--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think President Barack Obama came to…" description: "\"I think President Barack Obama came to office with quite fundamental understandings in his mind about what's possible and what's not possible in the Mi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/vali-nasr-53327_barack_i-think-president-barack-obama-came-to-o_544905.jpg" --- # I think President Barack Obama came to office with quite… ![“I think President Barack Obama came to office with quite fundamental understandings in his mind about what's possible and what's not possible in the Middle East. The first, I would say, revolutionary breakthrough that he introduced is that the Middle East doesn't matter to American geostrategy as…” quote by Vali Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/vali-nasr-53327_barack_i-think-president-barack-obama-came-to-o_544905.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/vali-nasr-53327_barack_i-think-president-barack-obama-came-to-o_544905.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/vali-nasr-53327_barack_i-think-president-barack-obama-came-to-o_544905.jpg) > “I think President Barack Obama came to office with quite fundamental understandings in his mind about what's possible and what's not possible in the Middle East. The first, I would say, revolutionary breakthrough that he introduced is that the Middle East doesn't matter to American geostrategy as much as we think.” [Vali Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vali-nasr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that President Obama re-evaluated the strategic importance of the Middle East, viewing it as less central to U.S. geostrategic interests than commonly believed. **In simple terms:** Obama saw the Middle East as less crucial to U.S. strategy. Key Takeaway Reassess strategic priorities. Themes geopolitics policy strategic thinking Mood analytical critical Type policy strategic When to use this quote - foreign policy planning - academic analysis - government briefings - media commentary Key Concepts realism strategic de‑emphasis Questions to Reflect On - How should the U.S. balance focus between the Middle East and other regions? - What are the risks of under‑estimating a region’s importance? A Different Perspective May overlook other critical regions or emerging threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breakthrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Middle east](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-east/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Revolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutionary/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [ I think people need to remember what the situation was when President \[Barack\] Obama came into office. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-people-need-to-remember-what-the-situation-was-when-president/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Hence not only the crisis of geopolitics and geostrategy but also the shift towards the emergence and dominance of chronostrategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/hence-not-only-the-crisis-of-geopolitics-and-geostrategy-but-also-the/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [ I'm a really big believer - this is not a statement about President \[Barack\] Obama, but whoever is president - that good policy is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-m-a-really-big-believer-this-is-not-a-statement-about-president/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [ Donald Trump has made it clear that certainly over the last few years that President \[Barack\] Obama was born in Hawaii. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-has-made-it-clear-that-certainly-over-the-last-few-years/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [If President Barack Obama wants me to allow marriage for same-sex couples in my country (Zimbabwe), he must come here so that I marry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/if-president-barack-obama-wants-me-to-allow-marriage-for-same-sex/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [ We've seen tremendous progress in many ways under President \[Barack\] Obama. I mean, if we think about where the economy was when he got… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-castro/we-ve-seen-tremendous-progress-in-many-ways-under-president-barack/) [Julian Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-castro/) > [If President Barack Obama had not been in the White House, we would not have the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/if-president-barack-obama-had-not-been-in-the-white-house-we-would/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [This president (Barack Obama) I think has exposed himself over and over and over again as a guy who has a deep-seated hatred for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/this-president-barack-obama-i-think-has-exposed-himself-over-and-over/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [ My first \[executive orders as a President\] would be to get rid of a lot of the executive orders, especially on the border where… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-first-executive-orders-as-a-president-would-be-to-get-rid-of-a-lot/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Well, we're just a couple of weeks from new President Barack Obama being sworn in. And he's been very busy naming a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/well-we-re-just-a-couple-of-weeks-from-new-president-barack-obama/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [ The President \[Barack Obama\] is very focused on \[healthcare\]. He, of course, is also writing this speech at high speed. And right coming up… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/the-president-barack-obama-is-very-focused-on-healthcare-he-of-course/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [President Barack Obama is a doer. And we in America will do big things with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hunt/president-barack-obama-is-a-doer-and-we-in-america-will-do-big-things/) [Jim Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hunt/) > [It has been my honor to support and work with President Barack Obama, a man who has brought courage and character to the presidency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/it-has-been-my-honor-to-support-and-work-with-president-barack-obama/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [I think President Barack Obama has been an extraordinarily successful president, and that this period will record that with a bunch of exclamation points.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/i-think-president-barack-obama-has-been-an-extraordinarily-successful/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## More by Vali Nasr > [A timely and incisive look into the history, politics, and future of the Muslim Brotherhood by the foremost expert on Islamism in Egypt. Carrie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vali-nasr/a-timely-and-incisive-look-into-the-history-politics-and-future-of/) [Vali Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vali-nasr/) > [My time in the Obama administration turned out to be a deeply disillusioning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vali-nasr/my-time-in-the-obama-administration-turned-out-to-be-a-deeply/) [Vali Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vali-nasr/) > [“Heed not the blind eye, the echoing ear, nor yet the tongue, but bring to this great debate the test of reason. —Parmenides”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vali-nasr/heed-not-the-blind-eye-the-echoing-ear-nor-yet-the-tongue-but-bring/) [Vali Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vali-nasr/) > [President Barack Obama started by accepting the military's counterinsurgency, but came out of Afghanistan having decided that counterinsurgency actually doesn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vali-nasr/president-barack-obama-started-by-accepting-the-military-s/) [Vali Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vali-nasr/) > [What you have in Iraq is not just a society coming apart like Yugoslavia or Congo. What is at stake is not just Iraq's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vali-nasr/what-you-have-in-iraq-is-not-just-a-society-coming-apart-like/) [Vali Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vali-nasr/) [Explore all 6 Vali Nasr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vali-nasr/) ## More Barack quotes > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [ I think the president's \[Barack Obama\] position has been very clear on Syria. He wants more aggressive, he's put the Special Ops on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-position-has-been-very-clear-on/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [ It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president \[Barack Obama\] has consistently said - which I agree with - is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-think-what-the-president-barack/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ It wasn't \[Barack\] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the-feeling-on-the-ground-it-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I don't think that we really know a whole lot about Barack Obama at all that you would really call distinctive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-mcwhorter/i-don-t-think-that-we-really-know-a-whole-lot-about-barack-obama-at/) [John H. McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-mcwhorter/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [I think President Barack Obama has been an extraordinarily successful president, and that this period will record that with a bunch of exclamation points.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/i-think-president-barack-obama-has-been-an-extraordinarily-successful/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/) Michael Atherton > [In public, Barack Obama's giving the simple version of his beliefs for the mass public. In private, he can discuss it at a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/in-public-barack-obama-s-giving-the-simple-version-of-his-beliefs-for/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) Browse all 1,672 Barack quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think President Barack Obama came to office with quite fundamental understandings in his mind about what's possible and what's not possible in the Middle East. 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