[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I also believe General Washington said this:

"The most effectual means of securing the peace is being prepared for war."

Other statements like this have been made by Cicero, Aristotle and others.

The earliest was a pre-Socratic philosopher whose name escapes me...

"To secure peace is to be prepared for war." (It's also in a Metallica song entitled "Don't Tread on Me.")

[rbmillerjr]

Metallica, playing in the now defunct Soviet Union, will always be a classic image of freedom subtlely seeping in to the tastes of Soviet youths mouths.

[CGVet58]

"Si vis pacem, para bellum"
- Vegetius

God Save The Republic!

CGVet58