Generals aren't in the business of commenting on the correctness or incorrectness of the President's decisions. Anybody who thinks he should be able to do that ought to be fired on the spot.
Interpretation
Generals must support the President's decisions without publicly critiquing them.
This quote from Norman Schwarzkopf emphasizes the principle of military loyalty and discipline, indicating that generals are expected to follow the orders of the President without questioning them publicly. It reflects the importance of unity and respect for the chain of command within the military, as well as the responsibilities that come with leadership positions.
In practice
This quote can be used in a military briefing to remind officers of the importance of chain of command.
As far as Saddam Hussein being a great military strategist, he is neither a strategist, nor is he schooled in the operational arts, nor is he a tactician, nor is he a general, nor is he a soldier. Other than that, he's a great military man, I want you to know that.
All you have to do is hold your first soldier who is dying in your arms, and have that terribly futile feeling that I can't do anything about it... Then you understand the horror of war.
I am living proof that if you catch prostate cancer early, it can be reduced to a temporary inconvenience, and you can go back to a normal life.
Good generalship is a realization that... you've got to try and figure out how to accomplish your mission with a minimum loss of human life.
I'm not proud of killing, of being responsible for the death of a single person. I never will be.
The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.
The biggest obstacle that stalls leaders' growth is the human ego. When leaders start to think they know it all, they stop growing.
To me, a leader is someone who holds her- or himself accountable for finding potential in people and processes. And so what I think is really important is sustainability.
Civility is not a tactic or a sentiment. It is the determined choice of trust over cynicism, of community over chaos.
I hate letting my teammates down. I know I'm not going to make every shot. Sometimes I try to make the right play, and if it results in a loss, I feel awful. I don't feel awful because I have to answer questions about it. I feel awful in that locker room because I could have done something more to help my teammates win.
Polite and velvety leaders, who take care to avoid bruising others, are generally not as effective at forcing change.
A really great person is the person who makes every person feel great.
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