--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can we be sure that terrorism and WMD…" description: "\"Can we be sure that terrorism and WMD will join together? If we are wrong, we will have destroyed a threat that, at its least is responsible for inhuma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/tony-blair-812_carnage_can-we-be-sure-that-terrorism-and-wmd-wi_190178.jpg" --- # Can we be sure that terrorism and WMD will join together?… ![“Can we be sure that terrorism and WMD will join together? If we are wrong, we will have destroyed a threat that, at its least is responsible for inhuman carnage and suffering. That is something I am confident history will forgive. But if our critics are wrong and we do not act, then we will have…” quote by Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/tony-blair-812_carnage_can-we-be-sure-that-terrorism-and-wmd-wi_190178.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/tony-blair-812_carnage_can-we-be-sure-that-terrorism-and-wmd-wi_190178.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/tony-blair-812_carnage_can-we-be-sure-that-terrorism-and-wmd-wi_190178.jpg) > “Can we be sure that terrorism and WMD will join together? If we are wrong, we will have destroyed a threat that, at its least is responsible for inhuman carnage and suffering. That is something I am confident history will forgive. But if our critics are wrong and we do not act, then we will have hesitated in face of this menace, when we should have given leadership. That is something history will not forgive.” [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing decisive action against threats with the risk of regret demands careful judgment; inaction can be as damaging as wrong action. **In simple terms:** We must act wisely against danger, fearing both error and indecision. Key Takeaway Weigh risks, act decisively, and accept responsibility. Themes leadership security ethics decision‑making Mood serious determined Type political motivational When to use this quote - national security meetings - policy formulation - crisis management - public communication Key Concepts political strategy risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What evidence justifies immediate action? - How can you mitigate regret after acting? A Different Perspective Hasty decisions may cause unintended harm; uncertainty can paralyze. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) ## Related quotes > [If we are wrong, we will have destroyed a threat that, at its least is responsible for inhuman carnage and suffering. That is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/if-we-are-wrong-we-will-have-destroyed-a-threat-that-at-its-least-is/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [If somebody tells you 'History will never forgive you,' just laugh at him! Because when the history comes, you won't be here! The threat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-somebody-tells-you-history-will-never-forgive-you-just-laugh-at/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [If heads of states fail to seize the opportunity of our entry into the third millennium to provide for a better government of planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-muller/if-heads-of-states-fail-to-seize-the-opportunity-of-our-entry-into/) [Robert Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-muller/) > [You can forgive your leaders for not knowing the intricacies of Islamic history. You cannot forgive them for not knowing their own. And when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/you-can-forgive-your-leaders-for-not-knowing-the-intricacies-of/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [If we hand over a planet with an uncertain future, history will not forgive us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-lajcak/if-we-hand-over-a-planet-with-an-uncertain-future-history-will-not/) [Miroslav Lajcak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-lajcak/) > [The full horror of what has happened in the United States earlier today is now becoming clearer. It is hard even to contemplate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-full-horror-of-what-has-happened-in-the-united-states-earlier/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [“this is the crime of which I accuse my country and my countrymen, and for which neither I nor time nor history will ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/this-is-the-crime-of-which-i-accuse-my-country-and-my-countrymen-and-2/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [There have been the most terrible, shocking events taking place in the United States of America within the last couple of hours… We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/there-have-been-the-most-terrible-shocking-events-taking-place-in-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [“this is the crime of which I accuse my country and my countrymen, and for which neither I nor time nor history will ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/this-is-the-crime-of-which-i-accuse-my-country-and-my-countrymen-and/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [There have been the most terrible, shocking events taking place in the United States of America within the last hour or so... 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In all parts of our globe, fanatics have cut each other's throats, publicly burnt each other, committed without a scruple and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach/in-all-parts-of-our-globe-fanatics-have-cut-each-other-s-throats/) [Baron D'Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach/) > [“The unvarnished horrors of modern warfare were on everyone's social media feeds now, had been for months, and the truly bleak thing was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-flournoy/the-unvarnished-horrors-of-modern-warfare-were-on-everyone-s-social/) [Angela Flournoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-flournoy/) > [The publisher Jeff Johnson, who has offered not a word of explanation to me, has privately told people that he hated every word that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/the-publisher-jeff-johnson-who-has-offered-not-a-word-of-explanation/) [Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/) > [I am struck by how casually we as a nation react to the carnage in Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-struck-by-how-casually-we-as-a-nation-react-to-the-carnage-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tony Blair > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I have absolutely no doubt at all that we will find evidence of weapons of mass destruction programmes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-have-absolutely-no-doubt-at-all-that-we-will-find-evidence-of/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I mean, you can agree or disagree with Iraq or Afghanistan, but by the way, now the great campaigning cause out there is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-mean-you-can-agree-or-disagree-with-iraq-or-afghanistan-but-by-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [My dad was a militant atheist, or is a militant atheist. My mum was sort of bought up in a religious family because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/my-dad-was-a-militant-atheist-or-is-a-militant-atheist-my-mum-was/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Politics may be the art of the possible, but at least in life, give the impossible a go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/politics-may-be-the-art-of-the-possible-but-at-least-in-life-give-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I also, as I think most people do, have a