On Combat

What strategists should know about “human constants” in war:

• Wars place warriors into harm’s way with a mandate from society to use force against other men and women in pursuit of society’s objectives.
• The inevitable exposure to danger and the interplay of opposing forces give rise to a range of emotions including fear, doubt, anger, rage, and grief. These emotions inhibit clear thinking and rationality in the warrior’s actions
• The calibration of violence in war is fraught with inevitable problems due to play of emotions, incomplete information, and varied human reactions to the concentration of immense destructive power in the hands of individuals
• Effective performance in an environment of danger requires physical, emotional, moral preparation. Physical, emotional, or moral failings on the part of a commander can jeopardize the performance of many subordinates
• Exposure to danger and death erodes the warrior’s character, imposing a psychological toll on the warrior and society

Therefore:

This is why strategy is an art, as well as science