The enemy of your enemy is your friend.

[Valley Oak]

The enemy of your enemy is your friend:

What say you of this assertion? Is this true or accurate? Or is the enemy of your enemy a potential ally instead? Is there a difference between an ally and a friend? Does it have another meaning altogether? Is it applicable only to politics and war or other situations in life? Is the above statement false?

Edward

[handy]

The enemy of your enemy is your friend:

What say you of this assertion? Is this true or accurate? Or is the enemy of your enemy a potential ally instead? Is there a difference between an ally and a friend? Does it have another meaning altogether? Is it applicable only to politics and war or other situations in life? Is the above statement false?

Edward

Hi Edward,
This strikes me as a false statement; purposely made to seem to be a general principle, when it is only potentially and occasionally a special case truth. Parties may ally with one another toward a common goal without necessarily being friends. The falsity of cloaking it as a general, comprehensive statement is probably mostly politically motivated. (Confusion is a useful tool.)

I always liked this definition of friendship:

A friend will loan you money.
A Good friend will help you move.
A True friend will help you move a body.
:wink: