Why the Mongols? Because they were distant. You can't afford to admire the people next door; you're either fighting them or preparing for when fighting breaks out again.

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forshaper 4 hours ago | parent [-]

The idea that you can't admire people you're fighting is ridiculous. You're forced to admire them. If you don't admire where they win, you lose.

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brabel 3 hours ago | parent [-]

I disagree. It's very hard to admire a direct enemy, even if you can see their strengths, you'll rationalize them in your head as being the evil sort of strength, which comes not from virtue but from their total lack of morality or whatever you can conjure up. We see that everywhere in history and even in contemporary conflicts.

	▲	forshaper an hour ago \| parent [-]
		We do? Where, like Totila and Belisarius? Richard the Lionheart and Saladin? The death of Taira no Atsumori? Byrhtnoth and the Vikings? The Black Prince and King John II? The Song dynasty's opinion of the Mongols? David Hackworth saying that the US Army had to out-G the G? GWOT instructors telling you that when you're out partying, the Muj is sharpening his knife?