Charles Caleb Colton Quotes

The new government will not assail you. You can have no conflict, without being yourselves the aggressors.

I don't like to fight.

The great Chinese classics have always said that it's better not to fight; that the clever man achieves his ends without violence; that a battle delayed is better than a battle fought.

I don't fight anybody anytime or anywhere.

Russia does not want confrontation of any kind. And we will not take part in any kind of 'holy alliance.'

Iraq will not allow any action on its soil that could harm the U.S. We don't want any action from our soil to target our neighbors.

I definitely prefer being a lover than a fighter.

It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from quarrel; but every fool will quarrel

We want no wars of conquest; we must avoid the temptation of territorial aggression.

Trade is the natural enemy of all violent passions. Trade loves moderation, delights in compromise, and is most careful to avoid anger. It is patient, supple, and insinuating, only resorting to extreme measures in cases of absolute necessity.

We seek friendly relations with all nations. Any nation can be our friend without being any other nation's enemy.

The most fundamental paradox is that if we're never to use force, we must be prepared to use it and to use it successfully. We Americans don't want war and we don't start fights. We don't maintain a strong military force to conquer or coerce others. The purpose of our military is simple and straightforward: we want to prevent war.

We ought so to behave to one another as to avoid making enemies of our friends, and at the same time to make friends of our enemies.

Weapons are not proper instruments for gentle people; they use them only when they have no other choice. Peace and quiet are what they value. They do not glory in victory.

My go-to default is to try to be nice, which I feel does less harm in the long run than trying to be, say, assertive. If I am nice and maybe too passive, I find that easier to live with.

Mutual cowardice keeps us in peace.

... peace is a militant thing ... any peace movement must have behind it a higher passion than the desire for war. No one can be a pacifist without being ready to fight for peace and die for peace.

Having a spine is overrated. If everybody squealed and ran away, there'd be no more wars.

India wants to avoid a war at all costs but it is not a one-sided affair, you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.

Perhaps I'm missing the gene for making enemies.

War is an ill thing, as I surely know. But 'twould be an ill world for weaponless dreamers if evil men were not now and then slain.

If thou art of elephant-strength or of lion-claw, still peace is, in my opinion, better than strife.

You are keeping the possibility [of peace] open. No wise leader would do anything less

The only thing for a pacifist to do is to find a substitute for war.

You don't fight for peace sister,' Nahara told me, 'You embrace it.