Whenever America sends its citizens into harm's way, it must do so with eyes wide open.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of being fully aware of the consequences before sending military personnel into dangerous situations.
John McCain's quote underscores the moral and ethical responsibility of leaders when they make decisions that put citizens, especially military personnel, in harm's way. It serves as a reminder that such decisions should not be taken lightly and require careful consideration, awareness of risks, and a genuine understanding of the implications these actions entail for the individuals and the nation as a whole.
In practice
In a speech advocating for military intervention, one could reference this quote to emphasize the need for careful decision-making.
Giap was a master of logistics, but his reputation rests on more than that. His victories were achieved by a patient strategy that he and Ho Chi Minh were convinced would succeed - an unwavering resolve to suffer immense casualties and the near total destruction of their country to defeat any adversary, no matter how powerful.
For decades we have been living lives of abundance, with little regard for our natural resources or global health. But we are now facing hard choices in our energy policy. Future generations - my children and grandchildren, along with yours - will have to live with the decisions we make today. And so it is time for us to make some tough and - hopefully - smart choices regarding our energy use and production before it is too late.
We need a free press. We must have it. It's vital.
I appreciate our government's determination to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the Bytyqi brothers, which Serbia's Interior Minister has rightly called 'an exceptionally serious crime,' and hope the Serbian government's pledge of full cooperation... is matched by a final accounting of their murder.
What is most troubling about Mr. Putin's aggression in Crimea is that it reflects a growing disregard for America's credibility in the world. That has emboldened other aggressive actors - from Chinese nationalists to Al Qaeda terrorists and Iranian theocrats.
For Mr. Putin, vacillation invites aggression. His world is a brutish, cynical place, where power is worshiped, weakness is despised, and all rivalries are zero-sum.
Great teams argue. Not in a mean-spirited or personal way, but they disagree when important decisions are made.
To grasp and hold a vision, that is the very essence of successful leadership-not only on the movie set where I learned it, but everywhere.
At least there's a political input, but when you put on the robe, at that point the politics is over.
In the past the man has been first; in the future the system must be first... The first object of any good system must be that of developing first class men.
It is important that an aim never be defined in terms of activity or methods. It must always relate directly to how life is better for everyone. . . . The aim of the system must be clear to everyone in the system. The aim must include plans for the future. The aim is a value judgment.
For Texas, a wise and prudent administration in the commencement of her national existence will be universally expected, imposing upon me the difficult and delicate task of setting in complete and successful operation a political body based upon principles so hazardously asserted and so gloriously maintained.
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