--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot defeat Islamic State with…" description: "\"You cannot defeat Islamic State with airstrikes only. It's necessary to cooperate with ground troops, and the Syrian army is the most efficient and pow..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/sergei-lavrov-10875_army_you-cannot-defeat-islamic-state-with-air_2263825.jpg" --- # You cannot defeat Islamic State with airstrikes only. It's… ![“You cannot defeat Islamic State with airstrikes only. It's necessary to cooperate with ground troops, and the Syrian army is the most efficient and powerful ground force to fight the Islamic State.” quote by Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/sergei-lavrov-10875_army_you-cannot-defeat-islamic-state-with-air_2263825.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/sergei-lavrov-10875_army_you-cannot-defeat-islamic-state-with-air_2263825.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddd/sergei-lavrov-10875_army_you-cannot-defeat-islamic-state-with-air_2263825.jpg) > “You cannot defeat Islamic State with airstrikes only. It's necessary to cooperate with ground troops, and the Syrian army is the most efficient and powerful ground force to fight the Islamic State.” [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Airstrikes alone cannot defeat ISIS; ground forces, especially the Syrian army, are essential. **In simple terms:** Airstrikes insufficient; need ground troops. Key Takeaway Combine air and ground strategies. Themes military strategy politics Mood analytical cautious Type strategic political When to use this quote - military planning - diplomacy - humanitarian aid - regional security Key Concepts combined operations regional alliances counterterrorism Questions to Reflect On - How to ensure coordination? - What are the risks of reliance on one ally? A Different Perspective Ground forces may have conflicting interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Airstrikes Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/airstrikes-necessary-5219299/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Defeat Islamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat-islamic-5219300/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Fight Islamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight-islamic-2795948/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Islamic state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islamic-state/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [State Airstrikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-airstrikes-5219301/) ## Related quotes > [If we want to defeat Islamic State, we first have to arrive at a cease-fire agreement in Syria. Once that has been achieved, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/if-we-want-to-defeat-islamic-state-we-first-have-to-arrive-at-a-cease/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [I don't think the British or American governments really want to fight the Islamic State. They just want to look as if they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/i-don-t-think-the-british-or-american-governments-really-want-to/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [We can make sacrifices to fight Islamic State, but the international coalition has to support us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haider-al-abadi/we-can-make-sacrifices-to-fight-islamic-state-but-the-international/) [Haider al-Abadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haider-al-abadi/) > [The United States did not choose to fight Islamic extremists. These terrorists chose to fight our way of life. They chose to challenge our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boehner/the-united-states-did-not-choose-to-fight-islamic-extremists-these/) [John Boehner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boehner/) > [There is a connection between the issue of refugees and the battle against the so-called Islamic State.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-maiziere/there-is-a-connection-between-the-issue-of-refugees-and-the-battle/) [Thomas de Maiziere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-maiziere/) > [We are not panicking because we know that Islamic State cannot conquer the capital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-chalabi/we-are-not-panicking-because-we-know-that-islamic-state-cannot/) [Ahmed Chalabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-chalabi/) > [When I first raised the issue of the so-called Islamic State at the Munich Security Conference in February, speaking about its economy, its flexibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/when-i-first-raised-the-issue-of-the-so-called-islamic-state-at-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [The West wanted to avoid an Islamic state in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franjo-tudjman/the-west-wanted-to-avoid-an-islamic-state-in-europe/) [Franjo Tudjman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franjo-tudjman/) > [Maliki saw Islamic State as a way to exert pressure. 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But the situation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-chalabi/we-need-a-united-front-against-islamic-state-and-assad-happens-to-be/) [Ahmed Chalabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-chalabi/) > [“An uncontrollable force at the other side of the border is attacking civilians,” Numan Kurtulmus, a Turkish deputy prime minister, said of the Islamic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-uncontrollable-force-at-the-other-side-of-the-border-is-attacking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Saying that the origin of the Islamic State (IS) is within the Muslim Brotherhood organisation only strengthens IS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/saying-that-the-origin-of-the-islamic-state-is-is-within-the-muslim/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) ## More by Sergei Lavrov > [When the Georgian army started this assault against the sleeping city of Tskhinvali, the Georgian peacekeepers, serving in one contingent with their Russian friends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/when-the-georgian-army-started-this-assault-against-the-sleeping-city/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [I started, you know, to work as a diplomat during the Soviet days, and in spite of ideology being very high on the Communist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/i-started-you-know-to-work-as-a-diplomat-during-the-soviet-days-and/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [Even the state TV channels are not monolithic in their pro-government line, and the views they express are quite pluralistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/even-the-state-tv-channels-are-not-monolithic-in-their-pro-government/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [The international community unfortunately did take sides in Libya, and we would never allow the Security Council to authorise anything similar to what happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/the-international-community-unfortunately-did-take-sides-in-libya-and/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [I can only say it is not for us to decide who should lead Syria. 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In all fairness, we can't see any other way to ensure the stable development of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/we-are-certain-that-ukraine-needs-profound-constitutional-reform-in/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [Attempts to put pressure on Russia and to compel it to abandon its values, truth and justice have no prospects whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/attempts-to-put-pressure-on-russia-and-to-compel-it-to-abandon-its/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [If you say that your national law allows you to do something, it is fine as long as you do this inside your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/if-you-say-that-your-national-law-allows-you-to-do-something-it-is/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [We have been protecting the lives of the Russian peacekeepers who had been attacked by their Georgian comrades, because there was a joint peacekeeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/we-have-been-protecting-the-lives-of-the-russian-peacekeepers-who-had/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [Syria is a multi-confessional state: in addition to Sunni and Shia Muslims, there are Alawites, Orthodox and other Christian confessions, Druzes, and Kurds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/syria-is-a-multi-confessional-state-in-addition-to-sunni-and-shia/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [I don't believe in ideology in international relations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/i-don-t-believe-in-ideology-in-international-relations/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [We have absolutely no intention of, or interest in, crossing Ukraine's borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/we-have-absolutely-no-intention-of-or-interest-in-crossing-ukraine-s/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [If our interests - our legitimate interests, the interests of Russians - have been attacked directly, like they were in South Ossetia, for example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/if-our-interests-our-legitimate-interests-the-interests-of-russians/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) [Explore all 63 Sergei Lavrov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... 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