--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think what happened with 9/11 is that…" description: "\"I think what happened with 9/11 is that people sort of felt that it came from nowhere. Whereas I think now we understand the roots are very deep. I say..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/121/tony-blair-812_afghanistan_i-think-what-happened-with-9-11-is-that_712466.jpg" --- # I think what happened with 9/11 is that people sort of… ![“I think what happened with 9/11 is that people sort of felt that it came from nowhere. Whereas I think now we understand the roots are very deep. I say it's like revolutionary Communism, something that is going to have to be knocked out over a very long period of time. This strain of extremism…” quote by Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/121/tony-blair-812_afghanistan_i-think-what-happened-with-9-11-is-that_712466.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/121/tony-blair-812_afghanistan_i-think-what-happened-with-9-11-is-that_712466.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/121/tony-blair-812_afghanistan_i-think-what-happened-with-9-11-is-that_712466.jpg) > “I think what happened with 9/11 is that people sort of felt that it came from nowhere. Whereas I think now we understand the roots are very deep. I say it's like revolutionary Communism, something that is going to have to be knocked out over a very long period of time. This strain of extremism continues to be very strong, whether it's in Afghanistan, or Somalia or Yemen, or any of these places.” [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. Extremism has deep historical roots and requires long‑term, sustained effort to eradicate. **In simple terms:** Extremism is deep‑seated and needs long‑term solutions. Key Takeaway Commit to persistent, multi‑generational counter‑extremism strategies. Themes security history politics Mood concerned determined Type strategic analytical When to use this quote - policy making - community outreach - education programs - media analysis Key Concepts ideology radicalization geopolitics Questions to Reflect On - What long‑term actions can reduce extremism? - How can societies address deep historical grievances? A Different Perspective Complex causes mean simple solutions rarely work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/) [Extremism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremism/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Revolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutionary/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Somalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somalia/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The terrorism from 9/11 has metastasized. It's metastasized in Iraq and Syria, in Nigeria, in Somalia, in Yemen and in other places in North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-terrorism-from-9-11-has-metastasized-it-s-metastasized-in-iraq/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [This counter-terrorism campaign will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out Isil wherever they exist, using our air power and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/this-counter-terrorism-campaign-will-be-waged-through-a-steady/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The United States has been essentially engaged in an ongoing war that most people date from 2001. That war has taken us to Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/the-united-states-has-been-essentially-engaged-in-an-ongoing-war-that/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [I'd like to be a revolutionary leader, part of the team that brings freedom to the people of the Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bez/i-d-like-to-be-a-revolutionary-leader-part-of-the-team-that-brings/) [Bez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bez/) > [Is it possible that my people live in such awful conditions? I tell you, Mr Wheatley, that if I had to live in conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/is-it-possible-that-my-people-live-in-such-awful-conditions-i-tell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Seriously, I feel more like a revolutionary because the final goal is not only to download all the articles and books and give open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elbakyan/seriously-i-feel-more-like-a-revolutionary-because-the-final-goal-is/) [Alexandra Elbakyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elbakyan/) > [I sort of feel like that's the most revolutionary thing we can do with our narrative for me as Black people is to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-sort-of-feel-like-that-s-the-most-revolutionary-thing-we-can-do/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [People seem to think if they dress like a revolutionary they don't actually have to behave like one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/people-seem-to-think-if-they-dress-like-a-revolutionary-they-don-t/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [I think people think their incomes have been flat lining for a long period of time. They feel that the next generation's opportunities are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-think-people-think-their-incomes-have-been-flat-lining-for-a-long/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [When I think of what has happened in a larger sense, beyond myself, then I would not change anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/when-i-think-of-what-has-happened-in-a-larger-sense-beyond-myself/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I think what's happened in art criticism, or art thinking, in last 30 or 40 years is a confusion between the "what" - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bradley/i-think-what-s-happened-in-art-criticism-or-art-thinking-in-last-30/) [Joe Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bradley/) > [“You think you know the answer, you’re going to find peace? Like knowing is somehow going to fix you? You think after what happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/you-think-you-know-the-answer-you-re-going-to-find-peace-like-knowing/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [Seriously, I am not a person that I think much about what happened or what didn't happen or what could happen. I happy about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-nadal/seriously-i-am-not-a-person-that-i-think-much-about-what-happened-or/) [Rafael Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-nadal/) > [I tried to think but nothing happened!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curly-howard/i-tried-to-think-but-nothing-happened/) [Curly Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curly-howard/) > [We're not going to think about what's happened in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/we-re-not-going-to-think-about-what-s-happened-in-the-past/) [Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/) ## 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 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 think what happened with 9/11 is that people sort of felt that it came from nowhere. 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