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Evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force may sometimes be necessary is not a call to cynicism – it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.

— Barack Obama nobel peace prize acceptance speech (2009)

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More quotes by Barack Obama

My view is that this is the beginning, not the end, of what is going to be a journey that takes some time.

We may have occasion in our lifetime to once again rise up in defense of our freedom, and pay the wages of war.

But he understood from hard-earned experience that true security comes through making peace with your neighbors.

The only certainty in war is human suffering, uncertain costs, unintended consequences.

Don’t shortchange the future, because of fear in the present.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Barack Obama (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.