The political object is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and the means can never be considered in isolation form their purposes.
Carl von ClausewitzClose combat, man to man, is plainly to be regarded as the real basis of combat.
Carl von ClausewitzWe must evaluate the political sympathies of other states and the effect war may have on them. To assess these things in all their ramifications and diversity is plainly a colossal task. Rapid and correct appraisal of them clearly calls for the intuition of a genius; to master all this complex mass by sheer methodical examination is obviously impossible. Bonaparte was quite right when he said that Newton himself would quail before the algebraic problems it could pose.
Carl von Clausewitz