The first step is realizing you are in a hierarchical war and not playing in a rules-based 'competition.' It's the difference between trying to shield weak players every week in a match-up vs bombing an aggressive country to put an end to the lot of it.

Bullies justify everything by pretending they don't run the system: "it's just business", "that's the way things work", and "you made me do that" keep them from leaving any weapon behind or admitting any fault, weakness or response ability.