--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Regret what? That secret operation was an…" description: "\"Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to regret it? ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_afghan_regret-what-that-secret-operation-was-an_1781721.jpg" --- # Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea… ![“Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to regret it? The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter. We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam…” quote by Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_afghan_regret-what-that-secret-operation-was-an_1781721.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_afghan_regret-what-that-secret-operation-was-an_1781721.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/zbigniew-brzezinski-1312_afghan_regret-what-that-secret-operation-was-an_1781721.jpg) > “Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to regret it? The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter. We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war. Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization and finally the breakup of the Soviet empire.” [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. The quote argues that a covert operation successfully forced the USSR into a costly, demoralizing conflict, likening it to a strategic victory akin to Vietnam. **In simple terms:** A secret plan forced the Soviets into a draining war, weakening them. Key Takeaway Use strategic pressure to exploit opponent weaknesses. Themes geopolitics strategy conflict cold war proxy wars Mood cautious reflective critical Type historical political strategic When to use this quote - foreign policy planning - military strategy - historical analysis - political decision making Key Concepts Realpolitik deterrence power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What are the moral limits of using proxy wars? - Can short‑term gains justify long‑term suffering? A Different Perspective The long‑term humanitarian cost and ethical implications of such covert actions are often overlooked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghan/) [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Breakup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakup/) [Breakup Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakup-soviet-1370983/) [Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carter/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Demoralization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demoralization/) [Drawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drawing/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Moscow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moscow/) [Mujahideen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mujahideen-126777/) [Operations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/operations/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-carter/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet/) [Traps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traps/) [Ussr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ussr/) [Ussr Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ussr-vietnam-1867055/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [Vietnam war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam-war/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-me/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [You want me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-want-me/) ## Related quotes > [We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/we-now-have-the-opportunity-of-giving-to-the-ussr-its-vietnam-war/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [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/) > [According to the official version of history, CIA aid to the Mujahideen began during 1980, that is to say, after the Soviet army invaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/according-to-the-official-version-of-history-cia-aid-to-the/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war in Afghanistan, unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/indeed-for-almost-10-years-moscow-had-to-carry-on-a-war-in/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/indeed-for-almost-10-years-moscow-had-to-carry-on-a-war-unsupportable/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [The breakup of the Soviet Union is a national tragedy on an enormous scale only the elites and nationalists of the republics gained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/the-breakup-of-the-soviet-union-is-a-national-tragedy-on-an-enormous/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [“He who does not regret the breakup of the Soviet Union has no heart. He who wants to revive it in its previous form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rank/he-who-does-not-regret-the-breakup-of-the-soviet-union-has-no-heart/) [Michael Rank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rank/) > [There was a time when the women of Afghanistan - at least in Kabul - were out there. They were allowed to study, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/there-was-a-time-when-the-women-of-afghanistan-at-least-in-kabul-were/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Egyptian mujahideen had a rich experience in Afghanistan. Thousands of young Egyptian men lived in Al-Sindh and the Punjab regions, and among populations that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-osman/egyptian-mujahideen-had-a-rich-experience-in-afghanistan-thousands-of/) [Tarek Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-osman/) > [When I went to Afghanistan in 2003, I walked into a war zone. Entire neighborhoods had been demolished. There were an overwhelming number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/when-i-went-to-afghanistan-in-2003-i-walked-into-a-war-zone-entire/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I think if you're going to do a movie about Reagan, you do it about the fact that he created the huge deficit, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-think-if-you-re-going-to-do-a-movie-about-reagan-you-do-it-about/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [The list of American grievances is long: Pakistan developed nuclear weapons while promising the United States that it would not; the United States helped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/husain-haqqani/the-list-of-american-grievances-is-long-pakistan-developed-nuclear/) [Husain Haqqani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/husain-haqqani/) > [Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-cook/bin-laden-was-though-a-product-of-a-monumental-miscalculation-by/) [Robin Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-cook/) > [We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganized. Presumably the plans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-ogburn/we-trained-hard-but-it-seemed-that-every-time-we-were-beginning-to/) [Charlton Ogburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-ogburn/) > [The current demoralization of the art world is attributable at least in part to museum interference, ideological and practical, with ongoing creation in art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/the-current-demoralization-of-the-art-world-is-attributable-at-least/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) ## 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 Afghan quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [If it is terrorism, if it is war on terror, then the Afghan people will join you on terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/if-it-is-terrorism-if-it-is-war-on-terror-then-the-afghan-people-will/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/throughout-the-last-century-there-were-multiple-attempts-at-giving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan to transform her own life and ended up revolutionizing the lives of many of her Afghan sisters. This book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-hamilton/deborah-rodriguez-went-to-afghanistan-to-transform-her-own-life-and/) [Masha Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-hamilton/) > [Mecca and Medinah is a very special place in the hearts of every Muslim but particularly for every Afghan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/mecca-and-medinah-is-a-very-special-place-in-the-hearts-of-every/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] decided to leave more troops than he had originally planned in Afghanistan. We have a very cooperative government there, with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-president-barack-obama-decided-to-leave-more-troops-than-he-had/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Over the past 30 years, hand grenades, tanks, fighter jets, missiles, helicopters and assault rifles have replaced traditional floral patterns in rug making and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cole/over-the-past-30-years-hand-grenades-tanks-fighter-jets-missiles/) [Henri Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cole/) > [We've got to see a state where the Afghan government can handle its own day-to-day security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/we-ve-got-to-see-a-state-where-the-afghan-government-can-handle-its/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [It's going to be really interesting to see what the heroin market does in the next two years or so. One thing you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/it-s-going-to-be-really-interesting-to-see-what-the-heroin-market/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [And across Afghanistan, every single day, Afghan soldiers, Afghan police and ISAF troops are serving shoulder-to-shoulder in some very difficult situations. And our engagement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-allen/and-across-afghanistan-every-single-day-afghan-soldiers-afghan-police/) [John R. Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-allen/) > [Well, the movie isn't bad. For a while, I even told myself I liked it, even as it missed one mark after another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/well-the-movie-isn-t-bad-for-a-while-i-even-told-myself-i-liked-it/) [David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/) > [I mean, honestly, we have to be clear that the life for many Afghan women is not that much different than it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-mean-honestly-we-have-to-be-clear-that-the-life-for-many-afghan/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) [Browse all 144 Afghan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to regret it? The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter. We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war. 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