“When the enemy advances, we withdraw. When the enemy rests, we harass. When the enemy tires, we attack. When the enemy withdraws, we pursue.”— Mao's Mission Statement, amazon.comTagged: Opposites
“A group's goal—a successful group—can't be total annihilation of the enemy. The leverage for 4GW is that capitulation is cheaper and easier than a continued costly fight. Demands of total destruction obviously removes that option. You put them on a death ground.”— Colonel Thomas X. Hammes USMC, amazon.comTagged: strategy
“The things that terrorists do throw rocks, threat of suicide bombs don't seem awful on tv. But the response they provoke—riot police, non-lethal rubber bullets, etc does. Smart groups exploit this.”— Colonel Thomas X. Hammes USMC, amazon.comTagged: strategy
“Terror groups have two messages. One for international consumption, the other directly for the enemy. IOW. One for who you're fighting, one for people watching, judging, scoring the fight.”— Colonel Thomas X. Hammes USMC, amazon.comTagged: strategy
“Insurgents are networks—networks are resilient.”— Colonel Thomas X. Hammes USMC, amazon.comTagged: strategy
“Bin Laden's weakness—he can't understand how Americans think. 9/11 was a violation of that. Is this why he hasn't attacked since? Is it ridiculous to expect empathy from a terrorist? Are the ideas mutually exclusive?”— Colonel Thomas X. Hammes USMC, amazon.comTagged: strategy