14. “The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.”

15. “Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.” Delmar Topinio Taclibon October 17 A Diplomatic Genius and Not a Psychopath [Just on time, President Rodrigo “Digong” Roa Duterte advocated for Neutrality and established his intentions to galvanize Philippine diplomatic ties with Asian/ASEAN Nations including Russia. Asian Amity and Brotherhood with the People’s Republic of China is a genius strategy to evade being caught on a crossfire in her possible involvement in the impending War between the United States of America and Russia; a diplomatic ingenuity indeed.] -Dr. Delmar Topinio Taclibon, MBA, PhD.D.A. “Diplomacy is the art of telling people to GO to HELL in such a way that they ask for directions.” – Winston Churchill, U.K. Prime Minister during World War II and recipient of the 1953 Nobel Prize for Literature “To SAY NOTHING, especially when speaking, is half the art of diplomacy.” – Will Durant, author, philosopher and historian Salient Principles of the Art of War by Sun Tzu 1.“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” 2. “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” 3. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” 4. “Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” 5. “Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.” 6. “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win” 7. “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.” 8. “If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .” 9. “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity” 10. “Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate.” 11. “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.” 12 “There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.” 13. “Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: 1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. 2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. 3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. 4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. 5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.” 14. “The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.” 15. “Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.” 16. “Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.” 17. “When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.” 18. “When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.” 19. “There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavours than can ever be tasted.” 20. “So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.” 21. “To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” 22. “who wishes to fight must first count the cost” 23. “One may know how to conquer without being able to do it. ” 24. “Be extremely subtle even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.” 25. “What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.” 26. “He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.” 27. “Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.” 28. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.” 29. “Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.” 30. “Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.” Datuk Delmar Nur Faramarz Ferdowsi Salah Ad-Din.Topinio Taclibon, Bt., DKR, KRSS, BSCE, MBA, PhD.D.A. Image may contain: 2 people, text LikeShow more reactionsComment 2 2 Comments Oscar del Rosario Write a comment...