“Our actual enemy is not any force exterior to ourselves, but our own crying weaknesses, our cowardice, our selfishness, our hypocrisy, our purblind sentimentalism.”

as well as at the higher levels of military command
Source: 2000s, Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World (2002), p. 196

2000s, 2002, State of the Union address (January 2002)
Context: During these last few months, I've been humbled and privileged to see the true character of this country in a time of testing. Our enemies believed America was weak and materialistic, that we would splinter in fear and selfishness. They were as wrong as they are evil.

An interview with the website Beliefnet.com http://www.beliefnet.com/story/213/story_21312_1.html. Reported also by Boston Globe, March 5, 2007. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/03/05/edwards_jesus_would_be_appalled/

Source: 2000s, Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World (2002), p. 196

Twilight of the Idols (1888)
Context: How is freedom measured, in individuals as in nations? By the resistance which must be overcome, by the effort [Mühe] it costs to remain on top. The highest type of free men should be sought where the highest resistance is constantly overcome: five steps from tyranny, close to the threshold of the danger of servitude. This is true psychologically if by "tyrants" are meant inexorable and dreadful instincts that provoke the maximum of authority and discipline against themselves — most beautiful type: Julius Caesar —; this is true politically too; one need only go through history. The nations which were worth something, became worth something, never became so under liberal institutions: it was great danger that made something of them that merits respect. Danger alone acquaints us with our own resources, our virtues, our armor and weapons, our spirit — and forces us to be strong...

Part III, Section XII
Christian Morals (first pub. post. 1716)

Source: Faith vs. Fact (2015), p. 171