"A third area of increasing strength is the struggle against subversion. Our adversaries, convinced that direct attack would be aimless, today resort to terror, subversion, and guerrilla warfare. To meet this threat we began a large effort to train special forces to fight internal subversion. Since January 1961 we have increased these specialized forces eight times. We have trained more than 100,000 officers in these techniques. We have given special emphasis to this form of warfare in the training of all military units. Our army now has six special action forces on call around the world to assist our friendly nations. They are skilled in the languages and problems of the area in which they are stationed. The Navy and the Air Force have several thousand men whose abilities, training, equipment, and mission are designed to combat clandestine attack. And behind these groups are five brigade-size backup forces ready to move into instant action. But just as subversion has many faces, our responses must take many forms. We have worked to increase and integrate all the resources, political and social as well as military and economic, needed to meet a threat which tears at the entire fabric of a society. But success in fighting subversion ultimately rests on the skill of the soldiers of the threatened country. We now have 344 teams at work in 49 countries to train the local military in the most advanced techniques of internal defense. Subversive warfare is often difficult, dirty, and deadly. Victory comes only to those with the desire to protect their own freedom. But such conflict requires weapons as well as will, ability as well as aspiration. And we will continue to increase this strength until our adversaries are convinced that this course too will not lead to conquest."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Presidents of the United StatesPoliticians from TexasMembers of the United States SenateUnited States presidential candidates, 1968United States presidential candidates, 1964
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Imported from EN Wikiquote
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnson
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Related Quotes
"During the 2012 campaign, Obama’s advisers heard the same thing in focus groups with sympathetic voters. These voters…"
"Johnson’s presidency will always be shadowed by the tragedy of the Vietnam War and the domestic civil unrest it trigg…"
"This year, while House Speaker Paul D. Ryan helped to shape the Trump proposal, the president did not show deep knowl…"
"In pushing his health care bill, Mr. Trump had the superficial advantage of controlling both houses of Congress. But …"
"We know that Mr. Trump dismissed the counsel of some advisers not to risk his entire legislative program by asking Co…"
"At his best, Lyndon Johnson was one of the greatest of all American presidents. He did more for racial justice than a…"
"Among Woods’s many achievements in this fine biography is to allow us to see not only the enormous, tragic flaws in t…"
"President Obama is no President Lyndon Johnson — and wouldn't be even if he tried. To those who might wish the presid…"
"When Lyndon Johnson -- President Johnson -- spoke here in 1964, he addressed issues that remain with us. He proposed …"
"Chris Cillizza: If there is a list of the 15 greatest senators ever, is McCain on it? Why or why not? Ross Baker: He’…"