“You can't make war against terror. Terror is a technique of battle. It's a tactic that has been employed since time immemorial. You can conduct clandestine action against terrorists, and that must be done.”

—  John le Carré

Radio interview (November 2008)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "You can't make war against terror. Terror is a technique of battle. It's a tactic that has been employed since time imm…" by John le Carré?
John le Carré photo
John le Carré 42
British novelist and spy 1931

Related quotes

Bernard Lewis photo

“I feel that while we are indeed engaged in a war against terror, it is inadequate and even misleading. If Churchill had informed the country in 1940, we are engaged in a war against bomber aircraft and submarines, that would have been an accurate statement but not a very helpful one. To say we are engaged in a war against terror is of the same order. Terror is a tactic. It's a method of waging war. It is not a cause, it is not an adversary, it is not anything that one can identify as an opponent, and I think we need to be more specific in fighting a war. It's useful to know who the enemy is. I think you would agree.”

Bernard Lewis (1916–2018) British-American historian

Books, Islam and the West: A Conversation with Bernard Lewis (2006)

Jorge Rafael Videla photo

“[I take] full military responsibility for the actions of the army in the war against terrorism.”

Jorge Rafael Videla (1925–2013) Argentinian President

As quoted in anon (May 18, 2013) "Argentine 'Dirty War' leader Jorge Rafael Videla dies". ABC News.

“How can Blair fight a war on terror? Terror is not an ideology or an army; terror is a technique.”

David Hockney (1937) British artist

Interview with Jasper Gerard, "Taking the fight to the dreary people" http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-1806962,00.html The Sunday Times (London)
2000s

Noam Chomsky photo

“Wanton killing of innocent civilians is terrorism, not a "war against terrorism."”

Noam Chomsky book 9-11

9-11, 2001 https://web.archive.org/web/20061015103427/http://indymedia.org.nz/usermedia/application/2/9-11.pdf
Quotes 2000s, 2001

George Soros photo

“Americans, sadly, are now victims who have turned into perpetrators. Indeed, since September 2001, the war on terror has claimed more innocent victims than those terrorist attacks. This fact is unrecognized at home because the victims of the war on terror are not Americans. But the rest of the world does not draw the same distinction, and world opinion has turned against America.”

George Soros (1930) Hungarian-American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist

"How Terrorism's Victims Became Perpetrators" (April 2004) http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/soros26

George W. Bush photo

“You are either with us or you are against us in the fight against terror.”

George W. Bush (1946) 43rd President of the United States

Press conference http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/11/20011106-4.html, with President Jacques Chirac of France. (November 6, 2001)
2000s, 2001

George Soros photo

“How can we escape from the trap that the terrorists have set us? Only by recognizing that the war on terrorism cannot be won by waging war. We must, of course, protect our security; but we must also correct the grievances on which terrorism feeds. Crime requires police work, not military action.”

George Soros (1930) Hungarian-American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist

Address at the University of Pennsylvania (2002); quoted in "White House playing into Soros' hands?" by J. Michael Waller, in WorldNetDaily (1 December 2003) http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35893

Al Gore photo

“What are the next steps in the war against terrorism? And beyond immediate next steps, what is the longer-range plan of action? And finally, what should be done to deal with root causes of this threat?”

Al Gore (1948) 45th Vice President of the United States

Quotes, Our Larger Tasks (2002)

Howard Zinn photo

“How can you have a war on terrorism when war itself is terrorism?”

Howard Zinn (1922–2010) author and historian
Helen Keller photo

“Strike against war, for without you no battles can be fought.”

Helen Keller (1880–1968) American author and political activist

"Strike Against War", speech in Carnegie Hall (5 January 1916) http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/helenstrike.html
Context: Strike against war, for without you no battles can be fought. Strike against manufacturing shrapnel and gas bombs and all other tools of murder. Strike against preparedness that means death and misery to millions of human beings. Be not dumb, obedient slaves in an army of destruction. Be heroes in an army of construction.

Related topics