Quote by J. William Fulbright
It seems to me that it is these extremists who are advocating a soft approach. Their oversimplifications and their baseless generalizations reflect the softness of those who cannot bear to face the burdens of a continuing struggle against a powerful and resourceful enemy. A truly tough approach, in my judgment, is one which accepts the challenge of communism with the courage and determination to meet it with every instrumentality of foreign policypolitical and economic as well as military, and with the willingness to see the struggle through as far into the future as may be necessary. Those who seek to meet the challengeor, in reality, to evade itby bold adventures abroad and witch hunts at home are the real devotees of softnessthe softness of seeking escape from painful realities by resort to illusory panaceas.
Summary
This quote criticizes those who advocate for a soft approach in dealing with communism. The speaker argues that these individuals oversimplify and make baseless generalizations, reflecting a softness or unwillingness to confront the challenges of fighting against a powerful enemy. Instead, the speaker argues for a tough approach that entails confronting communism through all aspects of foreign policy, not just militarily. They believe that the real devotees of softness are those who try to evade the challenge by engaging in bold but futile adventures abroad or witch hunts domestically, instead of addressing the painful realities and seeking long-term solutions.
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