When Ibrahim Pasha reminded his soldiers of their duties before storming the fortress of Acre in May 1832, he significantly urged them to listen to their commanders' orders and execute them without thinking. For the unit of the army to function as a unit, be it a company, battalion, or regiment, the combined forces of the soldiers had to be carefully measured and meticulously directed. This, in turn, necessitated the formulation of a system whereby the soldiers would be trained to obey orders in a mechanical way, without pausing to think of their meaning. During battle seconds count and a delay in minutes can dramatically change the outcome.

Builds on: "Ibrahim Pasha's battlefield conduct followed strict procedural discipline."

Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed…, loc. 734