The action we take and the decisions we make in this decade will have consequences far into this century. If America shows weakness and uncertainty, the world will drift toward tragedy. That will not happen on my watch.
George W. BushRead
For states that support terror, it is not enough that the consequences be costly-they must be devastating
Interpretation
What this quote means
Terror-supporting states must face severe repercussions for their actions to deter future terrorism.
In this quote, former President George W. Bush emphasizes that merely imposing costly consequences on nations that harbor or support terrorism is insufficient; rather, the consequences must be so severe that they act as a significant deterrent. The underlying message is the necessity of a strong response to terrorism to ensure that such behavior is discouraged and to maintain global security.
Themes
TerrorismConsequencesDeterrenceSecurityResponse
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about international relations and the fight against terrorism.
More from George W. Bush
All quotes βThousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.
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Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended.
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Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people.
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Adoption was such a positive alternative to abortion, a way to save one life and brighten two more: those of the adoptive parents.
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We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions - by abandoning every value except the will to power - they follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way, to where it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies.
George W. BushRead
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