--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I mean, the United States has had an…" description: "\"I mean, the United States has had an eighteen-year military commitment in Afghanistan, and frankly, I can't think of any country other than the United ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/subrahmanyam-jaishankar-33193_afghanistan_i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eigh_1157208.jpg" --- # I mean, the United States has had an eighteen-year… ![“I mean, the United States has had an eighteen-year military commitment in Afghanistan, and frankly, I can't think of any country other than the United States which is even capable of such a commitment.” quote by Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/subrahmanyam-jaishankar-33193_afghanistan_i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eigh_1157208.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/subrahmanyam-jaishankar-33193_afghanistan_i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eigh_1157208.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/subrahmanyam-jaishankar-33193_afghanistan_i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eigh_1157208.jpg) > “I mean, the United States has had an eighteen-year military commitment in Afghanistan, and frankly, I can't think of any country other than the United States which is even capable of such a commitment.” [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The US has maintained a uniquely long military presence in Afghanistan, reflecting its capacity and willingness to commit extensive resources. **In simple terms:** The US can sustain long foreign military commitments. Key Takeaway Recognize the scale of US strategic commitments. Themes military policy geopolitics Mood reflective analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - defense planning - foreign policy analysis - budget allocation Key Concepts Strategic endurance global responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What are the long‑term costs of prolonged deployments? - How does this shape US global influence? A Different Perspective Such commitments can strain resources and public support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ## Related quotes > [Our commitment to Afghanistan is a long-term one. We put a huge amount of resources into trying to make sure there is peace in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-hunt/our-commitment-to-afghanistan-is-a-long-term-one-we-put-a-huge-amount/) [Jeremy Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-hunt/) > [I think we need to just be very clear about what we're trying to do in Afghanistan. Frankly, we're not trying to create the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/i-think-we-need-to-just-be-very-clear-about-what-we-re-trying-to-do/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [I have great respect and understanding for military commitment due to my own family's involvement with the armed forces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-murphy/i-have-great-respect-and-understanding-for-military-commitment-due-to/) [Carolyn Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-murphy/) > [The American financial and military commitment really only kicks in with Korea. Not that Korea was the real game for the Americans; their real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/the-american-financial-and-military-commitment-really-only-kicks-in/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [We all know that Washington families are making a tremendous commitment to winning the War on Terror. Tonight, more than 22,000 Washington state soldiers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-murray/we-all-know-that-washington-families-are-making-a-tremendous/) [Patty Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-murray/) > [President Obama had voiced strong support for the effort in Afghanistan during his campaign, pledging to add two brigades, which he did. But since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/president-obama-had-voiced-strong-support-for-the-effort-in/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [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/) ## More by Subrahmanyam Jaishankar > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [I don't think that the fundamental issue between India and Pakistan is Kashmir, OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/i-don-t-think-that-the-fundamental-issue-between-india-and-pakistan/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Terrorism is not something that is being conducted in dark corners of Pakistan. It's done in broad daylight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/terrorism-is-not-something-that-is-being-conducted-in-dark-corners-of/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Globalisation is under stress due to new and emerging geo-political and geo-economic faultlines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/globalisation-is-under-stress-due-to-new-and-emerging-geo-political/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [In political, strategic as well as economic and commercial areas, Singapore has become a fulcrum for India's policies east of India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/in-political-strategic-as-well-as-economic-and-commercial-areas/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [The normal metric of measuring progress has actually been the rate of growth, OK? It's not a wrong metric, but it's not a full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/the-normal-metric-of-measuring-progress-has-actually-been-the-rate-of/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [India supports a rule-based order in Asia, as in the rest of the world. But we confront unavoidable challenges such as terrorism, conflicts, trans-national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/india-supports-a-rule-based-order-in-asia-as-in-the-rest-of-the-world/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Here is the difference, nationalism has a certain connotation in Europe, which is not necessarily positive, but I think in Asia, nationalism is seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/here-is-the-difference-nationalism-has-a-certain-connotation-in/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [We can determine our strategic part or strategic options, but the strategic framework is something which will evolve from the interaction of world powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/we-can-determine-our-strategic-part-or-strategic-options-but-the/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [If you trade with someone and they are your biggest trading partner, it is impossible you don't have trade issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/if-you-trade-with-someone-and-they-are-your-biggest-trading-partner/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [There is an issue of what does the U.S. expect abroad and what does the U.S. give at home. I think there's a reconciliation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/there-is-an-issue-of-what-does-the-u-s-expect-abroad-and-what-does/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [In 1992, India launched the India-Asian partnership and by 2005 we were members of the East Asia Summit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/in-1992-india-launched-the-india-asian-partnership-and-by-2005-we/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Beyond the traditional areas of cooperation, we have entered the digital age with its own opportunities. The area of fintech needs to be explored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/beyond-the-traditional-areas-of-cooperation-we-have-entered-the/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [We would not accept any country telling us who to buy weapons from and who not to buy from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/we-would-not-accept-any-country-telling-us-who-to-buy-weapons-from/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) [Explore all 15 Subrahmanyam Jaishankar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) ## More Afghanistan 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/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I have been to Afghanistan many times, even before the Taliban collapsed. I was fascinated by the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-have-been-to-afghanistan-many-times-even-before-the-taliban/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-legal-system-in-afghanistan-is-very-immature-and-porous/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) [Browse all 1,159 Afghanistan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I mean, the United States has had an eighteen-year military commitment in Afghanistan, and frankly, I can't think of any country other than the United States which is even capable of such a commitment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Subrahmanyam Jaishankar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eighteen-year-military-commitment/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afghanistan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eighteen-year-military-commitment/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/subrahmanyam-jaishankar-33193_afghanistan_i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eigh_1157208.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/subrahmanyam-jaishankar-33193_afghanistan_i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eigh_1157208.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/subrahmanyam-jaishankar-33193_afghanistan_i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eigh_1157208.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I mean, the United States has had an eighteen-year military commitment in Afghanistan, and frankly, I can't…” — Subrahmanyam Jaishankar", "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": "Subrahmanyam Jaishankar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I mean, the United States has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eighteen-year-military-commitment/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/i-mean-the-united-states-has-had-an-eighteen-year-military-commitment/#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 } } ] } ```