Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,161,747 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
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War
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“You know, this war on drugs is funded by tobacco and alcohol commissions. It's not what drugs you're strung out on they care about so much as whose. People still dig drugs. I mean, y'all do, anyway. I'm over it.”
Todd Snider (1966–2025) said by 2025 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Conservative Christian, right-wing Republican Straight white American males Gay-bashing, black-fearing War-fighting, tree-killing Regional leaders of sales Frat-housing, keg-tapping Shirt-tucking, back-slapping Haters of hippies like me Tree-hugging, peace-loving Pot-smoking, porn-watching Lazy-ass hippies like me”
Todd Snider (1966–2025) said by 2025 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Luciano Spaletti was interested in Tymoschuk and the option to bring him back for a long time. The coach, obviously, needs a person, that can stop the "cold war" between the Russian and foreign players in the team. A person, that no one will dare to interrupt in the dressing room and who will be respected by all", Gleb Chernavskiy on the return of Tymoschuk to Zenit, 2013.”
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (born 1979) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I walk where once the grass was green And mourn the lark that sings no more What bird could sing whose eyes have seen Broken blossoms on the field of war?”
Tom Springfield (1934–2022) said by 2022 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Some say that no machine conceived to kill could ever be called beautiful. Magnificent, maybe, and awesome perhaps. But not beautiful. The thing is though that in the battleship's short life of just 90 years it turned out to be a less effective killing machine than amost any other weapon of war. All they did was steam around the oceans, making the people who paid for them feel good.”
Jeremy Clarkson (born 1960) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is perfectly reasonable to despair of a world where the Nobel Committee gives the Peace Prize to a man running a war.”
Martin Firrell (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If the great Western experiment fails and we end up living in totalitarian war-on-terrorism states, one day someone’s going to say, 'Well democracy doesn’t work because they had to give it up’.”
Martin Firrell (born 1963) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quoted in the documentary Art in a Word by Vera Baghiroli, qoob tv (22 July 2008).
“War is always a failure. It means we’ve failed in diplomacy and we’ve failed in talking to one another.”
Martin Firrell (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Not power not cruelty not death not winning not fighting not money not oil not war not sex not tyranny: all tyrants fall.”
Martin Firrell (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Luis Fernández has made this shock [defeat of Barcelona] a war of dogs. I only talk about men, not of rude children.”
José Mourinho (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Look at my haircut. I am ready for the war.”
José Mourinho (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I was dreamin' when I wrote this So sue me if I go 2 fast. But life is just a party, and parties weren't meant 2 last. War is all around us, my mind says prepare 2 fight So if I gotta die I'm gonna listen 2 my body tonight.Yeah, they say two thousand zero zero party over, oops out of time So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999.”
Prince (musician) first seen 1999 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 1999
“In sum, the Nobel Peace Prize often has nothing to do with peace and too much to do with war. It frequently sees "peace" through the eyes of the western plutocracy. For that reason alone, we should not join in the applause.”
Michael Parenti (1933–2026) first seen 2014 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Nobel Peace Prize for War" (2014)
“Archbishop Romero of El Salvador was a member of the Salvadoran aristocracy. He could not have risen to the top of the church hierarchy otherwise. But after he began voicing critical remarks about the war and concerned comments about the poor, he was assassinated.”
Michael Parenti (1933–2026) said by 2026 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We should leave behind discrimination, because it is narrow-minded and ignorant, denies contact and warmth, and corrodes mankind’s belief that we can better ourselves. The only way to avoid misunderstanding, war, and bloodshed is to defend freedom of expression and to communicate with sincerity, concern, and good intentions.”
Ai Weiwei (born 1957) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Why I’ll Stay Away from the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics.” Guardian, August 7, 2008.
“Once, when Nadir was told that there was no war in paradise, he was reported to have asked: "How can there be any delights there?".”
Nader Shah (1688–1747) said by 1747 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“All governments behave like any other instrument of war and terror. A gun doesn’t change it nature. When it is aimed at someone you fear or dislike, you will praise the importance of guns. When the gun is aimed at you, you will call for help against those who use guns.”
Robert LeFevre (1911–1986) said by 1986 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“As is well-known, he secured donations for Aligarh from Hindus of his own feudal class. When canvassing for their support he expressed such exemplary sentiments as that Hindus and Muslims were the ‘two eyes of the beautiful Indian bride.’ But when addressing exclusively Muslim audiences, especially political meetings, he was militant enough to threaten civil war.”
