--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: NATO believes it can pick on a small…" description: "\"NATO believes it can pick on a small nation and force us to surrender our independence. And that is where NATO miscalculated. You are not willing to sa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/slobodan-milosevi-27306_achieve_nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nat_556531.jpg" --- # NATO believes it can pick on a small nation and force us… ![“NATO believes it can pick on a small nation and force us to surrender our independence. And that is where NATO miscalculated. You are not willing to sacrifice lives to achieve our surrender. But we are willing to die to defend our rights as an independent sovereign nation.” quote by Slobodan Milosevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/slobodan-milosevi-27306_achieve_nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nat_556531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/slobodan-milosevi-27306_achieve_nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nat_556531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/slobodan-milosevi-27306_achieve_nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nat_556531.jpg) > “NATO believes it can pick on a small nation and force us to surrender our independence. And that is where NATO miscalculated. You are not willing to sacrifice lives to achieve our surrender. But we are willing to die to defend our rights as an independent sovereign nation.” [Slobodan Milosevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. NATO underestimated the resolve of a sovereign people, assuming they would capitulate rather than fight for independence. **In simple terms:** NATO misread a nation's willingness to die for freedom. Key Takeaway Recognize that force can backfire when confronting deep national pride. Themes sovereignty conflict resistance Mood defiant determined Type political military When to use this quote - defending independence - political negotiations - civil resistance - military deterrence Key Concepts political will national identity military strategy Questions to Reflect On - What drives a nation's willingness to sacrifice? - How can diplomatic strategies respect sovereign resolve? A Different Perspective Assuming all nations value lives over liberty oversimplifies complex motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independence/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Sovereign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereign/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) ## Related quotes > [NATO believes it can pick on a small nation and force us to surrender our independence. And that is where NATO miscalculated. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nation-and-force-us-to-surrender-2/) [Slobodan Milosevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [It should be clear to all, after the past ten years, that NATO isn't attacking Serbia because of Milosevic; it is attacking Milosevic because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/it-should-be-clear-to-all-after-the-past-ten-years-that-nato-isn-t/) [Slobodan Milosevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [We have no quarrel with America. We all know NATO is the strongest military machine in the world. We simply want them to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/we-have-no-quarrel-with-america-we-all-know-nato-is-the-strongest/) [Slobodan Milosevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [If our women are willing to die with us, who is there to say no?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morning-star/if-our-women-are-willing-to-die-with-us-who-is-there-to-say-no/) [Morning Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morning-star/) > [I'm willing to die in the ring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-ruiz-jr/i-m-willing-to-die-in-the-ring/) [Andy Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-ruiz-jr/) > [There's never been a lack of men willing to die bravely. The trouble is to find a few able to live sensibly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/there-s-never-been-a-lack-of-men-willing-to-die-bravely-the-trouble/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [You don't have to be a pastor to let your passion be felt and your voice heard. You just need to be willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ludy/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-pastor-to-let-your-passion-be-felt-and-your/) [Eric Ludy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ludy/) > [“I figured I had kept her from being too depressed after fucking--it's hard for a girl with any force in her and any brains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-brodkey/i-figured-i-had-kept-her-from-being-too-depressed-after-fucking-it-s/) [Harold Brodkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-brodkey/) > [To hold on, you have to find something you’re willing to die for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/to-hold-on-you-have-to-find-something-you-re-willing-to-die-for/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“Enlightenment is a paradoxical phenomenon. You need to be commited to become enlightenment, and to do whatever is necessary to make it happen. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-dhyan-giten/enlightenment-is-a-paradoxical-phenomenon-you-need-to-be-commited-to/) [Swami Dhyan Giten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-dhyan-giten/) > [“He had been willing to die because he refused to take a life. But me, I contemplated shooting everyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tintera/he-had-been-willing-to-die-because-he-refused-to-take-a-life-but-me-i/) [Amy Tintera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tintera/) > [“I was willing to die fighting, but it was senseless for all these men to go down with me. Perhaps my blood was tainted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-was-willing-to-die-fighting-but-it-was-senseless-for-all-these-men/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“I’m willing to die for the woman I love. I just want to take 75 years to do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-willing-to-die-for-the-woman-i-love-i-just-want-to-take-75-years/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [So, what now? We’re friends?" Yeah. If friends could be in love, but not together. In sync, but out of touch. Willing to die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/so-what-now-we-re-friends-yeah-if-friends-could-be-in-love-but-not/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More by Slobodan Milosevic > [At the time when this famous historical battle was fought in Kosovo, the people were looking at the stars, expecting aid from them. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/at-the-time-when-this-famous-historical-battle-was-fought-in-kosovo/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [Equal and united people can above all become a part of the civilization toward which mankind is moving. If we cannot be at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/equal-and-united-people-can-above-all-become-a-part-of-the/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [Equality means nothing unless incorporated into the institutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/equality-means-nothing-unless-incorporated-into-the-institutions/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [The loss of national identity is the greatest defeat a nation can know, and it is inevitable under the contemporary form of colonization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/the-loss-of-national-identity-is-the-greatest-defeat-a-nation-can/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [For as long as multinational communities have existed, their weak point has always been the relations between different nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/for-as-long-as-multinational-communities-have-existed-their-weak/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [Kosovo is not a part of Serbia. It is the very heart of Serbia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/kosovo-is-not-a-part-of-serbia-it-is-the-very-heart-of-serbia/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [It is the utmost necessity that this congress be a congress of unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/it-is-the-utmost-necessity-that-this-congress-be-a-congress-of-unity/) [Slobodan Milosevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [It is difficult to say today whether the Battle of Kosovo was a defeat or a victory for the Serbian people, whether thanks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/it-is-difficult-to-say-today-whether-the-battle-of-kosovo-was-a/) [Slobodan Milosevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [NATO believes it can pick on a small nation and force us to surrender our independence. And that is where NATO miscalculated. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nation-and-force-us-to-surrender-2/) [Slobodan Milosevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [Countries under foreign command quickly forget their history, their past, their tradition, their national symbols, their way of living, often their own literary language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/countries-under-foreign-command-quickly-forget-their-history-their/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [Yugoslavia is a multinational community and it can survive only under the conditions of full equality for all nations that live in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/yugoslavia-is-a-multinational-community-and-it-can-survive-only-under/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [We are not angels. Nor are we the devils you have made us out to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/we-are-not-angels-nor-are-we-the-devils-you-have-made-us-out-to-be/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [It's absurd to accuse Serbia and the Serbs for the armed secession of Croatia,.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/it-s-absurd-to-accuse-serbia-and-the-serbs-for-the-armed-secession-of/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [I'm discriminated against all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/i-m-discriminated-against-all-the-time/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [The only differences one can and should allow in socialism are between hard working people and idlers and between honest people and dishonest people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/the-only-differences-one-can-and-should-allow-in-socialism-are/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) [Explore all 20 Slobodan Milosevic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) ## More Achieve quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/) Deon Taylor > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/) [Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/) Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "NATO believes it can pick on a small nation and force us to surrender our independence. And that is where NATO miscalculated. You are not willing to sacrifice lives to achieve our surrender. But we are willing to die to defend our rights as an independent sovereign nation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Slobodan Milosevic" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nation-and-force-us-to-surrender/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achieve" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nation-and-force-us-to-surrender/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/slobodan-milosevi-27306_achieve_nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nat_556531.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/slobodan-milosevi-27306_achieve_nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nat_556531.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/slobodan-milosevi-27306_achieve_nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nat_556531.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“NATO believes it can pick on a small nation and force us to surrender our independence. And that is where…” — Slobodan Milosevic", "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": "Slobodan Milosevic", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "NATO believes it can pick on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nation-and-force-us-to-surrender/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/nato-believes-it-can-pick-on-a-small-nation-and-force-us-to-surrender/#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 } } ] } ```