--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The war against terrorism is terrorism…" description: "\"The war against terrorism is terrorism. The whole thing is just bullshit.\" — Woody Harrelson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/woody-harrelson-3830_acts-of-terror_the-war-against-terrorism-is-terrorism-t_2476857.jpg" --- # The war against terrorism is terrorism. The whole thing is… ![“The war against terrorism is terrorism. The whole thing is just bullshit.” quote by Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/woody-harrelson-3830_acts-of-terror_the-war-against-terrorism-is-terrorism-t_2476857.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/woody-harrelson-3830_acts-of-terror_the-war-against-terrorism-is-terrorism-t_2476857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/woody-harrelson-3830_acts-of-terror_the-war-against-terrorism-is-terrorism-t_2476857.jpg) > “The war against terrorism is terrorism. The whole thing is just bullshit.” [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) ## 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 claims that anti‑terrorism efforts are indistinguishable from terrorism itself, and dismisses the whole enterprise as nonsense. **In simple terms:** Anti‑terrorism is just as bad as terrorism, according to the speaker. Key Takeaway Question the moral equivalence of war and terror. Themes politics war morality Mood skeptical critical Type provocative political When to use this quote - policy debate - activist protest - media analysis Key Concepts ethical relativism state violence Questions to Reflect On - Is all state violence inherently terrorism? - How can societies protect without becoming oppressive? A Different Perspective The claim oversimplifies complex security issues and ignores legitimate defense needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acts of terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-terror/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Just Bullshit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-bullshit-656118/) [Positive energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-energy/) [Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Terrorism Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-terrorism-580937/) [Terrorism Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-thing-821217/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War on terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-terror/) [War on terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-terrorism/) [War Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-terrorism/) ## Related quotes > [The war against terrorism is terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/the-war-against-terrorism-is-terrorism/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [War is terrorism ... Terrorism is the willingness to kill large numbers of people for some presumably good cause. That's what terrorists are about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/war-is-terrorism-terrorism-is-the-willingness-to-kill-large-numbers/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [A war against terrorism is an impracticable conception if it means fighting terrorism with terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/a-war-against-terrorism-is-an-impracticable-conception-if-it-means/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Beyond the futility of armed force, and ultimately more important, is the fact that war in our time inevitably results in the indiscriminate killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/beyond-the-futility-of-armed-force-and-ultimately-more-important-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The war on terrorism was a bait and switch operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-alterman/the-war-on-terrorism-was-a-bait-and-switch-operation/) [Eric Alterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-alterman/) > [The catch-all phrase "the war on terrorism", in all honesty, has no more meaning than if one wants to wage a war against "criminal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-catch-all-phrase-the-war-on-terrorism-in-all-honesty-has-no-more/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [How can you have a war on terrorism when war itself is terrorism?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/how-can-you-have-a-war-on-terrorism-when-war-itself-is-terrorism/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The true credit for our safety and security goes to our men and women who are serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-hutchinson/the-true-credit-for-our-safety-and-security-goes-to-our-men-and-women/) [Asa Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-hutchinson/) > [We are in a war on terrorism. We need to conduct that war and take it to the terrorists, not here at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-l-thomas/we-are-in-a-war-on-terrorism-we-need-to-conduct-that-war-and-take-it/) [Craig L. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-l-thomas/) > [You cannot win a War on Terrorism. It's like having a war on jealousy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/you-cannot-win-a-war-on-terrorism-it-s-like-having-a-war-on-jealousy/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [It is all too evident that our nation, and the governments of other countries, require all the help they can get in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sensenbrenner/it-is-all-too-evident-that-our-nation-and-the-governments-of-other/) [Jim Sensenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sensenbrenner/) > [I think it's very hard to fight the war on terrorism if we're in retreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-think-it-s-very-hard-to-fight-the-war-on-terrorism-if-we-re-in/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Those are the things that, in the wrong hands - and certainly in our war on terrorism we also must attack proliferation and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-shelton/those-are-the-things-that-in-the-wrong-hands-and-certainly-in-our-war/) [Hugh Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-shelton/) > [I share the Presidents commitment to fighting and winning the war on terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-shelby/i-share-the-presidents-commitment-to-fighting-and-winning-the-war-on/) [Richard Shelby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-shelby/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## More by Woody Harrelson > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [Through my work with PETA, I have learned a great deal about chimpanzee behavior and the plight of chimpanzees imprisoned in laboratories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/through-my-work-with-peta-i-have-learned-a-great-deal-about/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [Pesticides came about after the first world war. Some brainy petrochemical money maker said, 'Hey, that mustard gas worked great on people, maybe we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/pesticides-came-about-after-the-first-world-war-some-brainy/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [I wrapped a movie called 'Zombieland,' in which I was constantly under assault by zombies, then flew to New York, still very much in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-wrapped-a-movie-called-zombieland-in-which-i-was-constantly-under/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [I remember my