I'm a person who has always believed that you tell people the truth, and they'll make reasonable decisions. Truth is powerful.
John F. KerryRead
Where are they now that we, the men whom they sent off to war, have returned? These are commanders who have deserted their troops, and there is no more serious crime in the law of war. The Army says they never leave their wounded. The Marines say they never leave even their dead. These men have left all the casualties and retreated behind a pious shield of public rectitude. They have left the real stuff of their reputation bleaching behind them in the sun in this country.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques leaders who abandon their responsibilities and troops during times of war.
John F. Kerry's quote highlights the betrayal felt by soldiers who return from war to find their leaders have deserted them. It emphasizes the moral obligation leaders have to their troops, suggesting that abandoning them is not just a failure in leadership but a serious crime in the conduct of war, reflecting on the deep scars of abandonment and the tarnished reputations of those who should have stood by their men.
Themes
LeadershipWarResponsibility BetrayalMorality
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on military leadership, this quote underscores the importance of supporting troops.
More from John F. Kerry
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Here I am in the state of New Mexico. George Bush is still in the state of denial. New Mexico has five electoral votes. The state of denial has none. I like my chances.
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Democracy relies on free speech. Yes, say anything you want, but it relies even more on the speech being truthful. It is the truth, after all, that sets us free.
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War should be not a war of choice; it should be a war of necessity. And it should be a last resort.
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