War Quotes | Beyond Motive 3/33

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War Quotes

"You should be careful what you wish for, as the reasons for war get confused. One person can be very clear in their motives, but others can have different agendas."

"You should be careful what you wish for, as the reasons for war get confused. One person can be very clear in their motives, but others can have different agendas."

Dougray Scott, Scottish Actor

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"You can say battle or war or whatever, but in the end, it's music. It's not really violent in intent at all, it's really just about expression and celebrating that in itself."

"You can say battle or war or whatever, but in the end, it's music. It's not really violent in intent at all, it's really just about expression and celebrating that in itself."

Eric San, Canadian Musician

War, Music, Battle, End

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"The inspections started in 1991, right after the Gulf War. One of the conditions for the ceasefire was that Iraq had to do away with all of its weapons of mass destruction - biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and long-range missiles."

"The inspections started in 1991, right after the Gulf War. One of the conditions for the ceasefire was that Iraq had to do away with all of its weapons of mass destruction - biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and long-range missiles."

Hans Blix, Swedish Diplomat

War, Destruction, Iraq, Right

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"I'm sure it is, I'm not for any kind of war, we've been engaged in several wars since the second world war and we lost in Korea, we lost in Vietnam, they are political wars, they have nothing to do with any real threat, nor does this one."

"I'm sure it is, I'm not for any kind of war, we've been engaged in several wars since the second world war and we lost in Korea, we lost in Vietnam, they are political wars, they have nothing to do with any real threat, nor does this one."

Larry Hagman, American Actor

War, Nothing, Vietnam, World

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"War is the province of danger."

"War is the province of danger."

Karl Von Clausewitz, Prussian Soldier

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"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."

Blaise Pascal, French Philosopher

War, Men, Conviction, Evil, Religious

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"It's the first war we've ever fought on the television screen and the first war that our country ever fought where the media had full reign."

"It's the first war we've ever fought on the television screen and the first war that our country ever fought where the media had full reign."

William Westmoreland, American Soldier

War, Country, First, Media

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"In the account book of the Great War the page recording the Russian losses has been ripped out. The figures are unknown. Five millions, or eight? We ourselves know not."

"In the account book of the Great War the page recording the Russian losses has been ripped out. The figures are unknown. Five millions, or eight? We ourselves know not."

Paul von Hindenburg, German Soldier

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"It is also asserted that the election settled the matters of the war and the torture of prisoners. These are dead issues that no longer need be addressed."

"It is also asserted that the election settled the matters of the war and the torture of prisoners. These are dead issues that no longer need be addressed."

Andrew Greeley, American Clergyman

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"My brother and sister are both older than I am and were born before my father went off to World War I."

"My brother and sister are both older than I am and were born before my father went off to World War I."

Douglass North, American Economist

War, Father, Sister, Brother

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"There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others."

"There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others."

Niccolo Machiavelli, Italian Writer

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"With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his tracks in the war. When I got there, there was a certain satisfaction in finding I had it right - it does look like that."

"With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his tracks in the war. When I got there, there was a certain satisfaction in finding I had it right - it does look like that."

David McCullough, American Historian

War, Europe, Right, Satisfaction

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"Accursed be he that first invented war."

"Accursed be he that first invented war."

Christopher Marlowe, English Dramatist

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"War is the greatest plague that can afflict humanity, it destroys religion, it destroys states, it destroys families. Any scourge is preferable to it."

"War is the greatest plague that can afflict humanity, it destroys religion, it destroys states, it destroys families. Any scourge is preferable to it."

Martin Luther, German Leader

War, Religion, Humanity, States

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"As a journalist, one tends to think there's nothing off limits."

"As a journalist, one tends to think there's nothing off limits."

Peter Jennings, Canadian Journalist

War, Limits, Nothing

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"During these two and a half years that have followed the war, the most urgent problem we have encountered was: to activate the public enterprises, to bring them up to the level that international markets demand and we are just now getting them prepared for privatization."

"During these two and a half years that have followed the war, the most urgent problem we have encountered was: to activate the public enterprises, to bring them up to the level that international markets demand and we are just now getting them prepared for privatization."

Ibrahim Rugova, Kosovar Statesman

War, Now, Public, Years

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"When a decision is made to go to war based on intelligence, it is a fateful decision. It has ramifications and impacts way beyond the current months and years."

