re: #21 SnowdenBaggerVance

The strength of a civilization is not measured by its ability to fight wars, but rather by its ability to prevent them.

Though the ability to prevent war tends to be dependent (ok, not solely) on the ability to fight wars if necessary.

“Si vis pacem, para bellum”
“If you desire peace, prepare for war”
(Though I would add “But don’t actually start one - unless you really, really, really have to” as the Iraq debacle among too many others proves)