Those who figure out how to win before doing battle have the majority of advantageous plans, while those whose schemes prove to be failures even before battle have fewer advantageous plans. Those with many such plans win, those with few such plans lose; there is no need to even mention those with no such plans. When I view a situation in this way, it becomes evident who will win and who will lose.

Sun Tzu--The Art of War

-- Pinkrock (aphotonboy@aol.com), August 16, 1999

Answers

the art of war,like all chinese classics,should be read in as many different translations as possible.this will help you seperate the text from the interpretation.

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 16, 1999.

"The first casualty in a battle is the plan."

- a quote from either Napolean Buonaparte, or one of his generals.

-- Brian McLaughlin (brianm@ims.com), August 16, 1999.

More Tao stuff.

Wen Tzu

P. 140

Those who practice policies that make for survival will surely survive even if they are small, those who practice policies that made for destruction will surely perish even if they are large, Therefore skillful defense has nothing to do with resistance, and skillful warfare has nothing to do with battle. If you take advantage of the momentum of the times and accord with the wishes of the people, the work will follow.

-- Brian (imager@home.com), August 16, 1999.