus. Key Takeaway Protect sensitive intel while influencing policy. Themes ethics government transparency national security whistleblowing responsibility Mood cautious determined Type statement policy stance When to use this quote - post‑government career planning - media interviews - academic lectures - consulting for NGOs - government hearings Key Concepts intelligence operations policy advocacy confidentiality Practical Applications - advisory roles on security policy - public speaking on intelligence ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can former officials balance transparency with security? - What mechanisms ensure sensitive information remains protected? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposed/) [Going out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-out/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Notice Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notice-going-421004/) [Operations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/operations/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Policy Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy-issues-347226/) [Resigned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resigned/) [Resigned Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resigned-government-421002/) [Sensitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitive/) [Sensitive Exposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitive-exposed-421003/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks/) ## Related quotes > [ \[I\]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/) > [For God's sake, keep your eyes open. Notice what's going on around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-god-s-sake-keep-your-eyes-open-notice-what-s-going-on-around-you/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [There is a big divergence between views on a variety of policy issues from fiscal stimulus to financial regulation. It's my hope and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-peter-hansen/there-is-a-big-divergence-between-views-on-a-variety-of-policy-issues/) [Lars Peter Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-peter-hansen/) > [Whatever your issue is, whether it's racism or homophobia or policy issues or taxes or urban decay or health care, you're not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/whatever-your-issue-is-whether-it-s-racism-or-homophobia-or-policy/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [I love and always have loved policy issues and trying to have an impact on the issues that are out there. I cherish my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-spitzer/i-love-and-always-have-loved-policy-issues-and-trying-to-have-an/) [Eliot Spitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-spitzer/) > [Technology has an incredible role to play in enabling of policy issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-holmes/technology-has-an-incredible-role-to-play-in-enabling-of-policy-issues/) [Elizabeth Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-holmes/) > [I get along very well with Paul Ryan personally. We have very deep differences on policy issues. But we express them civilly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-hollen/i-get-along-very-well-with-paul-ryan-personally-we-have-very-deep/) [Chris Van Hollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-hollen/) > [I believe the passage of a national paid family and medical leave law is not a question of if, but when. But as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/i-believe-the-passage-of-a-national-paid-family-and-medical-leave-law/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [From this experience we have learned that in a big party it is important to have the necessary and often controversial discussions on policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/from-this-experience-we-have-learned-that-in-a-big-party-it-is/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I have always stuck my neck out on policy issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/i-have-always-stuck-my-neck-out-on-policy-issues/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [It's important in our role as leaders that we use the platform to address issues, to address barriers, to identify best practices for overcoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-mcsally/it-s-important-in-our-role-as-leaders-that-we-use-the-platform-to/) [Martha McSally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-mcsally/) > [It is amazing to me that we allow so many people with so little proven character to set our national policy on issues that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-burkett/it-is-amazing-to-me-that-we-allow-so-many-people-with-so-little/) [Larry Burkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-burkett/) > [I talk a great deal to prior Secretaries of State about policy issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-talk-a-great-deal-to-prior-secretaries-of-state-about-policy-issues/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I did not resign from politics because of Bofors. I resigned because I do not know how to play petty politics. I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitabh-bachchan/i-did-not-resign-from-politics-because-of-bofors-i-resigned-because-i/) [Amitabh Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitabh-bachchan/) > [While they're in WWE, we absolutely have a health and wellness policy. I'll probably always say 'we,' even though I've resigned as the CEO.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-mcmahon/while-they-re-in-wwe-we-absolutely-have-a-health-and-wellness-policy/) [Linda McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-mcmahon/) ## More by Scott Ritter > [I didn't promote war when I was a weapons inspector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/i-didn-t-promote-war-when-i-was-a-weapons-inspector/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [While we were never able to provide 100 percent certainty regarding the disposition of Iraq's proscribed weaponry, we did ascertain a 90-95 percent level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/while-we-were-never-able-to-provide-100-percent-certainty-regarding/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [I don't disagree with anything I've ever said. Why in God's name would I disagree with something I've said?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/i-don-t-disagree-with-anything-i-ve-ever-said-why-in-god-s-name-would/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [I think the danger right now is that without effective inspections, without effective monitoring, Iraq can in a very short period of time measured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/i-think-the-danger-right-now-is-that-without-effective-inspections/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [I consider myself to be a true friend of the Israeli people. But I define friendship as someone who takes care of a friend,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/i-consider-myself-to-be-a-true-friend-of-the-israeli-people-but-i/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [We say that we care about the war, but we don't even really know what we're fighting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/we-say-that-we-care-about-the-war-but-we-don-t-even-really-know-what/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [If you call yourself an American that means that you have embraced the constitution, because that is what an American is. A citizen of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/if-you-call-yourself-an-american-that-means-that-you-have-embraced/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [The Iraqi