It was former US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld who said history had taught mankind that weakness is provocative — it entices people into doing things they otherwise would not do. His logic was that when people perceive weakness in a leader or state they are emboldened to act against them. 

Rumsfeld was, of course, arguing for the unjust invasion of Iraq by the US in search of those elusive weapons of mass destruction. But that’s not where I am going with this...

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