Submitted by GaryGagliardi on
There is a difference between the controlled spaces within organizations and the chaotic regions between them. For both businesses and states, systems that work within do not work without. Living within a society of laws, we mistakenly think that people can always come to agreements without the use of force. But Sun Tzu's strategy teaches that agreement is impossible outside of a framework of shared values and goals. At the very least, opponents must share our fear of loss. This is why Fredrick the Great said, "Diplomacy without arms is like music without instruments."
When it comes, for example, to Iran, all the presidential candidate understand that they must make the threat of war believable if they are to avoid war over Iran getting nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, it is difficult for Democratic candidates to say this clearly because a part of the Democratic base has cast America into the role of the "aggressor" rather than as an historic "defender." Countries such as Iran are reflexively portray as victims of American "aggression," because too many think that the space between countries is somehow controlled. The truth is that countries such as Palestine, Israel (both via Hamas), Lebanon (via Hezbullah), and Iraq are being attacked by Iran on a regular basis using their terrorist proxies. Expect those attacks to continue and spread until Iran comes to believe they will pay a price.