The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.
And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.
One defends when his strength is inadequate, he attacks when it is abundant.
The skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting.
To maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be impoverished.
Generally in war the best policy is to take a state intact; to ruin it is inferior to this.