Three and a half centuries before Christ, the great Athenian orator Demosthenes chided the people of his city, soon to be conquered by Macedon, for following a day-to-day policy of expediency. His words are relevant to our own case:
Shame on you Athenians for not wishing to understand that in war one must not allow oneself to be at the command of the events. You Athenians are the strongest of all the Greeks in ships, cavalry, and revenue. But you don't make the best of them. You make war like a barbarian when he wrestles-if he suffers a blow, he immediately puts his hand to it. If he is struck again, he puts his hand there. But he has not the skill to evade his antagonist, nor does he think of parrying the blow. You likewise, if you hear that Philip has attacked the Chaeronea, you send help there. If he is at Thermopylae, you run there. If he turns aside, you follow him to right or left as if you were acting on his orders. Never a fixed plan, never any precautions. You wait for bad news before you act.
----except from Wedemeyer Reports! by Albert C. Wedemeyer
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