--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Few knew in 2000 that Bush was going to…" description: "\"Few knew in 2000 that Bush was going to end up with neoconservatives all over the place. And once 9/11 happened, I think it's fair to say that eight or..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/seymour-hersh-9648_eight_few-knew-in-2000-that-bush-was-going-to_2364021.jpg" --- # Few knew in 2000 that Bush was going to end up with… ![“Few knew in 2000 that Bush was going to end up with neoconservatives all over the place. And once 9/11 happened, I think it's fair to say that eight or nine neocons have had an enormous influence. The whole solution to every problem was to go after Iraq. This had been a neoconservative mantra for…” quote by Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/seymour-hersh-9648_eight_few-knew-in-2000-that-bush-was-going-to_2364021.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/seymour-hersh-9648_eight_few-knew-in-2000-that-bush-was-going-to_2364021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/seymour-hersh-9648_eight_few-knew-in-2000-that-bush-was-going-to_2364021.jpg) > “Few knew in 2000 that Bush was going to end up with neoconservatives all over the place. And once 9/11 happened, I think it's fair to say that eight or nine neocons have had an enormous influence. The whole solution to every problem was to go after Iraq. This had been a neoconservative mantra for ten years. There was no secret about it.” [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Neoconservative ideology dominated U.S. foreign policy post‑9/11, leading to the Iraq war as a primary solution to global threats. **In simple terms:** Neocons shaped Bush’s Iraq war strategy. Key Takeaway Recognize ideological influences on policy decisions. Themes politics war ideology Mood analytical critical Type historical political When to use this quote - government decision‑making - public opinion - military intervention Key Concepts foreign policy neoconservatism Questions to Reflect On - What other forces contributed to the Iraq decision? - How do we hold policymakers accountable? A Different Perspective Complex motives and other factors also shaped the war; not solely neocon influence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Mantras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mantras/) [Neocons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neocons/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Few knew in 2000 that George W. Bush was going to end up with neoconservatives all over the place. Once 9/11 happened, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/few-knew-in-2000-that-george-w-bush-was-going-to-end-up-with/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [Neoconservatism is not what people think it is. It is not a party or a group. Many people popularly seen as neocons - Dick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-murray/neoconservatism-is-not-what-people-think-it-is-it-is-not-a-party-or-a/) [Douglas Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-murray/) > [The neoconservatives are a small circle, and they're all sort of holding hands as they develop their policy, and outsiders aren't allowed. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/the-neoconservatives-are-a-small-circle-and-they-re-all-sort-of/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [One of the terrible things about George W. Bush Administration is that nobody wants to hear bad news. The neoconservatives are a small circle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/one-of-the-terrible-things-about-george-w-bush-administration-is-that/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [“One difficulty we face today is the fact that the Republicrat faction that portrays itself as ‘conservative’ is anything but. While the term ‘neoconservative’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/one-difficulty-we-face-today-is-the-fact-that-the-republicrat-faction/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [The U.S. is ruled by private interest groups and by the neoconservative ideology that history has chosen the U.S. as the 'exceptional and indispensable'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-u-s-is-ruled-by-private-interest-groups-and-by-the/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [I am not a neoconservative. I am pro-American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/i-am-not-a-neoconservative-i-am-pro-american/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) > [“most discussions of George W. Bush’s foreign policy focus on the supposed innovation of a small group of neoconservative intellectuals in asserting the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-grandin/most-discussions-of-george-w-bush-s-foreign-policy-focus-on-the/) [Greg Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-grandin/) > [ “I myself have accepted the term \[neoconservative\], perhaps, because, having been named Irving, I am relatively indifferent to baptismal caprice.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kristol/i-myself-have-accepted-the-term-neoconservative-perhaps-because/) [Irving Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kristol/) > [I am not a neoconservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/i-am-not-a-neoconservative/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) > [The neoconservative doctrine declares that it is the principal goal of U.S. foreign policy to prevent the rise of any country that would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-neoconservative-doctrine-declares-that-it-is-the-principal-goal/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [Neoconservative Republican President George W. Bush took office determined to aggressively export American democratic values through conflict. The Iraq war, a misdirected response to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/neoconservative-republican-president-george-w-bush-took-office/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [The neoconservative ideology supports American financial and military-political imperialism or hegemony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-neoconservative-ideology-supports-american-financial-and-military/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [The idea of foreign policy realism, I think, fits more neatly with President Trump. And with John McCain, the neoconservative label of let's