"When a decision is made to go to war based on intelligence, it is a fateful decision. It has ramifications and impacts way beyond the current months and years."

Carl Levin, American Politician

War, Intelligence, Decision, Months

31

"Every war results from the struggle for markets and spheres of influence, and every war is sold to the public by professional liars and totally sincere religious maniacs, as a Holy Crusade to save God and Goodness from Satan and Evil."

"Every war results from the struggle for markets and spheres of influence, and every war is sold to the public by professional liars and totally sincere religious maniacs, as a Holy Crusade to save God and Goodness from Satan and Evil."

Robert Anton Wilson, American Writer

War, God, Evil, Goodness

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"The war has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage."

"The war has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage."

Hirohito, Japanese Leader

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"I think that NATO is itself a war criminal."

"I think that NATO is itself a war criminal."

Harold Pinter, English Dramatist

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"The political object is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and the means can never be considered in isolation form their purposes."

"The political object is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and the means can never be considered in isolation form their purposes."

Karl Von Clausewitz, Prussian Soldier

War, Goal, Isolation

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"The greatest crime since World War II has been U.S. foreign policy."

"The greatest crime since World War II has been U.S. foreign policy."

Ramsey Clark, American Public Servant

War, Policy, Crime, Foreign policy

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"He was a degenerate gambler. That is, a man who gambled simply to gamble and must lose. As a hero who goes to war must die. Show me a gambler and I'll show you a loser, show me a hero and I'll show you a corpse."

"He was a degenerate gambler. That is, a man who gambled simply to gamble and must lose. As a hero who goes to war must die. Show me a gambler and I'll show you a loser, show me a hero and I'll show you a corpse."

Mario Puzo, American Novelist

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"I don't know why you use a fancy French word like detente when there's a good English phrase for it - cold war."

"I don't know why you use a fancy French word like detente when there's a good English phrase for it - cold war."

Golda Meir, Israeli Leader

War, English, Fancy, Word

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"We have a substantial number of countries that have pledged and provided all kinds of support for the United States in the event that war becomes necessary in Iraq."

"We have a substantial number of countries that have pledged and provided all kinds of support for the United States in the event that war becomes necessary in Iraq."

Douglas Feith, American Public Servant

War, Countries, Iraq, states

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"So long as the anti-militarists propose no substitute for war's disciplinary function no moral equivalent of war analogous as one might say to the mechanical equivalent of hate so long they fail to realize the full equities of the situation."

"So long as the anti-militarists propose no substitute for war's disciplinary function no moral equivalent of war analogous as one might say to the mechanical equivalent of hate so long they fail to realize the full equities of the situation."

William James, American Philosopher

War, Discipline, Moral, Function

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"No war is inevitable until it breaks out."

"No war is inevitable until it breaks out."

A. J. P. Taylor, British Historian

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"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind."

"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind."

John F. Kennedy, American President

War, End, Mankind

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"We have to go in places no body would ever think of going into were it not for the necessities of war."

"We have to go in places no body would ever think of going into were it not for the necessities of war."

Joshua Chamberlain, American Soldier

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"Today it is becoming increasingly apparent to thoughtful Americans that we cannot fight the forces and ideas of imperialism abroad and maintain any form of imperialism at home. The war has done this to our thinking."

"Today it is becoming increasingly apparent to thoughtful Americans that we cannot fight the forces and ideas of imperialism abroad and maintain any form of imperialism at home. The war has done this to our thinking."

Wendell Willkie, American Lawyer

War, Home, Ideas, Americans

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"We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated."

"We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated."

Barack Obama, American President

War, Enemies, World

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"It's an interesting combination: Having a great fear of being alone, and having a desperate need for solitude and the solitary experience. That's always been a tug of war for me."

"It's an interesting combination: Having a great fear of being alone, and having a desperate need for solitude and the solitary experience. That's always been a tug of war for me."

Jodie Foster, American Actress

War, Experience, Fear, Being

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"War may be an armed angel with a mission, but she has the personal habits of the slums."

"War may be an armed angel with a mission, but she has the personal habits of the slums."

Rebecca H. Davis, American Author

War, Habits, May, Mission

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"War is not civilized."

"War is not civilized."

Talib Kweli, American Musician

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"The wars of the future will be fought by computer technicians and by lawyers and high-altitude specialists, and that may mean war will be increasingly abstract, hard to think about and hard to control."

