--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must be honest in acknowledging that…" description: "\"We must be honest in acknowledging that neither Germany nor the US has the luxury of assuming that we can skate by on half-measures in Afghanistan and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/susan-rice-4480_afghanistan_we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that_2266605.png" --- # We must be honest in acknowledging that neither Germany… ![“We must be honest in acknowledging that neither Germany nor the US has the luxury of assuming that we can skate by on half-measures in Afghanistan and Pakistan and not risk suffering the consequences.” quote by Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/susan-rice-4480_afghanistan_we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that_2266605.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/susan-rice-4480_afghanistan_we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that_2266605.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/susan-rice-4480_afghanistan_we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that_2266605.png) > “We must be honest in acknowledging that neither Germany nor the US has the luxury of assuming that we can skate by on half-measures in Afghanistan and Pakistan and not risk suffering the consequences.” [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She warns that half‑measures in Afghanistan and Pakistan risk severe consequences for both nations. **In simple terms:** Partial actions in those regions can cause big problems. Key Takeaway Commit to comprehensive, sustained policies. Themes policy security foreign affairs Mood cautious urgent Type political strategic When to use this quote - government decision‑making - military strategy - humanitarian aid Key Concepts strategic planning risk assessment regional stability Questions to Reflect On - What are the costs of half‑measures? - How can stakeholders achieve full‑scale solutions? A Different Perspective Political constraints may limit full measures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acknowledging Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledging-germany-5237057/) [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Consequences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequences/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Measures Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measures-afghanistan-5237058/) [Pakistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pakistan/) [Pakistan Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pakistan-risk-5237059/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [The people who illegally cross into the country are from countries that have very close ties to al Qaeda, whether it's Yemen or Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/the-people-who-illegally-cross-into-the-country-are-from-countries/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [My sense is that General Kayani recognises that a stable and secure Afghanistan is in the best interests of Pakistan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-dunford/my-sense-is-that-general-kayani-recognises-that-a-stable-and-secure/) [Joseph Dunford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-dunford/) > [Remember back then we thought about al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and a few other places? well, we've seen al Qaeda metastasize. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ridge/remember-back-then-we-thought-about-al-qaeda-in-afghanistan-and/) [Tom Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ridge/) > [John Walker Lindh, a twenty-year-old American studying in Pakistan, was captured in Northern Afghanistan fighting for the Taliban. Experts call it the worst semester…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/john-walker-lindh-a-twenty-year-old-american-studying-in-pakistan-was/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [As far as Afghanistan is concerned, I'm not sure whether the United States and Pakistan have the same objectives. Pakistan would like Afghanistan to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manmohan-singh/as-far-as-afghanistan-is-concerned-i-m-not-sure-whether-the-united/) [Manmohan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manmohan-singh/) > [I've learned that terror doesn't happen because some group of people somewhere like Pakistan or Afghanistan simply decide to hate us. It happens because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/i-ve-learned-that-terror-doesn-t-happen-because-some-group-of-people/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [Hasn't the U.S. Army gone in and uprooted the training camps situated in the tribal areas of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan? If the U.S. can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-garewal/hasn-t-the-u-s-army-gone-in-and-uprooted-the-training-camps-situated/) [Simi Garewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-garewal/) > [We need to deal with the problem of al Qaeda, make sure that they can't have a sanctuary in Afghanistan and guarantee that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/we-need-to-deal-with-the-problem-of-al-qaeda-make-sure-that-they-can/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [Afghanistan will be a brother of Pakistan. Afghanistan will never betray a brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/afghanistan-will-be-a-brother-of-pakistan-afghanistan-will-never/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [The U.S. might have diminished al-Qaeda's capabilities in the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan, but it has not diminished the threat from radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hoekstra/the-u-s-might-have-diminished-al-qaeda-s-capabilities-in-the-border/) [Pete Hoekstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hoekstra/) > [After the revolution of 1979, Iran embarked on a policy of sectarianism. Iran began a policy of expanding its revolution, of interfering with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adel-al-jubeir/after-the-revolution-of-1979-iran-embarked-on-a-policy-of/) [Adel al-Jubeir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adel-al-jubeir/) > [ What is common among all of these groups \[Taliban, Islamic State etc.