make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/the-idea-of-foreign-policy-realism-i-think-fits-more-neatly-with/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [A neoconservative is a liberal who's been mugged by reality. A neoliberal is a liberal who's been mugged by reality but has refused to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kristol/a-neoconservative-is-a-liberal-who-s-been-mugged-by-reality-a/) [Irving Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kristol/) ## More by Seymour Hersh > [I can't fudge what I write. But I can certainly fudge what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-can-t-fudge-what-i-write-but-i-can-certainly-fudge-what-i-say/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [If Bush had gone into Iraq for cynical reasons, we could cut our losses now. What's frightening is that he did it for ideological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/if-bush-had-gone-into-iraq-for-cynical-reasons-we-could-cut-our/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [At a meeting in her office in the late summer of 2002, months before the war in Iraq, prisoner abuse at Guantanamo is discussed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/at-a-meeting-in-her-office-in-the-late-summer-of-2002-months-before/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [Using words to make other people less big made me feel bigger, though the psychological dimension to that... well, I don't want to explore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/using-words-to-make-other-people-less-big-made-me-feel-bigger-though/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I didn't know I was gonna be a writer when I started out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-didn-t-know-i-was-gonna-be-a-writer-when-i-started-out/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [We'd be better off if the whole purpose of the adventure in Iraq was, say, to protect Israel or to protect the flow of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/we-d-be-better-off-if-the-whole-purpose-of-the-adventure-in-iraq-was/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [The idea of photographing an Arab man naked and having him simulate homosexual activity, and having an American GI woman in the photographs, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/the-idea-of-photographing-an-arab-man-naked-and-having-him-simulate/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [There's been a lot of talk about how bad the reporting was, particularly with the George W. Bush Administration after 9/11. The general assumption,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/there-s-been-a-lot-of-talk-about-how-bad-the-reporting-was/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [Grab whom you must. Do what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/grab-whom-you-must-do-what-you-want/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [If George W. Bush had gone into Iraq for cynical reasons, we could cut our losses now. What's frightening is that he did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/if-george-w-bush-had-gone-into-iraq-for-cynical-reasons-we-could-cut/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I don't think I've ever met a public official that didn't think he was doing the right thing. I can't think of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-met-a-public-official-that-didn-t-think-he/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [How can you have a security guarantee? The Europeans can give their security guarantees to Iran all they want in return for their stopping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/how-can-you-have-a-security-guarantee-the-europeans-can-give-their/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I don't know Condoleezza Rice personally. I'm sure she's a nice lady, and I'm sure she plays the piano well. But she was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-know-condoleezza-rice-personally-i-m-sure-she-s-a-nice-lady/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [And then, of course, Bush won reelection, with everything out there, all of our complaints, all of the issues, all of the troubles with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/and-then-of-course-bush-won-reelection-with-everything-out-there-all/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [The day after 9/11, we should have gone to Russia. We did the one thing that George Kennan warned us never to do -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/the-day-after-9-11-we-should-have-gone-to-russia-we-did-the-one-thing/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) [Explore all 71 Seymour Hersh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) ## More Eight quotes > [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [The minute you step onstage, you get eight feet taller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/the-minute-you-step-onstage-you-get-eight-feet-taller/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [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/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [We got orders to strike the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. We had a task force with the Enterprise. We had two or three cruisers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-ross/we-got-orders-to-strike-the-marshall-and-gilbert-islands-we-had-a/) [Barney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-ross/) > [Cerrone is a great opponent. The guy won eight fights straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-dos-anjos/cerrone-is-a-great-opponent-the-guy-won-eight-fights-straight/) [Rafael dos Anjos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-dos-anjos/) > [Ninety-eight percent of the things that come out of my mouth are intended to be harmless or even charming. They're not ever intended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/ninety-eight-percent-of-the-things-that-come-out-of-my-mouth-are/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The first draft is usually junk. You have to work on it seven to eight times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-subramanian/the-first-draft-is-usually-junk-you-have-to-work-on-it-seven-to-eight/) [Ravi Subramanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-subramanian/) > [I realised I owned eight pink suits, which I did not need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-odudu/i-realised-i-owned-eight-pink-suits-which-i-did-not-need/) [A. J. 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