From: "William F. Zachmann" 

The principle is correct, Thees, even though it's relation to Communism is
as tenuous as it is non-essential.  Major changes in social/political
alignments, historically, come from (or, at any rate, are effectively
mediated by), military superiority.  That may very well have social,
political, philosophical, religious, moral, spiritual, or whatever aspects,
but all of the above, more often than not, also need military advantage.
Muslims understand that quite well, as even a quite superficial study of
Islamic history clearly shows.  Cultures (in the broadest possible sense)
unable to achieve military success do not very often leave much behind. 
And when cultures do have influence despite contemporary military weakness,
that influence is generally founded on prior military successes (e.g. the
Greeks after Roman dominion was established; Islamic culture after the
Mongol conquests; and so forth).

All the best,

will

"Thees Peereboom"  wrote in message
news:cvl17v8fcp6m3e4a81555mejpg4rj5h6ef{at}4ax.com...
> Will,
>
> It's quite obvious why one would cite from such a succesfull concept
> as communism.
>
> - Thees Peereboom
>
> On Thu, 13 Mar 2003 13:20:06 -0500, "William F. Zachmann"
>  wrote:
>
> >Depends on the relative retaliatory capacities of the participants.  As
an
> >old Chinese philosopher once said [reaching for my 1966 first edition
copy
> >of his 'little red book']:
> >
> >Every Communist must grasp the truth, "Political power grows out of the
> >barrel of a gun."
> >
> >
> >  "Problems of War and Strategy" (November 6, 1938),
Selected Works,
Vol.
> >II, p. 224.
> >Mao understood that quite well.  So (luckily) does President Bush.  And
Tony
> >Blair does, too.  Can't say as much for the French.
> >
> >All the best,
> >
> >will
> >
> >"Adam Flinton"  wrote in message
> >news:3e703a34$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> >> & then others get even back & you get even back again
& then others get
> >even
> >> back again &  the circle repeats.
> >>
> >>
> >> Adam
> >>
> >> "William F. Zachmann"
 wrote in message
> >> news:3e6fc782$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> >> > We don't get mad, Phil.  We get even.  Get used to it.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "Phil Payne" 
wrote in message
> >> > news:3E6E4DF8.F849C266{at}isham-research.com...
> >> > > http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/03/10/congress.france.ap/
> >> > >
> >> > > "Despite plenty of criticism of France's
resistance to U.S.
military
> >> > action
> >> > > in Iraq, Congress so far has done little to move legislation
punishing
> >> the
> >> > > country for its anti-war stance."
> >> > >
> >> > > PUNISHING?!?
> >> > >
> >> > > --
> >> > >   Phil Payne
> >> > >   http://www.isham-research.com
> >> > >   +44 7785 302 803
> >> > >   +49 173 6242039
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
>

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