Timothy Zahn said this quote
“ Seldom can one attain victory in ware fare without allies. Some allies provide direct assistance, the two forces battling side by side. Other allies provide logistical support, whether weapons and combat equipment or simply food and other life needs. Sometimes the most effective use of an ally is as a threat, his very presence creating a distraction or forcing the common enemy to deploy resources away from the main Battlefront.But standing by an ally doesn't necessarily mean one will always agree with that ally. Or with his goals or methods. ”