Syed Ahmed Khan (1817–1898) said by 1898 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: M.R.A. Baig, The Muslim Dilemma in India, Delhi, 1974, p. 52.
“Sir Sayyid was a prolific writer and was the first to use arguments from the canonical sources of Islam to prove that Indian Muslims were not fanatics who had waged religious war in his book entitled The Loyal Mohammadans of India.”
Syed Ahmed Khan (1817–1898) said by 1898 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Tariq Rahman - Interpretations of Jihad in South Asia_ An Intellectual History-de Gruyter (2018)
“GG Allin: Nobody will stop me 'cause I'm the true underground messiah. When you come to my show you're going to a war and I'm out for violence, chaos, lawlessness all the way. I don't care about anybody or anything except myself and my mission and your kids out there, if you got kids out there they're gonna be my kids. I'm gonna own those kids. They're gonna do anything that I say.”
GG Allin (1956–1993) first seen 1993 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: GG Allin on The Jane Whitney Show July 16. 1993.
“Unhappily, history proves that war is, in a certain sense, the habitual state of mankind, which is to say that human blood must flow without interruption somewhere or other on the globe, and that for every nation, peace is only a respite.”
Joseph de Maistre (1753–1821) said by 1821 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Now the real fruits of human nature – the arts, sciences, great enterprises, lofty conceptions, manly virtues – are due especially to the state of war. […] In a word, we can say that blood is the manure of the plant we call genius.”
Joseph de Maistre (1753–1821) said by 1821 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“(After terrorist attacks in Mumbai) Terrorism is impossible to be stopped at all time. We will stop 99% of the attacks; 1% of the attacks will get through. You feel US has stopped all terrorist attacks? US is currently involved in Afghanistan and Iraq, where there are attacks every single day. On them. Not in US, but on them. The war has moved.”
Rahul Gandhi (born 1970) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 2011. Difficult to stop terror attacks all the time, says Rahul Gandhi, India Today India Today Rahul Gandhi
“Modi ji, you said the war against corona will be won in 18 days. You asked people to bang thali, light up candles and show mobile phone torch… but corona intensified. Please stop event-bazi now and arrange for vaccines for all. And provide income support to the poor.”
Rahul Gandhi (born 1970) first seen 2021 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Rahul Gandhi. Covid: Congress pushes Narendra Modi for vaccines, cash for poor Jha, Sanjay K . The Telegraph (India) ; Calcutta. 13 Apr 2021.
“That ageing geriatric whizz-kid seems intent on starting World War III.”
Gerry Adams (born 1948) first seen 1984 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On U.S. President Ronald Reagan, (November 3, 1984)
“During the Cold War, a division arose between Western and Communist countries. The countries that had just become independent after colonial times had to be kept on friendly terms. That is why Belgium offered development aid to those countries. The government also supported the work of the missionaries who were active in Congo, Rwanda and Burundi, among others.”
Mark Eyskens (born 1933) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“War means fighting, and fighting means killing.”
Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821–1877) said by 1877 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If you surrender, you shall be treated as prisoners of war, but if I have to storm your works, you may expect no quarter.”
Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821–1877) said by 1877 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Mussolini has destroyed communism and Freemasonry; he implicitly declared war upon Judaism too.”
Corneliu Zelea Codreanu (1899–1938) said by 1938 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I have declared war on Mr Murdoch and I think we are going to win.”
Vince Cable (born 1943) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Vince Cable's Murdoch gaffe 'to cost £300,000', BBC News, 18 February 2011
“I think from my experience in war and life and science, it all has made me believe that we have one life on this planet. We have one chance to live it and to contribute to the future of society and the future of life. The only "afterlife" is what other people remember of you.”
Craig Venter (1946–2026) said by 2026 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Just like the threat of mutually assured destruction from nuclear weapons, an extensive war in space would make space useless, and the decisions taken today will influence the use of space for many generations to come.”
Nayef Al-Rodhan (born 1959) first seen 2012 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Meta-Geopolitics of Outer Space - (2012) p.285
“The American war is over; but this far from being the case with the American revolution. On the contrary, nothing but the first act of the drama is closed. It remains yet to establish and perfect our new forms of government and to prepare the principles, morals, and manners of our citizens for these forms of government after they are established and brought to perfection.”
Benjamin Rush (1746–1813) first seen 1786 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Letter to Price, May 25, 1786
“It must afford no small pleasure to a benevolent mind in the midst of a war, which daily makes so much havoc with the human species, to reflect, that the small-pox which once proved equally fatal to thousands, has been checked in its career, and in a great degree subdued by the practice of Inoculation.”
Benjamin Rush (1746–1813) said by 1813 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When war becomes a trade, it benefits, like all other trades, from the division of labour.”
Jean-Baptiste Say (1767–1832) said by 1832 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We should never go to war unless we have been attacked or are under direct, immediate threat of attack. Never. And never again.”
“When World War II started on September 1, 1939, the German army contained 3.74 million soldiers and 103 divisions.”
John Mearsheimer (born 1947) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The optimists' claim that security competition and war among the great powers has been burned out of the system is wrong. In fact all of the major states around the globe still care deeply about the balance of power among themselves for the foreseeable future.”
John Mearsheimer (born 1947) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We overthrew democratically elected leaders in the Western hemisphere during the Cold War because we were unhappy with their policies. This is the way great powers behave... We went around the world trying to create liberal democracies. Our main focus, of course, was in the greater Middle East, and you know how well that worked out. Not very well.”
John Mearsheimer (born 1947) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The strategically wise strategy for Ukraine is to break off its close relations with the West, especially with the United States, and try to accommodate the Russians. If there had been no decision to move nato eastward to include Ukraine, Crimea and the Donbass would be part of Ukraine today, and there would be no war in Ukraine.”
John Mearsheimer (born 1947) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Dry your eyes and take your song out. It's a newborn afternoon. And if you can't recall the singer, You can still recall the tune.Dry your eyes and play it slowly, Like you're marching off to war. Sing it like you know he'd want it, Like we sang it once before.”
Neil Diamond (born 1941) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Man feels in himself passions which ought to obey, and a reason which ought to command. But it is in vain: the war is endless; victory on either side is impossible. Neither can reason subdue the passions, nor can the passions put reason to silence. p. 17”
Alexandre Vinet (1797–1847) said by 1847 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Regardless of whom you pray to, during war our experiences as a community and as mothers are the same.”
Leymah Gbowee (born 1972) first seen 2009 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Gruber Foundation, Women's Rights Prize (2009)
“Peace for me is not the absence of war. Peace is the presence of conditions that give dignity to all of us – conditions like housing, everything – peace is the presence of those conditions that give dignity to all.”
Leymah Gbowee (born 1972) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Defining peace. Nobel Peace Prize 2011
“Girls are the first casualties of war through forced marriage, rape, sexual assault, and unplanned and forced pregnancy. They are barred access to school and to opportunities, among other realities that consort to restrict and eviscerate girls’ abilities to define their future. Peaceful and inclusive societies expand the arc of possibility for individuals and families.”
Leymah Gbowee (born 1972) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking on how her work with girls connect to building peace and inclusive societies. Interview with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee 2011
“The prize has provided me a global platform to broaden the conversation about war, peace, and stability.”
Leymah Gbowee (born 1972) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Liberia has given me a lot and the war took so much away.”
Leymah Gbowee (born 1972) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“My hope is that girls and women never have to know the effects of war or the absence of peace in their lives—that they can invest in themselves because there is a future that will recognize their talents and provide an outlet for their contributions.”
Leymah Gbowee (born 1972) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Her aspirations for Liberia and specially the girls and women of Liberia. Interview with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee 2011
“All across Africa, even in the midst of the deepest and darkest civil war, women are still proving that we can hold communities together.”
Leymah Gbowee (born 1972) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Nobel Prize Laureate talks women’s peacebuilding roles at Distinguished Lecture in African Studies The diary pennsy (Oct. 24, 2024)
“We are tired of war. We are tired of running. We are tired of begging for bulgur wheat. We are tired of our children being raped. We are now taking this stand, to secure the future of our children. Because we believe, as custodians of society, tomorrow our children will ask us, "Mama, what was your role during the crisis”
Leymah Gbowee (born 1972) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Gbowee, Leymah; Mithers, Carol (2011). Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer and Sex Changed a Nation at War: A Memoir. New York: Beast Books. ISBN 978-0-9842951-5-9. OCLC 751747258