people are some of the warmest people you'll meet in your life. They are extremely receptive to strangers. Their hospitality is immense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/the-iraqi-people-are-some-of-the-warmest-people-you-ll-meet-in-your/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [There are people in Baghdad pursuing the initiative that I started, and I want to give them every chance of success. I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/there-are-people-in-baghdad-pursuing-the-initiative-that-i-started/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [Sanctions aren't about weapons of mass destruction. People need to understand that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/sanctions-aren-t-about-weapons-of-mass-destruction-people-need-to/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [My goal in Baghdad was to facilitate a debate here in the United States on America's policy toward Iraq, a debate that's been sadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/my-goal-in-baghdad-was-to-facilitate-a-debate-here-in-the-united/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [I'm someone who believes the truth needs to be heard. And if I'm empowered with the truth, I'm not going to shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/i-m-someone-who-believes-the-truth-needs-to-be-heard-and-if-i-m/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [“We have become a nation not of citizens but of consumers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/we-have-become-a-nation-not-of-citizens-but-of-consumers/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [The only way an Iraqi biological agent would kill you is if it landed on your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/the-only-way-an-iraqi-biological-agent-would-kill-you-is-if-it-landed/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [The most dangerous thing Iraq could have ever had was a nuclear weapon. The nuclear weapon Iraq was trying to build was not deliverable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/the-most-dangerous-thing-iraq-could-have-ever-had-was-a-nuclear/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) [Explore all 50 Scott Ritter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) ## More Exposed quotes > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Mortals are such fragile things. Just tender feelings walking around exposed in their delicate shells...Easy to crush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/mortals-are-such-fragile-things-just-tender-feelings-walking-around/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/a-painter-should-begin-every-canvas-with-a-wash-of-black-because-all/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Photojournalists know the horrors of war can only be exposed at close range. Kodak Film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nachtwey/photojournalists-know-the-horrors-of-war-can-only-be-exposed-at-close/) [James Nachtwey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nachtwey/) > [I was in Vietnam, and I was exposed to Agent Orange. And there's a high relationship between people that were exposed to Agent Orange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-jordan/i-was-in-vietnam-and-i-was-exposed-to-agent-orange-and-there-s-a-high/) [Hamilton Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-jordan/) > [The headline here is not that a woman exposed a breast. It is, rather, that a breast exposed a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-pitts/the-headline-here-is-not-that-a-woman-exposed-a-breast-it-is-rather/) [Leonard Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-pitts/) > [Trayvon exposed a lot of things. I think something positive will come out of it. It's a blessing in disguise. And he will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walshy-fire/trayvon-exposed-a-lot-of-things-i-think-something-positive-will-come/) [Walshy Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walshy-fire/) > [Since the recording process is instantaneous, and the nature of the image such that it cannot survive corrective handwork, it is obvious that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/since-the-recording-process-is-instantaneous-and-the-nature-of-the/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [Politicians can forgive almost anything in the way of abuse; they can forgive subversion, revolution, being contradicted, exposed as liars, even ridiculed, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-waugh/politicians-can-forgive-almost-anything-in-the-way-of-abuse-they-can/) [Auberon Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-waugh/) > [I think clarity is the real risk in poetry because you are exposed. You're out in the open field. You're actually saying things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-think-clarity-is-the-real-risk-in-poetry-because-you-are-exposed/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [I was lucky that I was getting exposed to a lot of different kinds of films, and I was liking them all. So it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/i-was-lucky-that-i-was-getting-exposed-to-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [Because of what I've chosen to do for my work in the world, almost every time that there's something that I'm afraid to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/because-of-what-i-ve-chosen-to-do-for-my-work-in-the-world-almost/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [My ma and pa are both very artistic, so I suppose it's in my blood. But my ma's the one who was into theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grey-damon/my-ma-and-pa-are-both-very-artistic-so-i-suppose-it-s-in-my-blood-but/) [Grey Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grey-damon/) > [There is a French expression that says: to be exposed to an accident, to cross a street without looking at the cars means exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-is-a-french-expression-that-says-to-be-exposed-to-an-accident/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) [Browse all 973 Exposed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I resigned, I put the U.S. Government on notice that I'm going to stick to policy issues, that I have no intention of going out and blowing the cover off of the intelligence operations, that those are truly sensitive and they should not be exposed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Ritter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government-on-notice-that-i-m-going-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Exposed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government-on-notice-that-i-m-going-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/scott-ritter-13498_exposed_when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government_29079.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/scott-ritter-13498_exposed_when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government_29079.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/scott-ritter-13498_exposed_when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government_29079.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I resigned, I put the U.S. Government on notice that I'm going to stick to policy issues, that I have…” — Scott Ritter", "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": "Scott Ritter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I resigned, I put the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government-on-notice-that-i-m-going-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/when-i-resigned-i-put-the-u-s-government-on-notice-that-i-m-going-to/#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 } } ] } ```