Based on some of the comments received on yesterday's Abraham Lincoln quote, I did some additional research. I was able to find the additional information and context for the quote:
Abraham Lincoln was once talking with a woman about how the North should treat the South as the US Civil War was ending. Her feeling was that the North should "destroy our enemies." Lincoln replied, "Madam, am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?"..."A friend is someone who has the same enemies you have."
Interestingly, finding the exact quote on even something simple like this is difficult. Obviously in the 1860s there were no recording devices and so extemporaneous "quotes" tended to be slightly different depending on who happened to overhear and/or be relating the conversation. Another variation of the quote is:
"What, madam? Do I not destroy them when I make them my friends?"
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Comments: 31
wonderful quote no wonder Abe is a Favorite amoung historians
I was very suprized to learn he was not always that popular in his time
Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America
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Larry and Jeanne - My guess is that the Iraqi people are overwhelmingly not against the US (and the US people), though I'm sure they are very tired and frustrated. First Saddam, now us, next...well, guess we'll see. In the end, the vast majority of Iraqi citizens want the same thing we do - the chance to live a happy life (and have electricity).
Thanks for another one of Lincoln's great quotes. And something we should remind ourselves - we have the power, and the obligation, to hold our elected officials accountable.
You make some excellent points! While many in the North wanted revenge on and/or to ravage the South, Lincoln was wise enough to know that would have destroyed the United States (Divided we Fall). He stated at the beginning of his first term that the war was to restore the Union, not divide it. To gloat over the South would have been disasterous. Consider what happened after WWII - we helped rebuild Japan and Germany - and they moved (eventually) from being enemies to becoming friends. I suspect, in time (perhaps a long time), things in Iraq will be sorted out as well (though the interim may be painful).
I agree. The context and rephrasing of the quotes can make a big difference in the interpretation. The ellipsis seems way out of place to me, and the two statements incongruent. I think I'll dig around for some additional sources. Unfortunately, there probably isn't one single accurate transcription of the conversation, and "quotes" reported by others tend to reflect the bias of the reporter.