"In general, the method for employing the military is this: Preserving the enemy's capital is best, destroying their capital second best. Preserving their army is best, destroying their army second best. . . . Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence. Thus the highest realization of warfare is to attack the enemy's plans, next to attack their alliances; next to attack their army; and the lowest is to attack their fortified cities. . . . Thus one who excels at employing the military subjugates other peoples armies without engaging in battle, captures other people's fortified cities without attacking them, and destroys other people's states without prolonged fighting. " - - Sun Tzu from The Art of War written over 2500 years ago Was all this part of a grand strategy playing to the the idiotic tendencies of Americans to spend on junk and borrow to the hilt, with politicians & merchants who would sell out their own grandmothers & who value everything in terms of its price ? -The flow of exports, artificially pegged currency, and massive purchases of Treasuries which they could dump tomorrow. Are the A-rab terrorists all too willing proxies to keep the country's attention focused on other greater threats ? Has a nation that's been around for centuries played a brilliant game against an impatient and short termed view youngster who has only been around a couple hundred years ? Have they manuvered to begin the start of the new China Century and gained victory with no cost in blood. Preposterous, I know ! The stuff of novels and James Bond movies (when they hadnt started to become politically correct). A crack pot notion, and I don't believe it. - - - - - It would have been absolutely brilliant though. Is anybody that smart ? Do we need a new 'whacked out theory' forum just to vent a little during these uncertain times ?
Sun Tzu the art of war is the most overrated/useless book ever. I read it in high school and honestly if you ever played any computer strategy game you would know everything that book says anyway. Most of the advice is like "put your archers on hills so that they can rain down upon your enemies and instill fear on them" Now this may have been groundbreaking for 6BC but for today it is common knowledge/useless. A much more useful(and sophisticated) book is the Prince by Machiavelli. I read it in high school too.
T'ai Kung's Six Secret Teachings and Three Strategies of Huang Shih-Kung are both very good in my most humble opinion.