REASSURING COMMENTS ON CLAUSEWITZ FROM DOD TO THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1997.
SECURITY ASSISTANCE
Originally found at URL: https://commdocs.house.gov/committees/approps/hapfoppar2.000/hapfoppar2_0.HTM
... With that, Mr. Chairman, I'll be happy to join Secretary McNamara in addressing your questions.
[The statement of Mr. Slocombe follows:] "The Official Committee record contains additional material here."
Mr. CALLAHAN. Thank you very much. What is—you say ''to paraphrase Clausewitz.'' What is that? What is Clausewitz?
Mr. SLOCOMBE. [WALTER B. SLOCOMBE, UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY] Clausewitz said that war is the continuation of policy by other means. I believe that the kind of programs which support our interests by nonmilitary methods that are involved in this bill are the expression of national strategy by other means. These are not handouts to foreign countries as an act of charity.
Mr. CALLAHAN. Well, you'll have to forgive me
Mr. SLOCOMBE. I apologize for the analogy, which is obscure.
Mr. CALLAHAN. Well, I mean, I never heard of Clausewitz. Maybe I haven't studied my history sufficiently.
Mr. SLOCOMBE. Clausewitz was a German general who....
Mr. CALLAHAN. I figured that.
Mr. SLOCOMBE. The book, I have to say, is impenetrable, and I think the only part of it that is—that anybody mostly has ever read is the one line that ''war is the continuation of policy by other means.''
