I don't want to apply this statement to all the Syrian opposition. Simply, because I know there are many honest Syrian freedom fighters, who do their best to establish freedom, democracy and secularism in Syria for all the Syrian people. But part of the reason (I emphasize part of the reason) that after two and half years struggle, we have not been able to remove Bashar Assad from the power lies in this part of Machiavelli's statement. There are many other reasons, which are out of the scope of this short note; therefore, I don't explore them. However, according to Machiavelli:
"Mercenaries and
auxiliaries are useless and dangerous, and any ruler who relies on them to
defend his state will be insecure and in peril; because they are disunited,
ambitious, undisciplined, and disloyal; courageous when they are with their
friends, cowardly in the presence of the enemy; they have no fear of God and
don’t keep their promises. [Although he doesn’t say so, Machiavelli is now
talking only about mercenaries. Auxiliary armies will be his topic in the next
chapter.] With them as his army, the only way a prince can hold off his own
ruin is by holding off any military attack; in peace one is robbed by •them,
and in war by •the enemy. Why? Because they have no affection for you, and no
reason to go to battle except the small wages you pay them, and those aren’t
enough to make them willing to die for you! They’re ready enough to be your soldiers
while you aren’t at war with anyone, but when war comes they either desert or
run away on the battlefield"
(Machiavelli, 2010, P. 26)
M. Sirani 09.10.2013
Reference:
Bennet, J. (2010). The Prince. URL<: http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/pdfbits/machpr2.pdf>.
Accessed on: 09.10.2013.
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