Massad Ayoob
Old NFO shared with us a tale of aviators versus airmen, and reminded me a a story from Massad Ayoob, from years past.
The truncated (and flawed-from-memory) version is Mas was involved in a ‘war game’ style pistol competition; multiple assailants advancing on his position. Rather than advancing and engaging, he dug in, awaiting the ‘bad guys’ to make their advance, and come to their doom. The R.O. kept changing the rules, in an effort to get Mas to play the game: R.O. – “They have your daughter, Mas! Mas – “I can get another!” Eventually, his postgame analysis was he would have stealthily sneaked up on the assailants individually from the rear, and executed them, rather than engaging from the front and getting ‘killed’. (a la Major George Nonte?)
Mr. Ayoob’s (and Old NFO’s) point is CHEAT TO WIN!
Were not speaking of scholastic or business competition here, where people are expected to have rules of conduct and to act ethically. We’re speaking of survival!
If some street punk (or a bevvy of street punks) is attempting to relieve you your wallet by threatening you with your life, the Marquis of Queenbury Rules do not apply! ALL IS NOT FAIR IN WAR!
CHEAT TO WIN! Let the bad guys rail “That’s NOT fair!”, assuming they survive the encounter.
h/t Col. Jeff Cooper
Yep, when your butt is on the line, cheating IS fair… Because that ‘may’ be what saves your butt…
Posted by Old NFO | March 3, 2013, 9:04 amFairness doesn’t enter into it…
(and thanks!)
Posted by guffaw1952 | March 3, 2013, 9:11 amAs Col. Jeff Cooper put it (assuming IRC), “If you’re in a fair fight, you’re not doing it right.”
Posted by Rev. Paul | March 3, 2013, 9:19 amYou almost always get an ‘Amen’ from me, Rev.!
Posted by guffaw1952 | March 3, 2013, 9:20 am‘Rules’ are for civilized pursuits like board games. And let’s not forget a couple of things: the rules always favor the house (how else do casinos stay in business?) and when it is a matter of life or death, Bill Jordan said it best: ‘No Second Place Winners’.
Posted by GomeznSA | March 3, 2013, 9:43 amI met Mr. Jordan! Hands that needed their own zip code!
That’s why on the book cover it looks like he’s holding a J Frame, when it’s a K!
Posted by guffaw1952 | March 3, 2013, 12:34 pm