--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Sunnis continue to see themselves…" description: "\"The Sunnis continue to see themselves, possibly for nostalgic reasons, as the most influential group and want a stronger central government - quite unl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/zalmay-khalilzad-26467_central-government_the-sunnis-continue-to-see-themselves-po_1182798.jpg" --- # The Sunnis continue to see themselves, possibly for… ![“The Sunnis continue to see themselves, possibly for nostalgic reasons, as the most influential group and want a stronger central government - quite unlike minorities in other countries. The circumstances here are far more complex than many people in Washington imagine.” quote by Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/zalmay-khalilzad-26467_central-government_the-sunnis-continue-to-see-themselves-po_1182798.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/zalmay-khalilzad-26467_central-government_the-sunnis-continue-to-see-themselves-po_1182798.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/zalmay-khalilzad-26467_central-government_the-sunnis-continue-to-see-themselves-po_1182798.jpg) > “The Sunnis continue to see themselves, possibly for nostalgic reasons, as the most influential group and want a stronger central government - quite unlike minorities in other countries. The circumstances here are far more complex than many people in Washington imagine.” [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Sunnis view themselves as the dominant group seeking stronger central authority, a stance more complex than many Western observers realize. **In simple terms:** Sunnis seek influence and central power; situation is complex. Key Takeaway Recognize nuanced political dynamics. Themes politics identity power complexity Mood analytical cautious Type political informative When to use this quote - policy analysis - diplomacy - media reporting Key Concepts international relations Middle Eastern studies Questions to Reflect On - What factors shape Sunni political goals? - How can policymakers avoid oversimplification? A Different Perspective Simplified narratives can mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Central government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central-government/) [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Nostalgic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgic/) [Other countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other-countries/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [Many Sunnis joined Islamic State because they felt they were being treated poorly. Winning back their trust is the primary task of the new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-chalabi/many-sunnis-joined-islamic-state-because-they-felt-they-were-being/) [Ahmed Chalabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-chalabi/) > [The insurgents are Baathists and Sunnis in Iraq who have as their goal a separate and distinct one of toppling the government that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/the-insurgents-are-baathists-and-sunnis-in-iraq-who-have-as-their/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [Sunnis consider Shias a pack of unwholesome fanatics and Shias consider Sunnis a gang of lukewarm no-goods - there's nothing like religion for spreading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dervla-murphy/sunnis-consider-shias-a-pack-of-unwholesome-fanatics-and-shias/) [Dervla Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dervla-murphy/) > [Iraqi national identity under Saddam Hussein never truly incorporated Shiites or Kurds. Sunnis, who identified most closely with the Iraqi nation, remain in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/iraqi-national-identity-under-saddam-hussein-never-truly-incorporated/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [Even the majority of the Sunnis have grown tired of foreign terrorists operating in Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-defazio/even-the-majority-of-the-sunnis-have-grown-tired-of-foreign/) [Peter DeFazio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-defazio/) > [The Sunnis no longer recognize the centralized government as a legitimate power. The Shia militia that is moving around is calling out war crimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zinke/the-sunnis-no-longer-recognize-the-centralized-government-as-a/) [Ryan Zinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zinke/) > [Many Sunnis, who are still stuck in the Saddam era mindset and believe Iraq belongs to them, are trying to prevent a new country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-scowcroft/many-sunnis-who-are-still-stuck-in-the-saddam-era-mindset-and-believe/) [Brent Scowcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-scowcroft/) > [Lebanon, of course, is a country with great problems. Traditionally, they have religious-national groups or ethnic-national groups. They have the Druses. Even the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menachem-begin/lebanon-of-course-is-a-country-with-great-problems-traditionally-they/) [Menachem Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menachem-begin/) > [Why do Sunnis kill Shiites? How do they tell the difference? They all look the same to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-lott/why-do-sunnis-kill-shiites-how-do-they-tell-the-difference-they-all/) [Trent Lott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-lott/) > [The U.S. cannot force Sunnis, Shias, and Kurds to make peace or to act for the common good. They have been in conflict for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-defazio/the-u-s-cannot-force-sunnis-shias-and-kurds-to-make-peace-or-to-act/) [Peter DeFazio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-defazio/) > [We as outsiders can't differentiate between Sunni and Shi'ah, but leave it to them and they'll get over the difficulty by some kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-bell/we-as-outsiders-can-t-differentiate-between-sunni-and-shi-ah-but/) [Gertrude Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-bell/) > [Unfortunately, the source of all this conflict between the Sunnis and Shia is some major powers that do not want religious unity amongst Muslims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousef-saanei/unfortunately-the-source-of-all-this-conflict-between-the-sunnis-and/) [Yousef Saanei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousef-saanei/) > [Critics of the war plans (including myself) have pointed to the disastrous political results that must be expected: Iraq would break into three parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uri-avnery/critics-of-the-war-plans-including-myself-have-pointed-to-the/) [Uri Avnery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uri-avnery/) > [When I speak of Team India I believe that the foundation for India's development will not be the single pillar of the Central Government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/when-i-speak-of-team-india-i-believe-that-the-foundation-for-india-s/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [“The central government was a despotism tempered by military rebellion and assassination and replacement of one scurvy lot of ruling dynasts by another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-central-government-was-a-despotism-tempered-by-military-rebellion/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) ## More by Zalmay Khalilzad > [The U.S. and Iraq will work together next year to shift Iraqi resources from unproductive subsidies to productive uses that enable Iraqis to earn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/the-u-s-and-iraq-will-work-together-next-year-to-shift-iraqi/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [The feeling of being an Iraqi unites all ethnic groups within this country. Even the Kurds, who have traditionally pushed for their own state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/the-feeling-of-being-an-iraqi-unites-all-ethnic-groups-within-this/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [Iran is undertaking a massive effort to expand its influence in southern Iraq. At the same time, that influence decreases the more the political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/iran-is-undertaking-a-massive-effort-to-expand-its-influence-in/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [In my job I do my best to look forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/in-my-job-i-do-my-best-to-look-forward/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [Success in Iraq will be a major setback for terrorists and a major asset for the security of this region. The struggle for Iraq…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/success-in-iraq-will-be-a-major-setback-for-terrorists-and-a-major/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [I don't believe that military intervention is always the right approach. What we need is a comprehensive strategy, one that advances democratization, economic reforms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/i-don-t-believe-that-military-intervention-is-always-the-right/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [ Americans have eliminated Iran's worst enemies, the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam \[Hussein\]. I occasionally threatened my Iranian counterpart in Kabul that one day… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/americans-have-eliminated-iran-s-worst-enemies-the-taliban-in/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [Today we're seeing fundamental conflicts within political Islam, with the fundamentalists on the one side and the moderates on the other. Who gains the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/today-we-re-seeing-fundamental-conflicts-within-political-islam-with/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [During the Cold War era, the issue was the containment of Soviet influence, and we tolerated many an authoritarian regime as long as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/during-the-cold-war-era-the-issue-was-the-containment-of-soviet/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [The terrorists want civil war. Al-Qaida is attacking Shiites. The Shiite militias are taking revenge on the Sunnis. And the Sunnis are become more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/the-terrorists-want-civil-war-al-qaida-is-attacking-shiites-the/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [Nation building is our central task, both in Afghanistan and in Iraq. And states, nations can't just be built with military power. Despite all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/nation-building-is-our-central-task-both-in-afghanistan-and-in-iraq/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [Everyone believes that the prospect for a civil war has diminished significantly over the past several days. All the mainstream leaders of Iraq believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/everyone-believes-that-the-prospect-for-a-civil-war-has-diminished/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [I constantly signal to the Iraqi leaders that our patience, or the patience of the American people, is running out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/i-constantly-signal-to-the-iraqi-leaders-that-our-patience-or-the/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [I consider the modernization of the Middle East the central challenge of our time. This region behaves as if it were disturbed, if you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/i-consider-the-modernization-of-the-middle-east-the-central-challenge/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) > [We're dealing with such enormous problems today that we have no other choice but to work together. If Iraq fails, if a religious civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zalmay-khalilzad/we-re-dealing-with-such-enormous-problems-today-that-we-have-no-other/) [Zalmay Khalilzad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) [Explore all 21 Zalmay Khalilzad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zalmay-khalilzad/) ## More Central government quotes > [“The central government was a despotism tempered by military rebellion and assassination and replacement of one scurvy lot of ruling dynasts by another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-central-government-was-a-despotism-tempered-by-military-rebellion/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [When I speak of Team India I believe that the foundation for India's development will not be the single pillar of the Central Government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/when-i-speak-of-team-india-i-believe-that-the-foundation-for-india-s/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Everything is selected by the central government without good judgment or an understanding of culture to make it really safe. They will become nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/everything-is-selected-by-the-central-government-without-good/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Safety and security in East Delhi is a very big concern, and this is an across-class concern. It isn't an issue that one segment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atishi/safety-and-security-in-east-delhi-is-a-very-big-concern-and-this-is/) [Atishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atishi/) > [Just take Kosovo: back then, UN bodies decided that Kosovo should become independent of Serbia and that the interests of Serbia's central government had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/just-take-kosovo-back-then-un-bodies-decided-that-kosovo-should/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Afghanistan has always been sort of a fractured nation, very tribal, where the countryside and the distant provinces have been run by custom, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/afghanistan-has-always-been-sort-of-a-fractured-nation-very-tribal/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Liberty, as we all know, cannot flourish in a country that is permanently on a war footing, or even a near war footing. Permanent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/liberty-as-we-all-know-cannot-flourish-in-a-country-that-is/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [India is one among the biggest nations in the world with a mighty Armed Force. But, the tiny Sri Lanka is playing with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-jayalalithaa/india-is-one-among-the-biggest-nations-in-the-world-with-a-mighty/) [J. Jayalalithaa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-jayalalithaa/) > [I'm grateful to the state and central government for all their support for my academy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kom/i-m-grateful-to-the-state-and-central-government-for-all-their/) [Mary Kom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kom/) > [The Government should create, issue, and circulate all the currency and credits needed to satisfy the spending power of the Government and the buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-government-should-create-issue-and-circulate-all-the-currency-and/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We have seen a central government promote the power of labor-union bosses, and in turn be supported by that power, until it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-seen-a-central-government-promote-the-power-of-labor-union/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The government has completed the entire process to do away with interviews for lower rank jobs. There will be no requirement of interview for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-government-has-completed-the-entire-process-to-do-away-with/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/we-have-come-to-be-one-of-the-worst-ruled-one-of-the-most-completely/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [There is an urgent need for the Central government to take the lead in ensuring health and nutrition service delivery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-sibal/there-is-an-urgent-need-for-the-central-government-to-take-the-lead/) [Kapil Sibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-sibal/) > [States are the architects of UDAY, not the central government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piyush-goyal/states-are-the-architects-of-uday-not-the-central-government/) [Piyush Goyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piyush-goyal/) [Browse all 50 Central government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central-government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Sunnis continue to see themselves, possibly for nostalgic reasons, as the most influential group and want a stronger central government - quite unlike minorities in other countries. 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