strategic assessment Quotes

Judge your enemy based upon capabilities, not intent, you have to look at the enemy and really almost make a worst case call every time.

A good general not only sees the way to victory; he also knows when victory is impossible.

The CIA is just guessing about the progress of the Iraq War

General," said the commander of the delinquent brigade, "I am persuaded that any further display of valor by my troops will bring them into collision with the enemy.

The military capabilities of the United States need to be kept comfortably superior to those of present and potential enemies. But they should be measured relatively, against those enemies’ capabilities, and not against the limit of what is technologically possible or based on some vague urge to have more.

As part of any new leadership organization, you come in with a team. You come in to assess. You come in to rearrange.

You need to know exactly where you stand in a business at all times. Measure everything, because everything that is measured and watched improves.

He knew when to compromise. Yet he never compromised his principles. He was a militant. Yet a militant who knew how to plan, assess concrete situations and emerge with rational solutions to problems.

Judgment of eye, speed and attack are the basis of victory.

Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.

Experience is not the only point, judgment is. And once again, back in 2002, when we both [with Hillary Clinton] looked at the same evidence about the wisdom of the war in Iraq, one of us voted the right way and one of us didn't.

In the army, all combat officers are taught the "Estimate of the Situation": When you are faced with a problem - take that hill, or in business maybe grow your market share - the first thing you do is to make an analysis of your environment.

After the battle in Pharsalia, when Pompey was fled, one Nonius said they had seven eagles left still, and advised to try what they would do. "Your advice," said Cicero, "were good if we were to fight jackdaws.

Measurement is fabulous. Unless you're busy measuring what's easy to measure as opposed to what's important

He carefully studies the position that he intends to conquer.

Foreign policy simply cannot be judged by today's headlines that chalk up victories and defeats like so many box scores in the sports sections.

We must evaluate the political sympathies of other states and the effect war may have on them. To assess these things in all their ramifications and diversity is plainly a colossal task. Rapid and correct appraisal of them clearly calls for the intuition of a genius; to master all this complex mass by sheer methodical examination is obviously impossible. Bonaparte was quite right when he said that Newton himself would quail before the algebraic problems it could pose.

He however knows when the enemy is stronger.

Air power is the most difficult of military force to measure or even express in precise terms.

On reflection,’ Crake said to Frey, as they huddled behind an upturned table, ‘this wasn’t one of your better plans.

Strategy is all very well, but it pays to give thought from time to time to the results.

I do not see Japanese invasion of the Philippines as a probability because the hazards would be too great for the Japanese .... We know a great deal that the Japanese are not aware we know, and we are familiar with their plans to a certain extent ... .

I support such a review, ... But the reality is that we don't need the results of a strategic study to know that there are some pressing problems in our military that demand our attention and our assistance now.

Intelligence officers are supposed to put the facts on the table and really walk away from the policy discussion.

Chinese leaders are saying amongst themselves, according to the Chinese analysts who follow them most closely, that they believe Donald Trump is in the end making hollow threats, and they think that he would be easy to handle, is how one of them put it.