David Ignatius Quotes

It takes more than a trained army … it takes an institutionalized army.

One doesn't become a soldier in a week - it takes training, study and discipline. There is no question that the finest Army in the world is found in the United States.

But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism.

We're in danger of breaking our army and preventing our national leaders from having the flexibility to confront not just Iraq and Afghanistan, but crises around the globe.

I think with the Romans, that the general of today should be a soldier tomorrow if necessary.

Do not form your judgment about our military doctrine from the assessments given by NATO representatives.

When you talk about aiding this country against that country or about fighting terrorism, when you actually take that decision and strip it down, it always comes down to one person in the field giving specialized training to somebody else in the field.

Our modern states are preparing for war without even knowing the future enemy.

The United States will do whatever we have to do to protect our forces.

I believe there should be no arbitrary date set for withdrawal and yet no permanent, unending deployment. No cut and run, yet measured progress in helping a people who want to be free without an illusion of overnight success.

My father had risen in the British Army under the revolutionary aegis of General Montgomery, who was mad about training for battle, not muddling into disaster.

Any Congressional agreement of an arbitrary time table to bring our troops home before we have accomplished our mission is unacceptable and could potentially increase the risk to our soldiers.

I submit that those who run the American military at the top, and those whose boots are on the ground and who run the machinery and equipment, are sending a signal: You asked us to do something. Give us some time and we will solve the problems and we will do it.

Doing a residency in any particular city requires a large repertoire to ensure repeat business.

Without discipline, there is no Marine Corps.

Before they deploy, they train for the specific operations, but there is a danger that the Army is not retaining the core of its full capabilities.

The U.S. spent billions of dollars to build a secular, professional national Iraqi army but failed because, despite all the U.S.-supplied guns, tanks and planes, the Iraqi military fell apart when challenged by a band of terrorists.

Bush's war in Iraq has done untold damage to the United States. It has impaired our military power and undermined the morale of our armed forces. Our troops were trained to project overwhelming power. They were not trained for occupation duties.

In the army, we do two things every day. We train our soldiers, and then we grow them into leaders, because frankly, we don't hire out. We grow our own leaders.

And to do that not only for the war fighter, but also to help prepare the people in the acquisition, personnel and policy worlds who need to make adjustments in the department's business, which itself may take 10 or 15 years to accomplish.

As I have been saying for more than a year now, turning this vital mission over to the Iraqi people as soon as possible should remain a topic of debate for Congress while relying on our military commanders to set up the timetable.

Life is too short to permit of wasting any portion of it in discussion with…anyone whose conception of the underlying principles of military administration is so hazy that he can advocate such proposition seriously. A proposition of this kind would be regarded as remarkable if advanced by a state militiaman.

What's the point of having this superb military your always talking about if we can’t use it?

The People there are very Skilful in the use of Fire-Arms, being all their Lives accustom’d to shoot in the Woods. This, together with a little exercising would soon make the Militia little inferior to Regular Troops.

It is useless to try so frequently and unsuccessfully, attempt upon attempt, to instruct the great mass of people in the art of war