--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want an expert on war, you get a…" description: "\"If you want an expert on war, you get a retired general. I'm not exactly a general, but I am retired.\" — Sydney Biddle Barrows" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d47/sydney-biddle-barrows-38042_experience_if-you-want-an-expert-on-war-you-get-a-r_1356501.png" --- # If you want an expert on war, you get a retired general… ![“If you want an expert on war, you get a retired general. I'm not exactly a general, but I am retired.” quote by Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d47/sydney-biddle-barrows-38042_experience_if-you-want-an-expert-on-war-you-get-a-r_1356501.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d47/sydney-biddle-barrows-38042_experience_if-you-want-an-expert-on-war-you-get-a-r_1356501.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d47/sydney-biddle-barrows-38042_experience_if-you-want-an-expert-on-war-you-get-a-r_1356501.png) > “If you want an expert on war, you get a retired general. I'm not exactly a general, but I am retired.” [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expertise often comes from experience, but retirement doesn't guarantee insight. **In simple terms:** Retired people may lack current relevance. Key Takeaway Seek current experts, not just former ones. Themes experience expertise relevance Mood skeptical thoughtful Type advisory critical When to use this quote - policy analysis - historical research - consulting Key Concepts military leadership knowledge Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify current relevance of a retired expert? - When is fresh perspective more valuable? A Different Perspective Retired experts may be out of touch with modern contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Experts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experts/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Television news](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-news/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I am convinced that the best service a retired general can perform is to turn in his tongue along with his suit and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-n-bradley/i-am-convinced-that-the-best-service-a-retired-general-can-perform-is/) [Omar N. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-n-bradley/) > [I believe - though I may be wrong, because I'm no expert - that this war is about what most wars are about: hegemony,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-believe-though-i-may-be-wrong-because-i-m-no-expert-that-this-war/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [“Great American thinker and philosopher Earl Nightingale said, “If you spend one extra hour each day in the study of your chosen field, you’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-beale/great-american-thinker-and-philosopher-earl-nightingale-said-if-you/) [Abby Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-beale/) > [Read every book, blog, website, whatever, about what you want to be an expert in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/read-every-book-blog-website-whatever-about-what-you-want-to-be-an/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [I want to be an expert in different fighting styles, new training methods, new ways of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/i-want-to-be-an-expert-in-different-fighting-styles-new-training/) [Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/) > [Do you want to be an expert, or a master salesperson? You can only choose one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eben-pagan/do-you-want-to-be-an-expert-or-a-master-salesperson-you-can-only/) [Eben Pagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eben-pagan/) > [If you want to become good at something, do it as often as possible. If you want to become an expert at it, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ringer/if-you-want-to-become-good-at-something-do-it-as-often-as-possible-if/) [Robert Ringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ringer/) > [I love breaking news. And I was always trying to create the new, the next thing in television news. So I was the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoey-tur/i-love-breaking-news-and-i-was-always-trying-to-create-the-new-the/) [Zoey Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoey-tur/) > [We are seeing every night on the television news now a nature hike through the Book of Revelation. These climate-related extreme weather events have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/we-are-seeing-every-night-on-the-television-news-now-a-nature-hike/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I don't watch television news and, so, whatever I know is from online snippets released by various channels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkha-dutt/i-don-t-watch-television-news-and-so-whatever-i-know-is-from-online/) [Barkha Dutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkha-dutt/) > [I think a lot of people in television news look at the cable networks with great envy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-wallace/i-think-a-lot-of-people-in-television-news-look-at-the-cable-networks/) Chris Wallace > [There is no reason to confuse television news with journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/there-is-no-reason-to-confuse-television-news-with-journalism/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [The news media's silence, particularly television news, is reprehensible. If we knew as much about Darfur as we do about Michael Jackson, we might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-news-media-s-silence-particularly-television-news-is/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [I want you to know that, despite what you might read at times in the newspapers or see on the television news, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cellucci/i-want-you-to-know-that-despite-what-you-might-read-at-times-in-the/) [Paul Cellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cellucci/) > [Prejudice against womenis many, many times intensified against older women. You are viewed not as an intellect but as a body… Astonishingly, even women's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elinor-guggenheimer/prejudice-against-womenis-many-many-times-intensified-against-older/) Elinor Guggenheimer ## More by Sydney Biddle Barrows > [I may be good for nothing, but I'm never bad for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/i-may-be-good-for-nothing-but-i-m-never-bad-for-nothing/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [“George Burns tells a wonderful story about the one time in his life (so he says) he cheated on his beloved Gracie. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/george-burns-tells-a-wonderful-story-about-the-one-time-in-his-life/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [Never say anything on the phone that you wouldn't want your mother to hear at your trial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/never-say-anything-on-the-phone-that-you-wouldn-t-want-your-mother-to/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [society has no qualms about a masseuse who is paid for touching people, or about laborers, or professional athletes or dancers, all of whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/society-has-no-qualms-about-a-masseuse-who-is-paid-for-touching/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [a call girl is simply someone who hates poverty more than she hates sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/a-call-girl-is-simply-someone-who-hates-poverty-more-than-she-hates/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [I was naughty. I wasn't bad. Bad is hurting people, doing evil. Naughty is not hurting anyone. Naughty is being amusing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/i-was-naughty-i-wasn-t-bad-bad-is-hurting-people-doing-evil-naughty/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [sex is a commodity just like anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/sex-is-a-commodity-just-like-anything-else/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [I ran the wrong kind of business, but I did it with integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/i-ran-the-wrong-kind-of-business-but-i-did-it-with-integrity/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [“We all know food is not just food. It’s thoughtfulness, generosity, and, yes, love. It’s a way of showing that you care for him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/we-all-know-food-is-not-just-food-it-s-thoughtfulness-generosity-and/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [The more you act like a lady, the more he'll act like a gentleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/the-more-you-act-like-a-lady-the-more-he-ll-act-like-a-gentleman/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [“Never say anything on the phone that you wouldn't want your mother in law to hear at your trial”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/never-say-anything-on-the-phone-that-you-wouldn-t-want-your-mother-in/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) [Explore all 12 Sydney Biddle Barrows quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) Michael Bugeja > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want an expert on war, you get a retired general. 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