Quote by Daniel Ellsberg
““It was typical of U.S. strategists, then and later, to leave European, North African, and Asian casualties entirely out of account in weighing the deterrent balance. And I don’t know of any instance of a president or any civilian official raising this point. In retrospect, that’s a startling commentary.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Testimony before US Senate, 1971
Strategists often ignored civilian casualties when assessing deterrence, revealing moral blind spots.
In simple terms: Strategists ignored civilian deaths.
Key Takeaway
Consider human cost in policy.
Themes
war
ethics
policy
history
Mood
critical
somber
Type
analytical
inquisitive
When to use this quote
- military planning
- foreign policy debates
- human rights advocacy
Key Concepts
moral calculus
strategic oversight
Questions to Reflect On
- Why are civilian lives excluded from calculations?
- What ethical frameworks could change this?
A Different Perspective
Ignoring casualties can undermine legitimacy.
![“I think the level of casualties is secondary... [A]ll the great scholars who have studied American character have come to the conclusion that we are a warlike people and that we love war... What we hate is not casualties but losing.” quote by Michael A. Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/02f/michael-a-ledeen-52574_american-character_i-think-the-level-of-casualties-is-secon_841195.jpg)
