from Sun Tzu

The purpose of going to war is to win. When conflict drags on, blades go blunt and morale slumps. Sieges in particular deplete the army’s strength. A lengthy campaign on foreign soil drains the nation of its wealth.

Blunted weapons, demoralized men, depleted strength and exhausted supplies are vulnerabilities that foreign princes will prey on. By that point it is too late to remedy the situation, even with support from the most astute of advisers.

Military history offers various examples of blundering haste, but none of a campaign that was “cleverly prolonged.” No state has ever profited from protracted war.

A commander who does not fully comprehend the harm that results from taking military action, cannot properly understand the advantages to be gained by taking military action.