---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're going to take out seven countries…"
description: "\"We're going to take out seven countries in 5 years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran\" — Wesl..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/wesley-clark-7521_country_we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries_1829964.jpg"
---

#  We're going to take out seven countries in 5 years…

![“We're going to take out seven countries in 5 years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran” quote by Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/wesley-clark-7521_country_we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries_1829964.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/wesley-clark-7521_country_we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries_1829964.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/wesley-clark-7521_country_we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries_1829964.jpg)

> “We're going to take out seven countries in 5 years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran”

[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 plan is to eliminate seven nations over five years, starting with Iraq and ending with Iran.

**In simple terms:** A five‑year plan to remove seven countries.

Key Takeaway

Consider the ethical and practical implications of aggressive foreign policy.

Themes

war policy geopolitics

Mood

serious critical

Type

political strategic

When to use this quote

- military strategy
- diplomacy
- regional stability

Key Concepts

realism interventionism

Questions to Reflect On

- Is a rapid, extensive military campaign feasible?
- What alternatives exist for achieving security goals?

A Different Perspective

Such actions risk unintended consequences and humanitarian costs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Iran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iran/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Lebanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lebanon/) [Libya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libya/) [Somalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somalia/) [Sudan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sudan/) [Syria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria/)

## Related quotes

> [I remember there was days when I would do six, seven countries in a day, you'd just be flying around and I'd get up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chesney-hawkes/i-remember-there-was-days-when-i-would-do-six-seven-countries-in-a/)

[Chesney Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chesney-hawkes/)

> [I have worked in so many countries over the years that I must have moved house about 20 times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-kempes/i-have-worked-in-so-many-countries-over-the-years-that-i-must-have/)

[Mario Kempes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-kempes/)

> [I like to know where I'm going to be at seven o'clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-martin/i-like-to-know-where-i-m-going-to-be-at-seven-o-clock/)

[Andrea Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-martin/)

> [“She touched her glass to his. “You think it’s going to be more than seven?” His eyes consumed her. “Baby, seven is the minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zara-cox/she-touched-her-glass-to-his-you-think-it-s-going-to-be-more-than/)

[Zara Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zara-cox/)

> [I mean, you're just not going to like somebody and he's not going to like you. But you're going to go out there and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-mean-you-re-just-not-going-to-like-somebody-and-he-s-not-going-to/)

[Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/)

> [I move countries every three or four years. I was born in London, and we lived in Canada. Then we lived in Saudi Arabia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-simone/i-move-countries-every-three-or-four-years-i-was-born-in-london-and/)

[Hannah Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-simone/)

> [I've lived in so many different countries over the years. I spent most of my early life in the UK, five years in Germany…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-khoo/i-ve-lived-in-so-many-different-countries-over-the-years-i-spent-most/)

[Rachel Khoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-khoo/)

> [I have a novel that I can write. It's about three soldiers from Somalia. Some babies have been disappearing up on 144th Street, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-have-a-novel-that-i-can-write-it-s-about-three-soldiers-from/)

[Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/)

> [The people of Somalia just do not have a voice. They are to me the most forgotten people in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-naan/the-people-of-somalia-just-do-not-have-a-voice-they-are-to-me-the/)

[K'naan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-naan/)

> [“After almost seven months in Baghdad, I set my sights on Somalia. The reasons to do it seemed straightforward. Somalia was a mess. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lindhout/after-almost-seven-months-in-baghdad-i-set-my-sights-on-somalia-the/)

[Amanda Lindhout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lindhout/)

> [Death in Somalia seldom bothers to announce its arrival. In fact, death calls with the arrogance of a guest confident on receiving a warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuruddin-farah/death-in-somalia-seldom-bothers-to-announce-its-arrival-in-fact-death/)

[Nuruddin Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuruddin-farah/)

> [You kids have fun, and be home by Thanksgiving!" our parents would call to us on Halloween night, as we staggered out the front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/you-kids-have-fun-and-be-home-by-thanksgiving-our-parents-would-call/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [Can't believe some of the things I did. The idea of going to Somalia alone, not having a place to stay or security. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/can-t-believe-some-of-the-things-i-did-the-idea-of-going-to-somalia/)

[Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/)

> [In our Revolution we believe that we have broken the chain of a consumer economy based on imports, and we are free to decide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siad-barre/in-our-revolution-we-believe-that-we-have-broken-the-chain-of-a/)

[Siad Barre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siad-barre/)

> [I am grateful to my father for sending me to school, and that we moved from Somalia to Kenya, where I learned English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/i-am-grateful-to-my-father-for-sending-me-to-school-and-that-we-moved/)

[Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/)

## 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 Country quotes

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/)

[Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/)

> [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/)

[Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/)

> [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/)

> [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/)

[Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/)

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/)

[Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/)

> [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/)

[Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/)

> [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/)

> ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/)

[Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/)

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

[Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We're going to take out seven countries in 5 years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Wesley Clark"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries-in-5-years-starting-with-iraq/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Country"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries-in-5-years-starting-with-iraq/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/wesley-clark-7521_country_we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries_1829964.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/wesley-clark-7521_country_we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries_1829964.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/wesley-clark-7521_country_we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries_1829964.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We're going to take out seven countries in 5 years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya…” — 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": "We're going to take out seven...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries-in-5-years-starting-with-iraq/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/we-re-going-to-take-out-seven-countries-in-5-years-starting-with-iraq/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