"The wars of the future will be fought by computer technicians and by lawyers and high-altitude specialists, and that may mean war will be increasingly abstract, hard to think about and hard to control."

Michael Ignatieff, Canadian Politician

War, Control, Computer, Future

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"There is so much that must be done in a civilized barbarism like war."

"There is so much that must be done in a civilized barbarism like war."

Amelia Earhart, American Aviator

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"It required a strong heart to stand up against such talk, but I urged my people to be quiet and not to begin a war."

"It required a strong heart to stand up against such talk, but I urged my people to be quiet and not to begin a war."

Chief Joseph, American Leader

War, People, Heart, Quiet

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"My center is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I shall attack."

"My center is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I shall attack."

Ferdinand Foch, French Soldier

War, Giving, Right

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"And what always struck me about that war period was how even Churchill had to talk socialism to keep up people's morale."

"And what always struck me about that war period was how even Churchill had to talk socialism to keep up people's morale."

Barbara Castle, British Politician

War, People, Socialism, Talk

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"The theoretically unrestricted right to develop power, to wage war against other states, is antisocial and is doubly dangerous, because the state as a mass entity represents a low moral and intellectual level."

"The theoretically unrestricted right to develop power, to wage war against other states, is antisocial and is doubly dangerous, because the state as a mass entity represents a low moral and intellectual level."

Christian Lous Lange, Norwegian Politician

War, Power, Right, State

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"Dalton's records, carefully preserved for a century, were destroyed during the World War II bombing of Manchester. It is not only the living who are killed in war."

"Dalton's records, carefully preserved for a century, were destroyed during the World War II bombing of Manchester. It is not only the living who are killed in war."

Isaac Asimov, American Scientist

War, Living, World, World war

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"I appeal for cessation of hostilities, not because you are too exhausted to fight, but because war is bad in essence. You want to kill Nazism. You will never kill it by its indifferent adoption."

"I appeal for cessation of hostilities, not because you are too exhausted to fight, but because war is bad in essence. You want to kill Nazism. You will never kill it by its indifferent adoption."

Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Leader

War, Peace, Conflict, Violence

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"How is the world ruled and led to war? Diplomats lie to journalists and believe these lies when they see them in print."

"How is the world ruled and led to war? Diplomats lie to journalists and believe these lies when they see them in print."

Karl Kraus, Austrian Writer

War, Lie, Lies, World

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"It's odd being an American now. Most of us are peaceful, but here we are again, in our fifth major war of this century."

"It's odd being an American now. Most of us are peaceful, but here we are again, in our fifth major war of this century."

Pete Hamill, American Journalist

War, Being, Now

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"I can tell you this: If I'm ever in a position to call the shots, I'm not going to rush to send somebody else's kids into a war."

"I can tell you this: If I'm ever in a position to call the shots, I'm not going to rush to send somebody else's kids into a war."

George H. W. Bush, American President

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"There is a question for which we will never know the answer: had the U.S. not launched the Contra war to overthrow the Sandinista government, would they have succeeded in bringing socioeconomic justice to the people of Nicaragua?"

"There is a question for which we will never know the answer: had the U.S. not launched the Contra war to overthrow the Sandinista government, would they have succeeded in bringing socioeconomic justice to the people of Nicaragua?"

Bianca Jagger, Nicaraguan Celebrity

War, Government, People, Justice

29

"Of whatsoever number a fleet of ships of war is composed, it is usually divided into three squadrons; and these, if numerous, are again separated into divisions."

"Of whatsoever number a fleet of ships of war is composed, it is usually divided into three squadrons; and these, if numerous, are again separated into divisions."

William Falconer, Scottish Poet

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"Making peace, I have found, is much harder than making war."

"Making peace, I have found, is much harder than making war."

Gerry Adams, Irish Politician

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"The war imbued my tin soldiers with quite a new interest. It was impossible to have boxes enough of them."

"The war imbued my tin soldiers with quite a new interest. It was impossible to have boxes enough of them."

Georg Brandes, Danish Critic

War, Interest, Soldiers

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"The aftermath of the war is what inspired us to write many of our plays. The whole reason for our writing Inherit the Wind was that we were appalled at the blacklisting. We were appalled at thought control."

"The aftermath of the war is what inspired us to write many of our plays. The whole reason for our writing Inherit the Wind was that we were appalled at the blacklisting. We were appalled at thought control."

Jerome Lawrence, American Playwright

War, Thought, Control, Reason

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