The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Often times I have hated in self-defense; if I were stronger I would not have used such a weapon.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
A weapon is an enemy even to its owner.
—Turkish Proverb
Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. Indeed, it is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Just as invasion is the true and tried weapon in the hands of capital against the class struggle, so on the other hand the fearless pursuit of the class struggle has always proven the most effective preventative of foreign invasions
—Karl Liebknecht (1871–1919) German Barrister, Politician, Revolutionary
I call upon the scientific community in our country, those who gave us nuclear weapons, to turn their great talents now to the cause of mankind and world peace
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
Education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed.
—Joseph Stalin (1878–1953) Soviet Leader
Temper is a weapon that we hold by the blade.
—J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) Scottish Novelist, Dramatist
Other countries possess weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. With Saddam, there is one big difference: He has used them…The international community had little doubt then, and I have no doubt today, that left unchecked Saddam Hussein will use these terrible weapons again
—Bill Clinton (b.1946) American Head of State, Lawyer, Public Speaker
With the monstrous weapons man already has, humanity is in danger of being trapped in this world by its moral adolescents
—Omar Bradley (1893–1981) American Military Leader
Above all, I regret that scientific experiments—some of them mine—should have produced such a terrible weapon as the hydrogen bomb. Regret, with all my soul, but not guilt.
—Harold Urey (1893–1981) American Chemist
Science burrows its insulted head in the filth of slaughterous inventions
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon.
—Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956) German Poet, Playwright, Theater Personality
Silence is the ultimate weapon of power.
—Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) French General, Statesman
Weapons are like money; no one knows the meaning of enough.
—Martin Amis (b.1949) British Novelist, Journalist
It was the removing of a regime that was hostile, that clearly had the intention of constructing weapons systems
—Stephen Harper
The pen is mightier than the sword—only if the sword is very small and the pen is very sharp
—Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) English Fantasy Writer
On the justification for the war, it wasn’t related to finding any particular weapon of mass destruction
—Stephen Harper
We are in the grip of a scientific materialism, caught in a vicious cycle where our security today seems to depend on regimentation and weapons which will ruin us tomorrow.
—Charles Lindbergh (1902–74) American Aviator, Inventor, Conservationist
Human curiosity, the urge to know, is a powerful force and is perhaps the best secret weapon of all in the struggle to unravel the workings of the natural world.
—Aaron Klug (1926–2018) English Chemist, Biophysicist
Women’s weapon, water-drops
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Probably it is impossible for humor to be ever a revolutionary weapon. Candide can do little more than generate irony.
—Lionel Trilling (1905–75) American Literary Critic
The knife is the most permanent, the most immortal, the most ingenious of man’s creations. The knife was a guillotine; the knife is a universal means of resolving all knots…
—Yevgeny Zamyatin (1884–1937) Russian Novelist, Journalist
His foe was folly and his weapon wit.
—Anthony Hope (1863–1933) English Novelist, Playwright
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
—Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) South African Political leader
We may find in the long run that tinned food is a deadlier weapon than the machine-gun.
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
All nuclear weapon states should now recognize that this is so, and declare – in Treaty form – that they will never be the first to use nuclear weapons. This would open the way to the gradual, mutual reduction of nuclear arsenals, down to zero.
—Joseph Rotblat (1908–2005) British Physicist, Activist
Books won’t stay banned. They won’t burn. Ideas won’t go to jail. In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost. The only sure weapon against bad ideas is better ideas. The source of better ideas is wisdom. The surest path to wisdom is a liberal education.
—Alfred Whitney Griswold (1906–63) American Historian, Educator
No weapon has ever settled a moral problem. It can impose a solution but it cannot guarantee it to be a just one
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
So, we need to delegitimize the nuclear weapon, and by de-legitimizing… meaning trying to develop a different system of security that does not depend on nuclear deterrence
—Mohamed ElBaradei (b.1942) Egyptian Diplomat