--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a soldier, I stand ready to serve and…" description: "\"As a soldier, I stand ready to serve and protect and defend this country. And as a soldier, I know the cost of war. And as president and commander-in-c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/tulsi-gabbard-8635_cost-of-war_as-a-soldier-i-stand-ready-to-serve-and_1922314.png" --- # As a soldier, I stand ready to serve and protect and… ![“As a soldier, I stand ready to serve and protect and defend this country. And as a soldier, I know the cost of war. And as president and commander-in-chief, I will end these regime-change wars.” quote by Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/tulsi-gabbard-8635_cost-of-war_as-a-soldier-i-stand-ready-to-serve-and_1922314.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/tulsi-gabbard-8635_cost-of-war_as-a-soldier-i-stand-ready-to-serve-and_1922314.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/tulsi-gabbard-8635_cost-of-war_as-a-soldier-i-stand-ready-to-serve-and_1922314.png) > “As a soldier, I stand ready to serve and protect and defend this country. And as a soldier, I know the cost of war. And as president and commander-in-chief, I will end these regime-change wars.” [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker pledges duty to protect the nation, acknowledges war’s sacrifices, and promises to end foreign interventions. **In simple terms:** A soldier promises to protect, knows war’s cost, and vows to stop regime‑change wars. Key Takeaway Commit to responsible defense and diplomatic solutions. Themes service war leadership foreign policy peace Mood determined hopeful serious Type political inspirational When to use this quote - military service - policy making - public speeches - peace negotiations Key Concepts military duty ethical governance interventionism national security Questions to Reflect On - How can a nation balance defense with non‑intervention? - What alternatives exist to regime‑change strategies? A Different Perspective Ending wars may conflict geopolitical interests and security challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cost of war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost-of-war/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The British soldier can stand up to anything except the British War Office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-british-soldier-can-stand-up-to-anything-except-the-british-war/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Because Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama failed to provide a status of forces agreement and leave sufficient troops in there, we are back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/because-hillary-clinton-and-barack-obama-failed-to-provide-a-status/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [I've seen firsthand the high human cost of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/i-ve-seen-firsthand-the-high-human-cost-of-war/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [As a soldier, I've served with the most brave people in an institution that's built on integrity, honor, and duty. This is why I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/as-a-soldier-i-ve-served-with-the-most-brave-people-in-an-institution-2/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [As a combat veteran, I know the cost of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/as-a-combat-veteran-i-know-the-cost-of-war/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [The cost of war impacts all of us - both in the human cost and the cost that's being felt frankly in places like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/the-cost-of-war-impacts-all-of-us-both-in-the-human-cost-and-the-cost/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [To be a successful soldier, you must know history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-successful-soldier-you-must-know-history/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Father bent down and whispered into the air between her and Eben. "Our first king was a soldier, you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-dou/father-bent-down-and-whispered-into-the-air-between-her-and-eben-our/) [Lea Doué](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-dou/) > [To be a successful soldier you must know history. . . . What you must know is how man reacts. Weapons change but man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/to-be-a-successful-soldier-you-must-know-history-what-you-must-know/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-into-battle-how-the-little/) [Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/) > [Be like a soldier, know when to fight, know when to surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-like-a-soldier-know-when-to-fight-know-when-to-surrender/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish I wasn't the war president. Who in the heck wants to be a war president? I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-wish-i-wasn-t-the-war-president-who-in-the-heck-wants-to-be-a-war/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Political analysts say that President Bush's re-election strategy is to try and convince Americans that he's a war president. I don't get that, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/political-analysts-say-that-president-bush-s-re-election-strategy-is/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I am a war president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-am-a-war-president/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [You don't go to war with the President you want, you go to war with the President you have](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-rich/you-don-t-go-to-war-with-the-president-you-want-you-go-to-war-with/) [Jeff Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-rich/) ## More by Tulsi Gabbard > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Some Republicans are good, and some Republicans are bad. Some Democrats are good, and some Democrats are bad. There are good police, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/some-republicans-are-good-and-some-republicans-are-bad-some-democrats/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Through my time in the military and my deployments, I have recognized the importance of having a Commander in Chief who will not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/through-my-time-in-the-military-and-my-deployments-i-have-recognized/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [We must stop arming terrorists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/we-must-stop-arming-terrorists/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [The divisiveness that threatens the fabric of our nation - whether due to race, religion, political ideology, gender, sexual orientation, or other - must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/the-divisiveness-that-threatens-the-fabric-of-our-nation-whether-due/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [I've