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Our worst enemy in the world – the one that seeks to destroy us – is very obviously a faith-based one. Christopher Hitchens, interview Hardball 8th April 2009
This belief in a supreme and unalterable tyranny is the oldest enemy of our species, our oldest enemy of our intellectual freedom and our moral autonomy. Christopher Hitchens v Frank Turek, ‘Does God Exist?’, debate Virginia Commonwealth University 9th September 2008
Fight the real enemy. Sinead O’Connor
Never offend an enemy in a small way. Gore Vidal, cited Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia, 2013
One persistent problem is that the enemy is hard to take seriously. It takes some talent to portray Greece, Guatemala, Laos, Nicaragua, or Grenada as a threat to our survival. Noam Chomsky, Deterring Democracy p91
That physical power was complimented by another vital asset. So as well as having significantly larger bodies Neanderthal had considerably larger brains. Making them a formidable enemy. Planet of the Apemen II: Battle For Earth, BBC 2011
The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends. Friedrich Nietzsche
The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy. Friedrich Nietzsche
To those human beings who are of any concern to me I wish suffering, desolation, sickness, ill-treatment, indignities — I wish that they should not remain unfamiliar with profound self-contempt, the torture of self-mistrust, the wretchedness of the vanquished: I have no pity for them, because I wish them the only thing that can prove today whether one is worth anything or not — that one endures. Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power
It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. J K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy. Socrates
Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak. Sun Tzu, The Art of War
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. ibid.
Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. ibid.
To know your enemy, you must become your enemy. ibid.
When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders. ibid.
Who wishes to fight must first count the cost. ibid.
Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots. ibid.
There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed. ibid.
There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited. ibid.
Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory. ibid.
All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. ibid.
Fear is the true enemy, the only enemy. Sun Tzu, attributions inc Star Trek: The Next Generation
He taught me in this room, he taught me keep your friends close but your enemies closer. The Godfather II 1974 starring Robert De Niro & Al Pacino & Robert Duvall & Diane Keaton & Talia Shire & Morgana King & John Cazale & Marianna Hill & Lee Strasberg et al, director Francis Ford Coppola, Michael
Under no circumstances are you to engage the enemy. Rambo: First Blood Part II 1985 starring Sylvester Stallone & Richard Crenna & Charles Napier & Steven Berkoff & Julia Nickson & Martin Kove & Andy Wood et al, director George P Cosmatos, Murdock
Volksfront’s enemies span a wide spectrum including most minorities and anyone who doesn’t agree with their views. Gangland: Skinhead Assault, History 2009
Mr Poirot, I’m a rich man. Naturally, men in my position have enemies. Murder on the Orient Express 1974 starring Albert Finney & Lauren Bacall & Martin Balsam & Ingrid Bergman & Jacqueline Bisset & Sean Connery & John Gielgud & Wendy Hiller & Anthony Perkins & Venessa Redgrave & Richard Widmark & Michael York et al, director Sidney Lumet
It will most likely make your enemy stronger. Body of Lies 2008 starring Leonardo DiCaprio & Russell Crowe & Mark Strong & Golshifteh Farahani & Vince Colosimo & Oscar Isaac & Ali Suliman & Alon Aboutboul et al, director Ridley Scott, Crowe
When you can’t tell your friends from your enemies, it’s time to go. Quantum of Solace 2008 starring Daniel Craig & Olga Kurylenko & Judi Dench & Mathieu Amalric & Giancarlo Giannini & Gemma Arterton & Jeffrey Wright & Anatole Taubman & Jesper Christensen & Rory Kinnear et al, director Marc Forster, M
You are the enemy. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s2e1: The Homecoming, Odo to Quark
Gul Dukat: A true victory is to make your enemy see they were wrong to oppose you in the first place. To force them to acknowledge your greatness.
Weyoun: And then kill them.
Gul Dukat: Only if it’s necessary. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s6e6: Sacrifice of Angels II
Sisko to all hands, prepare to engage the enemy. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s7e25: What You Leave Behind I, call to arms
Lesson #1: Empathise with your enemy: I don’t know quite what kind of a world we’ll live in after we’ve struck Cuba. Robert S McNamara, The Fog of War, McNamara to Kennedy, 2003
May God have mercy for my enemies because I won’t. George Patton
This is a quite awesome power: to label someone as an enemy. And by virtue of having labelled them as an enemy wipe them out without judicial process of any kind. Jameel Jaffer, American Civil Liberties Union
The enemy is anybody who’s going to get you killed, no matter which side he is on. Joseph Heller, Catch-22
The image of the enemy will grow proportionate to the size of the defence resulting in an over-reaction and accelerated spending of energies in a futile attempt to liquidate that fear which never seems to erode. Oliver Stone’s Untold History of the United States IV: The Cold War 1945-50, Showtime 2012
It’s a great gambit to tell the people you have an external enemy. The external enemy is terrorism. We have a war that will go on for centuries. Erica Jong, author Seducing the Demon
Let us move now from the practical how to the theoretical why: Why should we love our enemies? The first reason is fairly obvious. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. So when Jesus says ‘love your enemies’, he is setting forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition. Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies – or else? The chain reaction of evil – hate begeting hate, wars producing more wars – must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation. Martin Luther King