--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think it was a patriotic war. I…" description: "\"I don't think it was a patriotic war. I think it was a mistake, a strategic mistake, and I think that the president of the United States wasn't patriot..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/wesley-clark-7521_america_i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-t_2883868.jpg" --- # I don't think it was a patriotic war. I think it was a… ![“I don't think it was a patriotic war. I think it was a mistake, a strategic mistake, and I think that the president of the United States wasn't patriotic in going after Saddam Hussein. He simply misled America and cost us casualties and killed and injured America's reputation around the world…” quote by Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/wesley-clark-7521_america_i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-t_2883868.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/wesley-clark-7521_america_i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-t_2883868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/wesley-clark-7521_america_i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-t_2883868.jpg) > “I don't think it was a patriotic war. I think it was a mistake, a strategic mistake, and I think that the president of the United States wasn't patriotic in going after Saddam Hussein. He simply misled America and cost us casualties and killed and injured America's reputation around the world without valid reason for doing so. It's not patriotic; it's wrong.” [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The war was a strategic error driven by misguided leadership, not a patriotic act, causing unnecessary casualties and harming U.S. reputation. **In simple terms:** The Iraq war was a costly mistake, not patriotic. Key Takeaway Question leadership motives and consequences. Themes war politics military ethics Mood cautious critical reflective Type political ethical historical When to use this quote - policy analysis - journalism - academic debate - public protest Key Concepts strategic error misinformation reputation damage Questions to Reflect On - Was the war truly unnecessary? - How could better intelligence have changed decisions? A Different Perspective Critics argue the war had some strategic benefits despite flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Patriotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotic/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [People see citizens who are anti-war anti-American or anti-patriotic and that's so wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shavo-odadjian/people-see-citizens-who-are-anti-war-anti-american-or-anti-patriotic/) [Shavo Odadjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shavo-odadjian/) > [Do not be misled by the fact that you are at liberty and relatively free; that for the moment you are not under lock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/do-not-be-misled-by-the-fact-that-you-are-at-liberty-and-relatively/) [Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/) > [“The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveler".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-stars-that-nature-hung-in-heaven-and-filled-their-lamps-with/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [He who is not aware of his ignorance will be only misled by his knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/he-who-is-not-aware-of-his-ignorance-will-be-only-misled-by-his/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [The capitalist can only make a whole people go to war . . . by capturing the popular will. The only prophylactic against that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-capitalist-can-only-make-a-whole-people-go-to-war-by-capturing/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [She tried to be calm, and leave things to take their course; and tried to dwell much on this argument of rational dependence –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/she-tried-to-be-calm-and-leave-things-to-take-their-course-and-tried-2/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“The faithful must not be misled”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-chamberlin/the-faithful-must-not-be-misled/) Ann Chamberlin > [The Blue Degrees are but the outer court...of the temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the initiate, but he is intentionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pike/the-blue-degrees-are-but-the-outer-court-of-the-temple-part-of-the/) [Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/) > [Before knowing the truth, if you depend on your intelligence, you can be misled completely. Intelligence that is without the spiritual insight is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/before-knowing-the-truth-if-you-depend-on-your-intelligence-you-can/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [It is a tribute to the American people that our leaders perceived that they had to lie to us, it is not a tribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/it-is-a-tribute-to-the-american-people-that-our-leaders-perceived/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [He said to tell you to remember your heart in all things, that it is where your honor and your destiny will be found.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/he-said-to-tell-you-to-remember-your-heart-in-all-things-that-it-is/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [You should not be misled about the so-called single opposition candidate. There are so many of them now that you will lack the fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/you-should-not-be-misled-about-the-so-called-single-opposition/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [Do not be misled by appearances for these are apt to be deceptive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/do-not-be-misled-by-appearances-for-these-are-apt-to-be-deceptive/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) > [We need guidance, we've been misled, young and hostile, but not stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blink-182/we-need-guidance-we-ve-been-misled-young-and-hostile-but-not-stupid/) Blink 182 ## More by Wesley Clark > [I like Hilary Clinton. I think she's - she's a fantastic leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-like-hilary-clinton-i-think-she-s-she-s-a-fantastic-leader/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Maybe it's because I've never been in politics, but I don't believe that America is run by politicians in Washington. I believe it's run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/maybe-it-s-because-i-ve-never-been-in-politics-but-i-don-t-believe/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [When we started after Osama bin Laden, we really decided to go after the Taliban. And we seemed to be content to kick the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/when-we-started-after-osama-bin-laden-we-really-decided-to-go-after/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He's had those for a long time. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/there-s-no-question-that-saddam-hussein-is-a-threat-yes-he-has/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [I always said I would vote for a resolution that gave the president the leverage to go to the United Nations, and then come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-always-said-i-would-vote-for-a-resolution-that-gave-the-president/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [The campaign in Iraq illustrates the continuing progress of military technology and tactics, but if there is a single overriding lesson it must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/the-campaign-in-iraq-illustrates-the-continuing-progress-of-military/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Turkey's a NATO member. If Turkey gets attacked, we have to help defend Turkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/turkey-s-a-nato-member-if-turkey-gets-attacked-we-have-to-help-defend/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [What I did warn about when I testified in front of Congress in 2002, I said if you want to worry about a state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/what-i-did-warn-about-when-i-testified-in-front-of-congress-in-2002-i/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [It's important. One of the principles in the United States is civilian control of the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/it-s-important-one-of-the-principles-in-the-united-states-is-civilian/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [President George Bush had the courage and the vision and we will always be grateful to President George Bush for that tremendous leadership and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/president-george-bush-had-the-courage-and-the-vision-and-we-will/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Once I started first grade, I started going to Emmanuel Baptist Church regularly. I went to Sunday school. We had Bible readings and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/once-i-started-first-grade-i-started-going-to-emmanuel-baptist-church/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [I think there are some mass destruction capabilities that are still inside Iraq. I think there's some weapons that have been shipped over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-think-there-are-some-mass-destruction-capabilities-that-are-still/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Well we always need brave, capable young men and women who can run a tactical operation and take risks on the battlefield but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/well-we-always-need-brave-capable-young-men-and-women-who-can-run-a/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [In my experience, in bringing coercive diplomacy to bear against Slobodan Milosevic, no bomb strike was more important than maintaining NATO's cohesion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/in-my-experience-in-bringing-coercive-diplomacy-to-bear-against/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [As president of the United States, my top priority will be to keep America safe. We're going to go after the terrorist networks. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/as-president-of-the-united-states-my-top-priority-will-be-to-keep/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) [Explore all 90 Wesley Clark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) ## More America 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/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think it was a patriotic war. I think it was a mistake, a strategic mistake, and I think that the president of the United States wasn't patriotic in going after Saddam Hussein. He simply misled America and cost us casualties and killed and injured America's reputation around the world without valid reason for doing so. It's not patriotic; it's wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wesley Clark" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-think-it-was-a-mistake-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-think-it-was-a-mistake-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/wesley-clark-7521_america_i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-t_2883868.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/wesley-clark-7521_america_i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-t_2883868.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/wesley-clark-7521_america_i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-t_2883868.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think it was a patriotic war. I think it was a mistake, a strategic mistake, and I think that the…” — Wesley Clark", "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": "Wesley Clark", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think it was a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-think-it-was-a-mistake-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-don-t-think-it-was-a-patriotic-war-i-think-it-was-a-mistake-a/#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 } } ] } ```