Permanent War Quotes

“So the lie remains, tolerated, admitted. But only that… just tolerated and admitted, and only under certain conditions. The exception is war: then, and then only, the lie becomes a just instrument.

But what if war, an abnormal, episodic, transient condition, should come to be permanent and taken for granted? The lie, once an emergency measure, now becomes the norm: for a social group that sees itself hemmed in by enemies will not hesitate for one moment to utilize any weapon against them. The truth among themselves, the lie for outsiders—this rule of conduct would become deeply embedded in their mores.”
― Alexandre Koyré, Réflexions sur le mensonge