--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was deeply involved in the decision…" description: "\"I was deeply involved in the decision that President Jimmy Carter made to boycott the Olympics in Moscow in 1980.\" — Zbigniew Brzezinski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_boycott_i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-th_2164797.jpg" --- # I was deeply involved in the decision that President Jimmy… ![“I was deeply involved in the decision that President Jimmy Carter made to boycott the Olympics in Moscow in 1980.” quote by Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_boycott_i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-th_2164797.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_boycott_i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-th_2164797.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_boycott_i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-th_2164797.jpg) > “I was deeply involved in the decision that President Jimmy Carter made to boycott the Olympics in Moscow in 1980.” [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He played a key role in advising the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, reflecting strategic political action. **In simple terms:** Advised Olympic boycott for political reasons. Key Takeaway Understand political leverage in international events. Themes politics boycott Cold War leadership Mood reflective analytical Type historical political When to use this quote - government meetings - public statements - historical analysis - academic courses Key Concepts strategic decision‑making foreign policy ethical considerations Questions to Reflect On - Was the boycott effective in influencing Soviet policies? - What alternatives could have been used? A Different Perspective Boycotts can hurt athletes and may not achieve desired political outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boycott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boycott/) [Boycott Olympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boycott-olympics-4609585/) [Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carter/) [Carter Boycott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carter-boycott-4609583/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Jimmy carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jimmy-carter/) [Moscow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moscow/) [Moscow 1980](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moscow-1980-2502785/) [Olympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympics/) [President jimmy carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-jimmy-carter/) ## Related quotes > [The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border of Afghanistan, I wrote to President Jimmy Carter: We now have the opportunity of giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/the-day-that-the-soviets-officially-crossed-the-border-of-afghanistan/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [President Jimmy Carter was a citizen soldier. Ironically, he was considered weak because he didn't kill anybody and he didn't get anyone killed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/president-jimmy-carter-was-a-citizen-soldier-ironically-he-was/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [“Northfield Free Academy, there was a long and proud tradition of seniors who attempted to do the seemingly impossible. In 1972, the senior class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-ripley/northfield-free-academy-there-was-a-long-and-proud-tradition-of/) [Ron Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-ripley/) > [“Oil shaped U.S. decisions about the Middle East during both Democratic and Republican presidencies. The administration of President Jimmy Carter, a liberal Democrat, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/oil-shaped-u-s-decisions-about-the-middle-east-during-both-democratic/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [During a recent press conference, former President Jimmy Carter said he could never run for president today because he doesn't have a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/during-a-recent-press-conference-former-president-jimmy-carter-said/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [Bush met with former President Jimmy Carter. Jimmy Carter is 76 years old, or as Democrats call him 'their bright new star of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/bush-met-with-former-president-jimmy-carter-jimmy-carter-is-76-years/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [President Jimmy Carter inherited an impossible situation - and he and his advisers made the worst of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaddis-smith/president-jimmy-carter-inherited-an-impossible-situation-and-he-and/) [Gaddis Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaddis-smith/) > [The malaise and military decline of the post-Vietnam years under President Jimmy Carter set the stage for Russian aggression abroad and uncertainty among our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cook/the-malaise-and-military-decline-of-the-post-vietnam-years-under/) [Paul Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cook/) > [There is no question that, in 1980, Ronald Reagan had been portrayed as a war-monger, somebody who couldn't do anything off a script. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/there-is-no-question-that-in-1980-ronald-reagan-had-been-portrayed-as/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Los Angeles was great fun because it was the polar opposite of Moscow in 1980. It was sunny and bright, lots of colours around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daley-thompson/los-angeles-was-great-fun-because-it-was-the-polar-opposite-of-moscow/) [Daley Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daley-thompson/) > [America has exercised its power to insist on elections in Palestine, which Hamas did win. Once they won, we then engaged in a policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/america-has-exercised-its-power-to-insist-on-elections-in-palestine/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [“American DEWAR FAMILY Cameron Dewar Ursula “Beep” Dewar, his sister Woody Dewar, his father Bella Dewar, his mother PESHKOV-JAKES FAMILY George Jakes Jacky Jakes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/american-dewar-family-cameron-dewar-ursula-beep-dewar-his-sister/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-that-i-ve-spent-trying-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out under another, then under another Democrat president,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/i-find-it-interesting-that-it-was-back-in-the-1970s-that-the-swine/) [Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/) > [“The National Academy of Sciences undertook its first major study of global warming in 1979. At that point, climate modeling was still in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kolbert/the-national-academy-of-sciences-undertook-its-first-major-study-of/) [Elizabeth Kolbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kolbert/) ## More by Zbigniew Brzezinski > [The United States can certainly defeat North Vietnam, but the United States cannot defeat a guerrilla war which is being raged from a sanctuary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/the-united-states-can-certainly-defeat-north-vietnam-but-the-united/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [The future is inherently full of discontinuities, and lessons of the past must be applied with enormous caution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/the-future-is-inherently-full-of-discontinuities-and-lessons-of-the/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Look at Islam in a rational manner and without demagoguery or emotion. It is the leading religion of the world with 1.5 billion followers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/look-at-islam-in-a-rational-manner-and-without-demagoguery-or-emotion/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [A waning United States would likely be more nationalistic, more defensive about its national identity, more paranoid about its homeland security, and less willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/a-waning-united-states-would-likely-be-more-nationalistic-more/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Peace between Israel and Palestine would be a giant step toward greater regional stability, and it would finally let both Israelis and Palestinians benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/peace-between-israel-and-palestine-would-be-a-giant-step-toward/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [It is axiomatic that the security of America and Europe are linked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/it-is-axiomatic-that-the-security-of-america-and-europe-are-linked/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [In the longer run, I happen to think that Russia really has no choice but to become gradually more associated with the Euro-Atlantic community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/in-the-longer-run-i-happen-to-think-that-russia-really-has-no-choice/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Basically, I see Iran as an authentic nation-state. And that authentic identity gives it cohesion, which most of the Middle East lacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/basically-i-see-iran-as-an-authentic-nation-state-and-that-authentic/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Like so many empires before it, the Soviet Union eventually imploded and fragmented, falling victim not so much to a direct military defeat as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/like-so-many-empires-before-it-the-soviet-union-eventually-imploded/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [In Iraq we must succeed. Failure is not an option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/in-iraq-we-must-succeed-failure-is-not-an-option/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [One has to define very clearly what one's objectives are, determine in advance how much one is prepared to pay to achieve that objective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/one-has-to-define-very-clearly-what-one-s-objectives-are-determine-in/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Saddam Hussein was an odious dictator, but he was also a very effective opponent of Iran. He was also a very effective opponent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/saddam-hussein-was-an-odious-dictator-but-he-was-also-a-very/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Hegemony is as old as mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/hegemony-is-as-old-as-mankind/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Democrats should insist that a pluralistic democracy such as ours rely on bipartisanship in formulating a foreign policy based on moderation and the nuances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/democrats-should-insist-that-a-pluralistic-democracy-such-as-ours/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [I think the sheer attrition of American global domination will create circumstances in which the Chinese will be tempted to reach out for more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-think-the-sheer-attrition-of-american-global-domination-will-create/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) [Explore all 258 Zbigniew Brzezinski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) ## More Boycott quotes > [“. Despite the considerable horror they had felt when the SA men were bellowing crude anti-Semitic slogans, in retrospect the joke-tellers were very much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-herzog/despite-the-considerable-horror-they-had-felt-when-the-sa-men-were/) [Rudolph Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-herzog/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We shall strike. We shall organize boycotts. We shall demonstrate and have political campaigns. We shall pursue the revolution we have proposed. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-shall-strike-we-shall-organize-boycotts-we-shall-demonstrate-and/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [When I was teaching at an institution that bent over backward for foreign students, I was asked in class one day: "What is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/when-i-was-teaching-at-an-institution-that-bent-over-backward-for/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [If you want to boycott Israel because of Palestine, I don't think you actually care, because you're also boycotting 2 million Muslim Palestinian Israelis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuseir-yassin/if-you-want-to-boycott-israel-because-of-palestine-i-don-t-think-you/) [Nuseir Yassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuseir-yassin/) > [Well, I certainly hope the Democrats participate. I continue to think that some things transcend politics like the murder of four of our fellow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/well-i-certainly-hope-the-democrats-participate-i-continue-to-think/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [I support the boycott because I do not think at this stage there is any other way to make our authorities see and understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yekaterina-samutsevich/i-support-the-boycott-because-i-do-not-think-at-this-stage-there-is/) [Yekaterina Samutsevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yekaterina-samutsevich/) > [Six imams removed from a US Airways flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix are calling on Muslims to boycott the airline. If only we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/six-imams-removed-from-a-us-airways-flight-from-minneapolis-to/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Americans should boycott Yahoo products until they get the message that freedom is an American ideal, and we're not going to give it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/americans-should-boycott-yahoo-products-until-they-get-the-message/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [ \[Boycott Oscar\] is like crying about not having enough icing on your cake. It's just ridiculous. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/boycott-oscar-is-like-crying-about-not-having-enough-icing-on-your/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [I'm not encouraging massive boycotts of turning off the news. That's what the left does. I'm just telling you my own personal experience. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-m-not-encouraging-massive-boycotts-of-turning-off-the-news-that-s/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The road to social justice for the farm worker is the road of unionization. Our cause, our strike against table grapes and our international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/the-road-to-social-justice-for-the-farm-worker-is-the-road-of/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [I believe boycotts are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-brewer/i-believe-boycotts-are-wrong/) [Jan Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-brewer/) > [I believe that the boycott that we have against Cuba is counterproductive, and it also makes the twelve million or so Cuban people suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-believe-that-the-boycott-that-we-have-against-cuba-is/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Hamas, the opponents of Arafat, the opponents of peace, urged a boycott of the election, and yet there was an 85 percent turnout where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/hamas-the-opponents-of-arafat-the-opponents-of-peace-urged-a-boycott/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) [Browse all 137 Boycott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boycott/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was deeply involved in the decision that President Jimmy Carter made to boycott the Olympics in Moscow in 1980.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zbigniew Brzezinski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-that-president-jimmy-carter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boycott" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-that-president-jimmy-carter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_boycott_i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-th_2164797.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_boycott_i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-th_2164797.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_boycott_i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-th_2164797.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was deeply involved in the decision that President Jimmy Carter made to boycott the Olympics in Moscow in…” — Zbigniew Brzezinski", "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": "Zbigniew Brzezinski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was deeply involved in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-that-president-jimmy-carter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-was-deeply-involved-in-the-decision-that-president-jimmy-carter/#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 } } ] } ```