John Abizaid Quotes

You can't talk about defeating insurgencies in the same way that you can with a conventional army.

Al-Qa'ida does not follow a traditional command structure, wear uniforms, carry its arms openly, or mass its troops at the borders of the nations it attacks. Nonetheless, it possesses the demonstrated capability to strike with little notice and cause significant civilian or military casualties.

Insurgencies have a way of going on for a long time historically.

Counter insurgency is something we can’t do, can’t do well, and shouldn’t be doing.

The insurgent can sow disorder anywhere, whereas the counterinsurgent—fighting on behalf of the government—has to maintain order everywhere.

We cannot prevent rebels from entering cities and burning property..

With an insurgency, people are the prize. We can win every battle and still lose the war.

A government needs 100 soldiers for every guerilla it faces.

The borderline between guerrilla warfare and crime, between patriotism and terrorism, is often a very thin one.

If we were fighting an army, the work would be comparatively easy. We are fighting a secret revolutionary organization.

A counter-insurgency is won by intelligence—not by bombardment.

We cannot kill or capture our way out of an industrial-strength insurgency.

On the Vietnam War: I've lived under situations where every decent man declared war first and I've lived under situations where you don't declare war. We've been flexible enough to kill people without declaring war.

Guerrilla war is a kind of war waged by the few but dependent on the support of many.

Asymmetrical warfare is a euphemism for terrorism, just like collateral damage is a euphemism for killing innocent civilians.

You know as well as I do that counterinsurgency is a very nuanced type of military operation.

The seditious Bolivar has occupied Santa Fe, and the fateful result of that battle has placed at his disposition the whole kingdom and the immense resources of a very populated country, rich and abundant from which he will plunder what he needs to continue the war in these provinces because the insurgents have no rules or inhibitions

Time and again, attempts by machine-age armies to impose their will on irregular forces supported by a sympathetic population failed.

Paramilitary Action: An initial shipment of approximately 15 tons of arms and ammunition is now ready for shipment from [DELETED] and subsequent transshipment to Colonel Castillo Armas in Nicaragua.... This material is intended for use by [Colonel Castillo Armas] in his Nicaraguan training center and to test facilities for clandestine introduction of arms into Guatemala.

The United States, acting within the constraints imposed by its traditions and public attitudes, cannot crush a revolutionary movement which is sufficiently large, dedicated, competent and well supported…. The structure of U. S. military power is ill-suited to cope with guerrilla warfare waged by a determined, resourceful, and politically astute opponent.

Since 1775, the average insurgency has lasted 7 years and since 1945 it has lasted 10 years.

Relying on the Iraqi Army to fight ISIS in Iraq is problematical, but there are no other options.

Air power will not defeat ISIS. It has not been able to deny ISIS freedom of maneuver and the ability to attack at will.

We need a military strategy to defeat terrorists on the ground.

Responding to terrorism inevitably implies military consequences. This may shock some people, but these groups must also be dealt with on a military footing. I won't use the word 'combat' to avoid being painted as a crusader.