--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So our own actions sometimes have…" description: "\"So our own actions sometimes have undermined our safety, in our efforts to fight terrorism. The only way this can work is if we are aligned with libera..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_action_so-our-own-actions-sometimes-have-underm_1918373.jpg" --- # So our own actions sometimes have undermined our safety… ![“So our own actions sometimes have undermined our safety, in our efforts to fight terrorism. The only way this can work is if we are aligned with liberals, with moderate Muslim forces. But if our war on terrorism is seen - as it is seen by many Muslims - as a war on Islam itself, it's very hard for…” quote by Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_action_so-our-own-actions-sometimes-have-underm_1918373.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_action_so-our-own-actions-sometimes-have-underm_1918373.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/yaroslav-trofimov-28338_action_so-our-own-actions-sometimes-have-underm_1918373.jpg) > “So our own actions sometimes have undermined our safety, in our efforts to fight terrorism. The only way this can work is if we are aligned with liberals, with moderate Muslim forces. But if our war on terrorism is seen - as it is seen by many Muslims - as a war on Islam itself, it's very hard for us to have Muslim alliances, because America and the West have become so toxic.” [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective counter‑terrorism requires cooperation with moderate Muslim groups, but perceived anti‑Islamic bias hinders alliances. **In simple terms:** Cooperation with moderate Muslims is essential but challenged by bias. Key Takeaway Build trust through respectful dialogue. Themes security politics intercultural relations Mood reflective critical Type analytical political When to use this quote - policy negotiations - community outreach - media framing Key Concepts counter‑terrorism strategy moderate alliances Questions to Reflect On - What steps can reduce perceived bias? - How to engage moderate voices effectively? A Different Perspective Overcoming deep mistrust is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Alliances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alliances/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [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/) ## Related quotes > [The fight against terrorism is a legitimate fight. And certainly whoever commits terrorism should be brought to justice. Unfortunately, the United States and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/the-fight-against-terrorism-is-a-legitimate-fight-and-certainly/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [It is time we admitted that we are not at war with “terrorism.” We are at war with Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/it-is-time-we-admitted-that-we-are-not-at-war-with-terrorism-we-are/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [As many critics have pointed, out, terrorism is not an enemy. It is a tactic. Because the United States itself has a long record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-eldridge-odom/as-many-critics-have-pointed-out-terrorism-is-not-an-enemy-it-is-a/) William Eldridge Odom > [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 Yaroslav Trofimov > [If you are an eighteen or nineteen-year-old with little education, as is often the case, and you're put in charge of many, many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/if-you-are-an-eighteen-or-nineteen-year-old-with-little-education-as/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [The American official was trying to talk about aid and development projects and finally a local tribal chief got up and said, "Even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/the-american-official-was-trying-to-talk-about-aid-and-development/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [Even if you look at Iran, those campaigners for human rights there, they don't want to have anything to do with America, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/even-if-you-look-at-iran-those-campaigners-for-human-rights-there/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [But in Afghanistan, the general rule was that since you were fighting the Taliban, which was not a lawful government force, the Geneva Conventions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/but-in-afghanistan-the-general-rule-was-that-since-you-were-fighting/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [Now as to the behavior of the soldiers: occupations always corrupt the occupiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/now-as-to-the-behavior-of-the-soldiers-occupations-always-corrupt-the/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [I think the behavior of the troops has been a huge factor in the rise of the insurgency and in the rise of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/i-think-the-behavior-of-the-troops-has-been-a-huge-factor-in-the-rise/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [In a country like Iraq with its culture of blood feuds - is that the more locals are killed, the more motivation there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/in-a-country-like-iraq-with-its-culture-of-blood-feuds-is-that-the/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [In the occupation in Afghanistan, there are tragedies as well. It's not as bad as in Iraq because there are fewer American troops. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/in-the-occupation-in-afghanistan-there-are-tragedies-as-well-it-s-not/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [ Because no matter how much money we spend there \[in Iraq\], as long as the people there see this money as... as assistance that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/because-no-matter-how-much-money-we-spend-there-in-iraq-as-long-as/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [The other problem is that the priority of many soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan is operational security: not getting killed. Now that is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/the-other-problem-is-that-the-priority-of-many-soldiers-in-iraq-or/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [I did some embedded stuff. And if you are embedded, the only things you see are what the soldiers see, and if the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/i-did-some-embedded-stuff-and-if-you-are-embedded-the-only-things-you/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [Even if you are a liberal in the Muslim world, when you see Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, and you see all the other reports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/even-if-you-are-a-liberal-in-the-muslim-world-when-you-see-abu-ghraib/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [What I found most ironic is that the safest part for us as journalists was during the actual war. Back then, during that stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/what-i-found-most-ironic-is-that-the-safest-part-for-us-as/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [I think in Baghdad, any westerner, journalist or not, has a big dollar sign on his or her forehead. So, first and foremost, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/i-think-in-baghdad-any-westerner-journalist-or-not-has-a-big-dollar/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [And if you look at the experience of Turkey, for example, where the modern Islamists are in power and are doing fine - this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/and-if-you-look-at-the-experience-of-turkey-for-example-where-the/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) [Explore all 19 Yaroslav Trofimov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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