Sun Tzu, thought to have lived in the fifth century B.C., was the author of The Art of War, considered an indispensable handbook on the subject of war. Twenty-five centuries later, regarding the Iraq War:

From George W. Bush, June 17, 2004:

"The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and al Qaeda, is because there was a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda."

From Osama bin-Laden, September 7, 2007:

"[A]fter several years of the tragedies of this war, the vast majority of you want it stopped. Thus, you elected the Democratic Party for this purpose, but the Democrats haven't made a move worth mentioning. On the contrary, they continue to agree to the spending of tens of billions to continue the killing and war there, which has led to the vast majority of you being afflicted with disappointment."

From The Art of War, Part III (of XIII) "Attack By Stratagem," section 18, Sun Tzu said:

If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

While personally I find no "art" in war, perhaps our self-proclaimed "war-time president" should have spent more time reading Sun Tzu than My Pet Goat. Read more…