\] is the intent to destroy. The majority of terrorists who come to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/what-is-common-among-all-of-these-groups-taliban-islamic-state-etc-is/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [ Our \[Afghanistan\] main problem is education. Over 90 percent of our population is uneducated. So what can you expect? The terrorists come from Syria,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/najibullah-quraishi/our-afghanistan-main-problem-is-education-over-90-percent-of-our/) [Najibullah Quraishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/najibullah-quraishi/) > [ There \[in Afghanistan\] is also a growing insurgency threat from al-Qaida, the Taliban and other extremist elements, some of which comes from the tribal… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/there-in-afghanistan-is-also-a-growing-insurgency-threat-from-al/) [David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/) > [The dynamics of the Taliban now appear to be very different and complex, in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, as they attack governments and mainstream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-dynamics-of-the-taliban-now-appear-to-be-very-different-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Susan Rice > [Since I've had a career, my hair has been more or less professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/since-i-ve-had-a-career-my-hair-has-been-more-or-less-professional/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [What I learned is that policymakers have to force consideration of actions that may not have occurred to them at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/what-i-learned-is-that-policymakers-have-to-force-consideration-of/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I've taken my knocks here and there, but I believe my intentions are good. Doesn't mean everything I do is perfectly executed or I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-ve-taken-my-knocks-here-and-there-but-i-believe-my-intentions-are/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I'm not watching any TV shows, frankly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-not-watching-any-tv-shows-frankly/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [The United States really only accounts for about 3 percent of the economic engagement with Russia. Europe is 40 percent, and so Europe's contribution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/the-united-states-really-only-accounts-for-about-3-percent-of-the/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I am very aware of being black and female because that's what I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-am-very-aware-of-being-black-and-female-because-that-s-what-i-am/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [Well, Nigeria has played a constructive role in peacekeeping in various parts of West Africa. But unless and until Nigeria itself is democratic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/well-nigeria-has-played-a-constructive-role-in-peacekeeping-in/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I'm apologetic when I feel like I've made a mistake. And when I have done a disservice to myself or someone else. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-apologetic-when-i-feel-like-i-ve-made-a-mistake-and-when-i-have/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [People are consuming the news that is comfortable for them, not necessarily the news that is real or that they need to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/people-are-consuming-the-news-that-is-comfortable-for-them-not/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I think it's very, very important that in foreign policy and national security decision making, as in any other realm, that there be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-think-it-s-very-very-important-that-in-foreign-policy-and-national/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [There was a hateful video that was disseminated on the internet. It had nothing to do with the United States government and it's one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/there-was-a-hateful-video-that-was-disseminated-on-the-internet-it/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [Well, I think by any expectation South Africa has come a tremendously long way. We've seen a society that many people thought couldn't withstand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/well-i-think-by-any-expectation-south-africa-has-come-a-tremendously/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [Can I be blunt? Yes. Can I be diplomatic? Yes. Can I concoct a mixture of vinegar and honey when the circumstances warrant? Yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/can-i-be-blunt-yes-can-i-be-diplomatic-yes-can-i-concoct-a-mixture-of/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [When my son was a mere three months old, I started working at the State Department. I was not only the youngest Assistant Secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/when-my-son-was-a-mere-three-months-old-i-started-working-at-the/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I was conscious of the fact that it could be to my disadvantage to marry a white guy - that some folks would hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-was-conscious-of-the-fact-that-it-could-be-to-my-disadvantage-to/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) [Explore all 110 Susan Rice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) ## 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": "We must be honest in acknowledging that neither Germany nor the US has the luxury of assuming that we can skate by on half-measures in Afghanistan and Pakistan and not risk suffering the consequences.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan Rice" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that-neither-germany-nor-the-us/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afghanistan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that-neither-germany-nor-the-us/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/susan-rice-4480_afghanistan_we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that_2266605.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/susan-rice-4480_afghanistan_we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that_2266605.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/susan-rice-4480_afghanistan_we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that_2266605.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must be honest in acknowledging that neither Germany nor the US has the luxury of assuming that we can…” — Susan Rice", "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": "Susan Rice", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must be honest in acknowledging...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that-neither-germany-nor-the-us/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/we-must-be-honest-in-acknowledging-that-neither-germany-nor-the-us/#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 } } ] } ```