healthy instinct that if we upset the balance of nature, we are in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-also-as-i-think-most-people-do-have-a-healthy-instinct-that-if-we/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [It is not a sensible or intelligent response for us in Europe to ridicule American arguments and parody their political leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/it-is-not-a-sensible-or-intelligent-response-for-us-in-europe-to/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I am absolutely delighted to give my full support to Gordon as the next leader of the Labour Party and as prime minister and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-am-absolutely-delighted-to-give-my-full-support-to-gordon-as-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Society works by putting opportunity and responsibility together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/society-works-by-putting-opportunity-and-responsibility-together/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [The great advantage of the Lib Dems is precisely that no-one knows what they stand for](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-great-advantage-of-the-lib-dems-is-precisely-that-no-one-knows/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [People know where I stand in the Labour party and what I believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/people-know-where-i-stand-in-the-labour-party-and-what-i-believe-in/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [The only society that works today is also one founded on mutual respect, on a recognition that we have a responsibility collectively and individually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-only-society-that-works-today-is-also-one-founded-on-mutual/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [How do we deal with not just the acts of violence, but the extremist ideology that lies behind them? Because though the numbers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/how-do-we-deal-with-not-just-the-acts-of-violence-but-the-extremist/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [The public think the politicians don't know or care about their lives; and the politicians feel misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-public-think-the-politicians-don-t-know-or-care-about-their-lives/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I think it's important for people like me to evaluate and reevaluate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-think-it-s-important-for-people-like-me-to-evaluate-and-reevaluate/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) [Explore all 363 Tony Blair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) ## More Carnage quotes > [I am struck by how casually we as a nation react to the carnage in Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-struck-by-how-casually-we-as-a-nation-react-to-the-carnage-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The publisher Jeff Johnson, who has offered not a word of explanation to me, has privately told people that he hated every word that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/the-publisher-jeff-johnson-who-has-offered-not-a-word-of-explanation/) [Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/) > [“The unvarnished horrors of modern warfare were on everyone's social media feeds now, had been for months, and the truly bleak thing was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-flournoy/the-unvarnished-horrors-of-modern-warfare-were-on-everyone-s-social/) [Angela Flournoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-flournoy/) > [“. . . In all parts of our globe, fanatics have cut each other's throats, publicly burnt each other, committed without a scruple and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach/in-all-parts-of-our-globe-fanatics-have-cut-each-other-s-throats/) [Baron D'Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach/) > [We, women of one country, Will be too tender of those of another country To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/we-women-of-one-country-will-be-too-tender-of-those-of-another/) [Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/) > [“The carnival of carnage that takes place every day, month and year in the realm of industry; the thousands of useful lives that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-douglas-wilson/the-carnival-of-carnage-that-takes-place-every-day-month-and-year-in/) D. Douglas Wilson > [William strode to her. That’s how it’s done. Drink it in. She surveyed the carnage behind him. “Did you have fun?” He showed her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/william-strode-to-her-that-s-how-it-s-done-drink-it-in-she-surveyed/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Men fed upon carnage, and drinking strong drinks, have all an impoisoned and acrid blood which drives them mad in a hundred different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-fed-upon-carnage-and-drinking-strong-drinks-have-all-an/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [There have been the most terrible, shocking events taking place in the United States of America within the last couple of hours… We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/there-have-been-the-most-terrible-shocking-events-taking-place-in-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [“I’ll see you there,” Taylor said, and Richardson nodded. Good humor was gone. They were preparing to delve into the Snow White murders, feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-ellison/i-ll-see-you-there-taylor-said-and-richardson-nodded-good-humor-was/) [J.T. Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-ellison/) > [Things shouldn't hinge on so very little. Sneeze and you're highway carnage. Remove one tiny stone and you're an avalanche statistic. But I guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/things-shouldn-t-hinge-on-so-very-little-sneeze-and-you-re-highway/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [The enduring attraction of war is this: Even with its destruction and carnage it can give us what we long for in life. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/the-enduring-attraction-of-war-is-this-even-with-its-destruction-and/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [When we have a world where you have ISIS chopping off heads, where you have frankly drowning people in steel cages, wars and horrible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/when-we-have-a-world-where-you-have-isis-chopping-off-heads-where-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him; let us worship God through Jesus if we must - if ignorance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/if-god-did-not-exist-it-would-be-necessary-to-invent-him-let-us/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [No matter what, I will always choose practical FX over digital ones. Blood spray pumps and squibs go a long way in convincing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timo-tjahjanto/no-matter-what-i-will-always-choose-practical-fx-over-digital-ones/) [Timo Tjahjanto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timo-tjahjanto/) Browse all 94 Carnage quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Can we be sure that terrorism and WMD will join together? If we are wrong, we will have destroyed a threat that, at its least is responsible for inhuman carnage and suffering. That is something I am confident history will forgive. But if our critics are wrong and we do not act, then we will have hesitated in face of this menace, when we should have given leadership. 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