wm; the big problem with si vis pacem para bellum is that those who use the quote the most fail to see when enough is enough.
Recently I blogged about the power balance between the Russians and the EU; the Russians are inferior in conventional military strength (and very much so in their Western Military District; massing a couple ten thousand troops was treated as a huge deal in the media, but that's about all they're actually capable of in the short term!).
Such facts don't help, though: There are gazillions of "Europeans cannot fight their way out of a wet paper bag" blokes around.
You've never prepared enough in their world. It's always more, more, more - because they have no concept of how much is right - they always think "more" is right.
By the way;
"„Qui desiderat pacem, bellum praeparat“
Renatus in de Re militarii, generations before Vegetius.
I think we are in violent agreement except for your "By the way." As far as I know, Renatus and Vegetius are the same guy, namely Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus. What are your sources for a different guy "generations before Vegetius"?
Vir prudens non contra ventum mingit
The greatest educational dogma is also its greatest fallacy: the belief that what must be learned can necessarily be taught. — Sydney J. Harris
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