seen firsthand the high human cost of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/i-ve-seen-firsthand-the-high-human-cost-of-war/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Every soldier knows this simple fact: If you don't know your enemy, you will not be able to defeat him,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/every-soldier-knows-this-simple-fact-if-you-don-t-know-your-enemy-you/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Sadly, the system in this country is rigged in favor of wealthy elites who have purchased tremendous influence in our government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/sadly-the-system-in-this-country-is-rigged-in-favor-of-wealthy-elites/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [As a soldier, I've served with the most brave people in an institution that's built on integrity, honor, and duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/as-a-soldier-i-ve-served-with-the-most-brave-people-in-an-institution/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [People in the Middle East, people everywhere, want peace. But unfortunately too many fail to recognize that that lasting peace can only be found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/people-in-the-middle-east-people-everywhere-want-peace-but/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [We need to stop judging individuals based on their race, profession, gender, religion, or anything other than their own individual behavior and character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/we-need-to-stop-judging-individuals-based-on-their-race-profession/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [We have to put an end to the culture of selfishness and corruption that allows greedy Wall Street banks and executives to rip off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/we-have-to-put-an-end-to-the-culture-of-selfishness-and-corruption/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [I volunteered to deploy to Iraq. I was one of the few soldiers who were not on the mandatory deployment roster - close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/i-volunteered-to-deploy-to-iraq-i-was-one-of-the-few-soldiers-who/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [One reason I'm grateful to call Hawai'i home is that the people of these islands embrace diversity and celebrate the colorful fabric of race,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/one-reason-i-m-grateful-to-call-hawai-i-home-is-that-the-people-of/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [We must remember that this nation was founded by people fleeing religious persecution, risking everything to find a place to be free to worship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/we-must-remember-that-this-nation-was-founded-by-people-fleeing/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) [Explore all 79 Tulsi Gabbard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) ## More Cost of war quotes > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What do nations care about the cost of war, if by spending a few hundred millions in steel and gunpowder they can gain a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-do-nations-care-about-the-cost-of-war-if-by-spending-a-few/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Money was the crux. Raising money to pay the cost of war was to cause more damage to 14th century society than the physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/money-was-the-crux-raising-money-to-pay-the-cost-of-war-was-to-cause/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [I've seen firsthand the high human cost of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/i-ve-seen-firsthand-the-high-human-cost-of-war/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [“The true cost of war can't be measured in dollars, infrastructure, or body counts. It is tomorrows, wrung out of hope by yesterdays that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/the-true-cost-of-war-can-t-be-measured-in-dollars-infrastructure-or/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [after a generation or two of shedding the deliberate political encumbrances to war ... of dropping Congress from the equation altogether, of super-empowering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/after-a-generation-or-two-of-shedding-the-deliberate-political/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [As a soldier, I've served with the most brave people in an institution that's built on integrity, honor, and duty. This is why I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/as-a-soldier-i-ve-served-with-the-most-brave-people-in-an-institution-2/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Sen. Akaka never forgot the cost of war on our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/sen-akaka-never-forgot-the-cost-of-war-on-our-country/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [The cost of war impacts all of us - both in the human cost and the cost that's being felt frankly in places like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/the-cost-of-war-impacts-all-of-us-both-in-the-human-cost-and-the-cost/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [THE LONG WALK is a raw, wrenching, blood-soaked chronicle of the human cost of war. Brian Castner, the leader of a military bomb disposal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/the-long-walk-is-a-raw-wrenching-blood-soaked-chronicle-of-the-human/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [As a combat veteran, I know the cost of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/as-a-combat-veteran-i-know-the-cost-of-war/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [You ask, What is our policy? I will say; 'It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/you-ask-what-is-our-policy-i-will-say-it-is-to-wage-war-by-sea-land/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The people who are sending our men and women in uniform into conflict need to understand that there are some things worth fighting for,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/the-people-who-are-sending-our-men-and-women-in-uniform-into-conflict/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [ \[T\]he essence of so-called war prosperity: it enriches some by what it takes from others. It is not rising wealth but a shifting of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/t-he-essence-of-so-called-war-prosperity-it-enriches-some-by-what-it/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities ... We pay for a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-cost-of-one-modern-heavy-bomber-is-this-a-modern-brick-school-in/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) [Browse all 26 Cost of war quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost-of-war/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a soldier, I stand ready to serve and protect and defend this country. And as a soldier, I know the cost of war. 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