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All original content posted in this blog is also Copyrighted © 2007 by Steve Amoia.
Yesterday at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa, Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama provided his plan for troop withdrawal from Iraq.
“The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq’s leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops,” Mr. Obama said. ‘Not in six months or one year — now.’
In his address, Mr. Obama proposed removing American combat troops at a pace of one or two brigades a month, which is about twice as fast as American commanders in Iraq have deemed prudent. There are currently about 20 combat brigades in Iraq, which General Petraeus has committed to reducing to 15 next summer.
Under the Obama plan, no more than 10 brigades would be in Iraq at that point. Military experts who supported the administration’s ’surge’ strategy called the troop levels proposed by Mr. Obama insufficient.” (1)
In Chapter XIV, entitled, “That Which Concerns A Prince On The Subject Of The Art Of War,” Machiavelli describes a few key characteristics that a Prince (in this case our Commander-in-Chief) should understand about The Art of War.
“Debbe dunque uno principe non avere altro obietto né altro pensiero né prendere cosa alcuna per sua arte, fuora della guerra e ordini e disciplina di essa: perché quella è sola arte che si aspetta a chi comanda, ed è di tanta virtù che non solamente mantiene quelli che sono nati principi, ma molte volte fa gli uomini di privata fortuna salire a quello grado.”
“A Prince should not have another objective or thought or take something else for his Art (profession), outside of war and its rules and discipline: Because that is the only art that awaits those who command, and it is of such virtue not only for those born Princes, but many times it brings fortune to private men to rise up to that level.”
“A quanto allo esercizio della mente, debbe el principe leggere le istorie e in quelle considerare le azioni delli uomini eccellenti, vedere come si sono governati nelle guerre, esaminare le cagioni delle vittorie e perdite loro, per potere queste fuggire e quelle imitare; e soprattutto fare come ha fatto per lo addreto qualche uomo eccellente che ha preso a imitare se alcuno, innanzi a lui, è stato laudato e gloriato, e di quello ha tenuto sempre e’ gesti e azioni appresso di sé.”
“So as to exercise the mind, the Prince ought to read the histories and in those, consider the actions of the excellent (notable) men, to see how they managed the wars, to examine the reasons for their victories and defeats, to be able to know what to avoid and what to copy. And above all to do as the notable man has done. To imitate someone, before his time, who was lauded and glorified, and whose actions and deeds were always held close to him.”
Source: “Il Principe,” Biblioteca Italiana: Universita degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza,” XIV.
The Prince, Chapter XIV, translated by Steve Amoia.
Reference
(1) “Obama Offers Most Extensive Plan Yet For Winding Down War,” New York Times, 13 September 2007, by Jeff Zeleny and Michael Gordon.
Copyright © 2007 by Steve Amoia.
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