Legitimacy: If you win, you are legitimate. Power creates support.

Justice: Rule of Law. When you control the population, you say what is legal and what is not. All Governments exercise legitimate power via the rule of law.

Respect: If you have a monopoly on lethal force, you get respect, because folks fear you.

Hope: Deny the enemy hope and they'll give up!

Saddam Hussein was the Legitimate ruler of Iraq. The Taliban were the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan. The people who thought otherwise were their political opponents. Legitimacy and legality are an entirely political and thus subjective construct.

Anyone want to say that the regime in Saudi Arabia is not legitimate or legal?