Tuesday 15 July 2008

ART OF WAR:

'When the strike of the Hawk breaks the body of it's prey, it is because of timing.'
'The iron thinks itself pointlessly tortured in the furnace and beaten on the anvil - the sword looks back and knows why.'
'Therefore, when the time and place of the challenge is known, one can meet the challenge from a thousand miles away. But when the time and place of the challenge is not known, one cannot protect all flanks; if through measuring the strategies of others, we find their numbers exceed our own. Does this indicate triumph or defeat? It is said: TRIUMPH CAN BE MEASURED.'
'Thus, those that win one hundred triumphs in one hundred conflicts, do not have supreme skill. Those who have supreme skill, use strategy to bend others without coming to conflict. The ideal strategy, therefore, is to thwart a plan. The next best is to thwart a negotiation. The next best is to thwart a strategy. The inferior politic is to attack a fortified area. Attacking a fortified area is an art of last resort; those skilled in executing a strategy, bend the strategy of others without conflict; uproot the fortifications of others with out attacking; absorb the organisations of others without prolonged operations.'
'Know the other and know yourself; one hundred challenges without danger; know the other and know not yourself; one triumph for one defeat; know not the other and know not yourself, every challenge is certain peril.'
'When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is insubordination.'
'Hence, those skilled in the use of strategy evade when the spirit is sharp, and confront when the spirit is idle or withdrawn. When able, appear unable. When prepared appear unprepared.'
'Attack is the secret of defence: defence is the planning of attack.'
'Security against defeat implies defensive tactics: ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.'
'Emerge from the void, strike vulnerable points, shun places that are defended, attack in unexpected quarters.'
* 'When facing multiple opponents you must attack first and keep attacking until the danger subdues.' * (MIYOMOTO MUSASHI)
'So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.'
'He who wishes to fight must first count the cost.'

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