-=> BOB KLAHN wrote to RICHARD WEBB <=-   
      
      
    BK>>  Don't forget, nationbuilding is not good. Nationbuilding is bad.   
    BK>> Nationbuilding is the work of Satan. We know that because right   
    BK>> wingers tell us so.   
      
   Others agree, but for differing reasons:   
      
   III. Attack by Stratagem   
      
   1. Sun Tzu said: In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to   
   take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not   
   so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy   
   it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy   
   them.   
      
   2. Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme   
   excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance   
   without fighting.   
      
   3. Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; the   
   next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; the next in   
   order is to attack the enemy's army in the field; and the worst policy of   
   all is to besiege walled cities.   
      
   4. The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided.   
   The preparation of mantlets, movable shelters, and various implements of   
   war, will take up three whole months; and the piling up of mounds over   
   against the walls will take three months more.   
      
   5. The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to   
   the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men   
   are slain, while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous   
   effects of a siege.   
      
   6. Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any   
   fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he   
   overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.   
      
   7. With his forces intact he will dispute the mastery of the Empire, and   
   thus, without losing a man, his triumph will be complete. This is the   
   method of attacking by stratagem.   
      
      
   --kW   
      
      
       kurt weiske       |  kweiske at realitycheckbbs dot org   
       realitycheckBBS   |  http://realitycheckbbs.org   
      
      
      
      
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