Ralph Peters: Quotes about people

Ralph Peters is American military officer, writer, pundit. Explore interesting quotes on people.
Ralph Peters: 36   quotes 0   likes

“The message of Vietnam is not that Americans will not take casualties; it is that the American people do not want the lives of their sons and daughters wasted.”

Ralph Peters

Source: 2000s, Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World (2002), p. 287

People , Daughters

“We have moved from an age in which government leaders sought to do what was best for the people to one in which the political leadership is convinced it knows what is best for the people, whether they like it or not.”

Ralph Peters

Source: 2000s, Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World (2002), p. 133

People , Age

“We [the U. S. ] think nothing…of attempting to inflict upon other peoples forms of government ill-tailored to their needs.”

Ralph Peters

Source: 2000s, Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World (2002), p. 218

People , Thinking

“At our worst in the Middle East, we unreservedly supported—or enthroned—medieval despots who suppressed popular liberation efforts, thus driving moderate dissidents into the arms of fanatics. From our diplomatic personnel held hostage in Iran a generation ago, to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States, we have suffered for our support of repressive "stable" regimes that radicalized their own impoverished citizens. In the interests of stability, we looked the other way while secret police tortured and shabby armies massacred their own people, from Iran to Guatemala. But the shah always falls. Would that we could tattoo that on the back of every diplomat's hand: The shah always falls.”

Ralph Peters

Source: 2000s, Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World (2002), p. 174: originally published as "Stability, America's Enemy" in Parameters, Winter 2001-02

People , Secret , Way , Support