first run-in with cops. It took me really getting to hang, well after that, with cops who were cool, and realizing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-remember-my-first-run-in-with-cops-it-took-me-really-getting-to/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [When I'm in New York, I bike everywhere. I have a couple of bikes stored over at Ed Norton's. It's the only way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-m-in-new-york-i-bike-everywhere-i-have-a-couple-of-bikes/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [On 'The Messenger,' just imagining playing the part of a soldier in that movie was kind of hard for me. And in 'Rampart,' the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/on-the-messenger-just-imagining-playing-the-part-of-a-soldier-in-that/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [I had a hard time with that hockey. I hadn't grown up skating, so that was my biggest challenge. We worked on it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-had-a-hard-time-with-that-hockey-i-hadn-t-grown-up-skating-so-that/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The war against terrorism is terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/the-war-against-terrorism-is-terrorism/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [It's an odd beast, fame. It's got multiple personalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/it-s-an-odd-beast-fame-it-s-got-multiple-personalities/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [ I truly love \[Andy Serkis\]. He's an amazing guy. Yeah, I think that when we really synced up was when he came over to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-truly-love-andy-serkis-he-s-an-amazing-guy-yeah-i-think-that-when/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [If we're living in a free country,we should be free to do what we want to do if we're not hurting anyone else or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/if-we-re-living-in-a-free-country-we-should-be-free-to-do-what-we/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [My main hope for myself is to be where I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/my-main-hope-for-myself-is-to-be-where-i-am/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [I can go through long droughts. I do sometimes think I probably could have become a scholar in multiple languages and learned various martial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-can-go-through-long-droughts-i-do-sometimes-think-i-probably-could/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [In sixth grade, some kid was being inappropriate with a girl. I said he better stop. Next thing were fighting. Then were at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/in-sixth-grade-some-kid-was-being-inappropriate-with-a-girl-i-said-he/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) [Explore all 121 Woody Harrelson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) ## More Acts of terror quotes > [I want people around the world to hear me. To all those who would do us harm, no act of terror will go unpunished.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-people-around-the-world-to-hear-me-to-all-those-who-would-do/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If you hit minorities they're gonna blame conservatives, Second Amendment, guns, and the terrorists won't get their due credit. So from now on acts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-you-hit-minorities-they-re-gonna-blame-conservatives-second/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of America's resolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/these-acts-shattered-steel-but-they-cannot-dent-the-steel-of-america/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A history of perceived humiliation, after all, lurks behind many acts of terror. And competing narratives of victimhood and insults sustain conflicts in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-schmemann/a-history-of-perceived-humiliation-after-all-lurks-behind-many-acts/) [Serge Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-schmemann/) > [The day after the attack, governor, I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people and the world that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-day-after-the-attack-governor-i-stood-in-the-rose-garden-and-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There are American citizens who have been inspired to commit acts of terror on American soil, the latest incident, of course, the bombings we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-holt/there-are-american-citizens-who-have-been-inspired-to-commit-acts-of/) [Lester Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-holt/) > [Some have said we must not act until the threat is imminent. Since when have terrorists and tyrants announced their intentions, politely putting us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/some-have-said-we-must-not-act-until-the-threat-is-imminent-since/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat.But they have failed; our country is strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/these-acts-of-mass-murder-were-intended-to-frighten-our-nation-into/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Any time bombs are used to target civilians it is an act of terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/any-time-bombs-are-used-to-target-civilians-it-is-an-act-of-terror/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We need to focus on radical Islamic terrorists and we need to stop them before they carry out acts of terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-focus-on-radical-islamic-terrorists-and-we-need-to-stop/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [White people deserve to be hit, deserve to be the victims of crime and acts of terror because they have for so long been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/white-people-deserve-to-be-hit-deserve-to-be-the-victims-of-crime-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We must ensure that these acts of terror do not accomplish in a slow burn what the fires of the World Trade Center and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-conyers/we-must-ensure-that-these-acts-of-terror-do-not-accomplish-in-a-slow/) [John Conyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-conyers/) > [North Korea referred to The Interview as absolutely intolerable and a wanton act of terror. Even more amazing? Not the worst review the movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/north-korea-referred-to-the-interview-as-absolutely-intolerable-and-a/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [It seems to me that the moment has come when the question of bombing of German cities simply for the sake of increasing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-seems-to-me-that-the-moment-has-come-when-the-question-of-bombing-3/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Acts of terror have never brought down liberal democracies. Acts of parliament have closed a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-eldridge-odom/acts-of-terror-have-never-brought-down-liberal-democracies-acts-of/) [William Eldridge Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-eldridge-odom/) [Browse all 16 Acts of terror quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-of-terror/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The war against terrorism is terrorism. 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