---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The purpose of any military is to kill…"
description: "\"The purpose of any military is to kill people and break things. It's not to advance anybody's social agenda. It's not a laboratory for the left's socia..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/rush-limbaugh-28_book_the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-p_1545484.jpg"
---

#  The purpose of any military is to kill people and break…

![“The purpose of any military is to kill people and break things. It's not to advance anybody's social agenda. It's not a laboratory for the left's social ideas or playgrounds. It is to kill people and break things, and the second rule is that the aggressor in any conflict sets the rules. And if…” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/rush-limbaugh-28_book_the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-p_1545484.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/rush-limbaugh-28_book_the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-p_1545484.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/rush-limbaugh-28_book_the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-p_1545484.jpg)

> “The purpose of any military is to kill people and break things. It's not to advance anybody's social agenda. It's not a laboratory for the left's social ideas or playgrounds. It is to kill people and break things, and the second rule is that the aggressor in any conflict sets the rules. And if they violate an existing rule book, then so be it. The aggressor sets the rules, and right now, Putin is setting the rules.”

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The statement argues that the primary function of the military is destructive, not social engineering, and that the aggressor dictates the rules of conflict, exemplified by Putin's actions.

**In simple terms:** Military exists to kill and break; aggressor sets rules, as shown by Putin.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the power dynamics in warfare.

Themes

military conflict aggression politics

Mood

critical analytical

Type

political strategic

When to use this quote

- war planning
- policy analysis
- international relations
- defense strategy

Key Concepts

realism power theory

Questions to Reflect On

- Who truly controls war rules?
- What are the moral limits of military objectives?

A Different Perspective

Ignoring humanitarian concerns can legitimize violence.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Laboratory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laboratory/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/)

## Related quotes

> [The military is not a social experiment. The purpose of the military is kill people and break things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/the-military-is-not-a-social-experiment-the-purpose-of-the-military-2/)

[Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/)

> [The military is not a social experiment. The purpose of the military is kill people and break things. It's not to transform the culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/the-military-is-not-a-social-experiment-the-purpose-of-the-military/)

[Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/)

> [“Some people don’t think that women in the military can kill if they get into a fight. I think we can. All the general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-king/some-people-don-t-think-that-women-in-the-military-can-kill-if-they/)

[Bart King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-king/)

> [“In America's 'nonlinear war', with no frontline or clear political or territorial goals, the number of enemy killed apparently revealed who was 'winning'. 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ham/in-america-s-nonlinear-war-with-no-frontline-or-clear-political-or/)

[Paul Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ham/)

> [The purpose of our military is to field the finest troops possible to defend our nation and win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-schlafly/the-purpose-of-our-military-is-to-field-the-finest-troops-possible-to/)

[Phyllis Schlafly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-schlafly/)

> [Thus far the chief purpose of our military establishment has been to win wars. From now on its chief purpose must be to avert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-brodie/thus-far-the-chief-purpose-of-our-military-establishment-has-been-to/)

Bernard Brodie

> [The most fundamental paradox is that if we're never to use force, we must be prepared to use it and to use it successfully.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-most-fundamental-paradox-is-that-if-we-re-never-to-use-force-we-2/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The most fundamental paradox is that, if we're never to use force, we must be prepared to use it and to use it successfully.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-most-fundamental-paradox-is-that-if-we-re-never-to-use-force-we/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Any time you use military force, you have got to have a clear purpose that military forces can achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/any-time-you-use-military-force-you-have-got-to-have-a-clear-purpose/)

[Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/)

> [The purpose of the military is to close with and destroy the enemy on behalf of our national security priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/the-purpose-of-the-military-is-to-close-with-and-destroy-the-enemy-on/)

[Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/)

> [If one cannot state a matter clearly enough so that even an intelligent twelve-year-old can understand it, one should remain within the cloistered walls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/if-one-cannot-state-a-matter-clearly-enough-so-that-even-an/)

[Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/)

> [Certainly in the United States, you have a constituency in the form of the weapons laboratories, and you also have the branches of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/certainly-in-the-united-states-you-have-a-constituency-in-the-form-of/)

[John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/)

> [We cannot predict the new forces, powers, and discoveries that will be disclosed to us when we reach the other planets and set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/we-cannot-predict-the-new-forces-powers-and-discoveries-that-will-be/)

[Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/)

> [(Japanese Government believes that if you have a big laboratory with all the latest equipment and good funding it will automatically lead to creativity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/japanese-government-believes-that-if-you-have-a-big-laboratory-with/)

[Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/)

> [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/)

[Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/)

## More by Rush Limbaugh

> [You can criticize Trump and his wealth all day long, but you can't say he hasn't worked. You can say that about the Clintons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-can-criticize-trump-and-his-wealth-all-day-long-but-you-can-t-say/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [ I guarantee you \[Hillary Clinton\] is smoking in humiliation over the idea that she needs to heal and that \[Donald\] Trump's the guy to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-guarantee-you-hillary-clinton-is-smoking-in-humiliation-over-the/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [ The real leadership of the opposition is never, ever gonna do anything but continue to ramp up efforts to stop \[Donald\] Trump or destroy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-real-leadership-of-the-opposition-is-never-ever-gonna-do-anything/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I can't see the Democrats working with Donald Trump on tax reform unless the rich get soaked. The thing about this that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-can-t-see-the-democrats-working-with-donald-trump-on-tax-reform/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Once you convince people that they're victims, you really own them because you've just told them that whatever problems they have in life, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/once-you-convince-people-that-they-re-victims-you-really-own-them/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [People from all over the world came to America and assimilated into a single culture rooted in the founding, which is rooted in individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/people-from-all-over-the-world-came-to-america-and-assimilated-into-a/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [The left wants to transform America away from founding ideals, and this is it. And they know it. And they're doing everything they, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-left-wants-to-transform-america-away-from-founding-ideals-and/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [There is an all-out assault now on the Christian community in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-is-an-all-out-assault-now-on-the-christian-community-in-this/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [ Four states where \[Democrats\] have the governorship and both houses of the legislature. That's it. They have lost seats. They are not gonna win… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/four-states-where-democrats-have-the-governorship-and-both-houses-of/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

[Explore all 2,819 Rush Limbaugh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

## More Book quotes

> [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/)

[Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/)

[Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/)

> [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/)

[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/)

> [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/)

[Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/)

> [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/)

[Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/)

> [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/)

[Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/)

> [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/)

[Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/)

> [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/)

[Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/)

[Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The purpose of any military is to kill people and break things. It's not to advance anybody's social agenda. It's not a laboratory for the left's social ideas or playgrounds. It is to kill people and break things, and the second rule is that the aggressor in any conflict sets the rules. And if they violate an existing rule book, then so be it. The aggressor sets the rules, and right now, Putin is setting the rules.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rush Limbaugh"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-people-and-break-things-it-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Book"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-people-and-break-things-it-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/rush-limbaugh-28_book_the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-p_1545484.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/rush-limbaugh-28_book_the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-p_1545484.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/rush-limbaugh-28_book_the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-p_1545484.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The purpose of any military is to kill people and break things. It's not to advance anybody's social agenda…” — Rush Limbaugh",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Rush Limbaugh",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The purpose of any military is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-people-and-break-things-it-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-purpose-of-any-military-is-to-kill-people-and-break-things-it-s/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
