With the gates of the city open, they poured in and slaughtered the unwary inhabitants. True or not, this classic story long contributed to the military education of Greek youth. Repeated again and again, to one generation after another, the story presents a basic and short course on strategic deception. To avoid the fate of Troy, a leader must always be wary and vigilant. He must never trust an easy victory.
Defeat can be a pretense.
Collapse can be a disguise. Withdrawal can be a maneuver. The art of strategic deception is older than history. To break a stalemate, to overcome a more powerful opponent, cunning is required. Perhaps America thinks itself too intelligent, too enlightened, to fall into a trap.