"The wisest order they can give him is never to risk a battle, and above all things avoid a general action- And that's really Clinton." (Rust, 1999). This alludes to the fact that whenever Clinton has committed troops he has done so either without enough support, with restrictive rules of engagement and/or a clearly established achievement directive. The subsequent chain of events has led cynics to suggest that Bill Clinton manipulated if not manufactured the crisis in Kosovo in order to divert attention from the shame of impeachment and to help him burnish his damaged legacy.
The need for a strong army to maintain power is offset by the realization that the failure to retain the loyalty and respect of his army could lead to the prince's demise. Although considered dated by today's standards, these basic traits can be seen with modern examples. For instance, Castro's rise to power in Cuba and his continued rule is dependent upon his ability to effectively maintain the loyalty of his government officials, military, and citizens to prevent another revolution from being successful.
One of the main reasons that Machiavelli has been considered a sinister and evil person throughout history is most likely due in part to his casual acceptance of immoral and unethical practices the prince may need to employ in the pursuit of and in maintaining his rein of power. To understand why these practices are encouraged it must be understood that Machiavelli avoids the purely theoretical issues and concentrates on the objectively honest and practical rather than what may be considered ethically acceptable.
What he is attempting to convey is that while it may be admirable to possess and demonstrate the socially accepted concepts of royal qualities, to do so might be contrary to the continued existence of the state. For Machiavelli maintaining existence of the state and power become ends in themselves.