"I believe the military should be wary of diplomacy until war is declared; then the State Department should keep its nose out and let the military do whatever is necessary to win"
- Stuart Symington
About this Quote
This quote by Stuart Symington recommends that the armed force should take the lead in foreign policy choices till war is declared. When war is stated, the State Department need to go back and allow the military to take whatever actions are necessary to win. This indicates that the military must be the primary decision-maker in foreign policy matters, which the State Department need to not interfere in military operations. Symington's quote recommends that the armed force needs to be the primary star in foreign policy decisions, which the State Department should take a backseat function in times of war. This might be interpreted as a require a more aggressive diplomacy, with the military taking the lead in decision-making.
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