Politicians, like generals, have a tendency to fight the last war.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
The military don't start wars. Politicians start wars.
Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them.
War is the continuation of politics by other means.
It is simply not true that war is solely a means to an end, nor do people necessarily fight in order to obtain this objective or that. In fact, the opposite is true: people very often take up one objective or another precisely in order that they may fight.
Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.
Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter.
War is often about making the least-worst decision. The same could be said about politics. But the stakes are higher in war, when the commander-in-chief is called upon to defend the nation.
We all know that in war the political and military factors have to complement each other.
Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.
Politicians do not enter into wars lightly. It is usually the military themselves who are keener to become involved.