• panda_abyss@lemmy.ca
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    7 hours ago

    If you go by Sun Tzu he has done literally everything wrong.

    If you want your enemy to acquiesce you give them an out, but instead they’re pushing them against a wall, which only strengthens your enemies resolve since there’s no other option.

    That’s why Obama’s nuclear deal was working. But these apes in the Trump admin don’t understand, they only understand “bug smash” levels of reasoning.

    I did like when he said they were so “successful” at trying to force regime change they killed every option they felt was agreeable. Great, you’ve successfully started a forever war instead of the quick regime change you wanted. Success!

    • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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      5 hours ago

      We joke about Sun Tzu’s advice being obvious, but it’s the advice that an emotionally driven narcissistic nepo baby needs, because that’s who historically has been in charge of militaries. Anyone who understands people knows that cornered people don’t surrender unless the risk benefit feels worth it, but people who don’t understand other people’s mindsets and are focused on glory/conquest are going to think that you can bomb a regime into peaceful surrender and that they’ll gladly give up their leaders. No, you make moderates into combatants like that.

      Iran was having mass protests for liberalization. We could have been the heroes offering an out to the leaders and helping establish a liberal republic giving favorable deals. Make Iran into an ally for less money than war. But no, that’s not a dick measuring contest that shows how tough they are and so now a bunch of children will die and Iran will continue to hate us for good reason.

      • frongt@lemmy.zip
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        4 hours ago

        The Art of War was literally written for fuckass nobles with zero common sense.

        • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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          3 hours ago

          Do you have any better ideas on who to make generals? /s

          But yeah, facials nobles, bloodthirsty morons, dick measuring dipshits, and anyone who thinks the fact that they have power means they’re good at things are the exact audiences of the book. That’s also why it blew American businesspeople’s minds.