Something to think about

[Almighty Colin]

Originally posted by Vick@May 6 2003, 04:16 PM
Haven't read Clausewitz' "On War" yet, will have to chew on that statement for a little

Clausewitz.

Some quotes:

"The aggressor is always peace-loving; he would prefer to take over our country unopposed"

"War is not an independent phenomenon, but the continuation of politics by different means"

"If war is part of policy, policy will determine its character. As policy becomes more ambitious and vigorous, so will war, and this may reach the point where war attains its absolute form. . . . Policy is the guiding intelligence and war only the instrument, not vice versa"

"The first principle is: act with the utmost concentration [trace the ultimate substance of enemy strength to the fewest possible sources; compress the attack on these sources to the fewest possible actions; and subordinate minor actions as much as possible]"

"The second principle is: act with the utmost speed [every unnecessary expenditure of time and every unnecessary detour is a waste of strength; take the shortest possible road to the goal]"

"The first task, then, in planning for a war is to identify the enemy’s center of gravity, and if possible trace it back to single one."