“In a campaign against more than one state or army, it is more fruitful to concentrate first against the weaker partner than to attempt the overthrow of the stronger in the belief that the latter's defeat will automatically involve the collapse of the others.” FirstsStatesBeliefMilitaryArmyStrongerDefeatPartnersCampaignsLatterCollapse Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“It is folly to imagine that the aggressive types, whether individuals or nations, can be bought off ... since the payment of danegeld stimulates a demand for more danegeld. But they can be curbed. Their very belief in force makes them more susceptible to the deterrent effect of a formidable opposing force.” IndividualBeliefForceNationsImagineEffectsMilitaryTypeDemandFollyAggressiveImagine ThatPaymentOpposingFormidableSusceptibleDeterrent Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“To ensure prosperity here at home and peace abroad, we all share the belief we have to maintain the strongest military on the planet.” HomeAmericaBeliefShareMilitaryPlanetsProsperityStrongest Author:Barack Obama
“...several of the first presidents, including Jefferson and Madison, generally refused to issue public prayers, despite importunings to do so. Under pressure, Madison relented in the War Of 1812, but held to his belief that chaplains shouldn't be appointed to the military or be allowed to open Congress.” FirstsWarReligionBeliefPresidentPrayerIssuesMilitaryPressureIncludingCongressDespiteUnder PressureMadisonChaplainsWar Of 1812 Author:James Madison
“We believe half-instinctively that evil always defeats itself in the long run. Pacifism is founded largely on this belief. Don't resist evil, and it will somehow destroy itself. But why should it? What evidence is there that it does... unless conquered from the outside by military force?” ShouldBelieveLongDoeRunningEvilBeliefForceHalfMilitaryEvidenceDefeatLong RunsPacifismMilitary Force Book:Facing Unpleasant Facts: Narrative Essays Source: Facing Unpleasant Facts: Narrative Essays
“I would like to think that we are on a move that could be like [Ronald] Reagan. Reagan appealed to the average working American: their patriotism, their love of country, the belief in their schools and their communities and their loyalty to the military and police, and the things that create stability and a good life.” ThinkingCountrySchoolMovingBeliefCommunityMilitaryPoliceAverageLoyaltyGood LifeStability Author:Jeff Sessions
“Why do people like America? They say, well, you have the largest military in the world. Because you have more people, et cetera. They like America for what we stand for. And one of the things, and I feel proud to be, what this president's for, the last seven years, is we have once again aligned our basic fundamental beliefs and principles with our conduct. And it matters. It matters in terms of our security. It matters in terms of our ability to influence the world. It matters in our ability to succeed.” PeopleWorldFeelsYearsWellsMatterLastsAmericaBeliefPresidentTermAbilityPrinciplesInfluenceSecurityMilitaryProudSucceedFundamentalsSevenSeven YearsAbility To Succeed Author:Joe Biden
“At one point, for example, [Donald Trump] argued that he knew much more than military leaders about the pursuit and defeat of ISIS. His assuredness of his own correctness seems also rooted in arrogance reflecting his fundamental insecurity. This insecurity and his belief in his own rightness, when combined with his success at making money, leads him to be self-reliant in his decision-making, which could result in his taking risks with threatening or using nuclear weapons.” SelfSeemsBeliefDecisionResultsLeaderRiskMilitaryExampleTrumpWeaponsFundamentalsDefeatNuclearPursuitMaking MoneyArroganceInsecurityDecision MakingRootedNuclear WeaponsThreateningReflectingIsisCorrectnessTaking RisksSelf ReliantMilitary Leader Author:David Krieger
“There were various aspects of Sun Tzu's approach that appealed to Ho Chi Minh: a) to learn to understand both the enemy and yourself, to seek out his weaknesses and your own strengths, and act accordingly, b) to make ample use of subterfuge and stratagem in order to defeat or disarm your adversary, and c) to use outright violence only when absolutely necessary in the belief that political struggle was more effective than military struggle.” UsePoliticalOrderBeliefEnemyStruggleSunViolenceMilitaryApproachWeaknessAspectDefeatVariousAdversariesStratagemSubterfugePolitical Struggle Author:William J. Duiker
“The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions.” HumansWarBeliefPeaceMilitaryDangerousDangerPossibilityIllusionAncientAnti WarAntiwarPeace WarNo WarJust War Author:Robert Wilson Lynd