From Sun Tzu's "The Art of War":
There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns. In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain, while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous effects of a siege. Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.Quite good advice for the President. Too bad he won't listen. Update:
Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.Sounds familiar...