That is indeed the point of principles. If you drop your principles as soon as the going gets tough, then they weren't actually principles to begin with.

> Many of them have no intention of ever giving anyone who disagrees with them the same offer.

Letting your opponents define your own principles is another mistake that unprincipled people often make.

Principles are important not because they help you defeat your enemies. They matter in and of themselves.

Something that is used to fight your enemies is called a strategy or a tactic. Thats completely different from a principle.

If you want to say that you don't care about principles at all, and are willing to do anything and everything that is the most effective to defeat your enemies no matter what it is, just say that instead of talking about principles or morals or values.

That way at least we'd be on the same page as to what the conversation is about.