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Iraq may have been a preview of that, but it's still redeemable if we get out fast. In a war with Iran, we'll get dragged down for 20 or 30 years. The world will condemn us. We will lose our position in the world.
Zbigniew Brzezinski
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote warns against prolonged military involvement and emphasizes the need for quick resolution to avoid long-term consequences.

Zbigniew Brzezinski expresses concern that prolonged military engagements, akin to those in Iraq, could lead to severe global repercussions and a diminishing position in international relations. He argues that if the U.S. gets involved in another drawn-out conflict, especially with Iran, it could lead to decades of entanglement, damaging both the country's reputation and strategic standing in the world.

Themes

WarIranIraqPoliticsInternational RelationsConflict

In practice

Example use cases

During a discussion on U.S. foreign policy, one could use this quote to highlight the risks of long-term military engagements.

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War on terrorism defines the central preoccupation of the United States in the world today, and it does reflect in my view a rather narrow and extremist vision of foreign policy of the world's first superpower, of a great democracy, with genuinely idealistic traditions.
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Quote by Zbigniew Brzezinski | QuoteProject