Norman Schwarzkopf Quotes

In cases of defense, it is best to weigh the enemy more than he seems.

It is sufficient to estimate the enemy situation correctly and to concentrate your strength to capture him. There is no more to it than this. He who lacks foresight and underestimates his enemy will surely be captured by him.

With difficulty he is beaten who can estimate his own forces and those of his enemy.

Despise the enemy strategically, but take him seriously tactically.

The military has to think in terms of worst case scenarios. In a sense, they have to play the pessimist.

You must never believe that the enemy does not know how to conduct his own affairs. Indeed, if you want to be deceived less and want to bear less danger, the more the enemy is weak or the less the enemy is cautious, so much more must you esteem him.

If you want to kick the tiger in his ass you'd better have a plan for dealing with his teeth

When you determine to risk a battle, reserve to yourself every possible chance of success, more particularly if you have to deal with an adversary of superior talent, for if you are beaten, even in the midst of your magazines and your communications, woe to the vanquished!

A commander in chief ought to say to himself several times a day: If the enemy should appear on my front, on my right, on my left, what would I do? And if the question finds him uncertain, he is not well placed, he is not as he should be, and he should remedy it.

No misfortune is worse than underestimating the enemy. Underestimating the enemy, I risk losing my treasure.

The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one it becomes necessary to have an accurate knowledge of the enemy's camp.

Look, fundamentally there are two sets of questions that apply in the war against terrorism. The one set of questions deals with the, "Where is it going to happen? What's going to happen? When is it going to happen?" The other set of questions deals with, "What is it that our enemy, the terrorists, are trying to achieve?" What are they trying to induce us to do?

The fundamental principle is that no battle, combat, or skirmish is to be fought unless it will be won.

What boots it at one gate to make defence, And at another to let in the foe?

A crafty enemy will set a weak ambush you are meant to break through. Confident because you have dealt with the threat, your guard relaxed, you walk into the second, stronger ambush.

And that is how we intend to destroy the enemy!" The superior shakes his head wearily. "Young man, the Soviets are our adversary. The Navy is the enemy.

A wise general makes a point of foraging of the enemy.

You aren't exactly the best judge of what is or isn't dangerous.

The important thing in strategy is to suppress the enemy's useful actions but allow his useless actions

One who has few must prepare against the enemy; one who has many makes the enemy prepare against him.

When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal.

He carefully studies the position that he intends to conquer.

He however knows when the enemy is stronger.

To plan secretly, to move surreptitiously, to foil the enemy's intentions and balk his schemes, so that at last the day may be won without shedding a drop of blood.

There are now reports that President Obama will name Massachusetts Senator John Kerry to be the next secretary of defense. Apparently this is part of America's new defense strategy to bore our enemies to death.