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Never think that war, no matter how necessary nor how justified, is not a crime. Ask the infantry and ask the dead.
Ernest Hemingway.
It makes no difference what men think of war, war endures.
The Paradoxes of War teaches us to understand that war is not only a normal part of human existence, but is arguably one of the most important factors in making us who we are.
It suggests that war is not an aberration but a constant of history; for the living, peace is merely a temporary armistice between periods of violence.
Violence sits deep in human history.
In a world where unjust killing runs rampant, it might cross your mind that, in these horrific cases, at least, a violent response is called for.
Or perhaps not.
Maybe, as the philosopher Richard Rorty once quipped, we need fewer reflections on the part of philosophers and theologians and more photographs, movies, and memoirs.
The famous photograph of the Vietnamese girl running in agony after having been drenched in napalm is worth a thousand philosophical or theological words.
Perhaps outward events can energise our inquiry into not only why the current wars are taking place, but moreover into the very cause of conflict, and whether it is possible for humanity to live without war.
The problem that we should discuss, which is ever-present. Is that of the individual and his relationship with another, which is society.
If we can understand this complex problem then perhaps we shall be able to avoid the many causes that ultimately lead to war.
War is a symptom, however brutal and diseased, and to deal with the outer manifestation without regard to the deeper causes of it, is futile and purposeless.
In fundamentally changing the causes, perhaps we can bring about a peace that is not destroyed by outer circumstances.
War is always tragic. When innocent civilians die, that tragedy is multiplied. Even disciplined militaries can’t eliminate the fog of war, faulty intelligence, or human error. Terrible mistakes happen.
Wherever there is division there must be conflict.
Wherever there are nationalities, the American, the Russian, the Chinese, there must inevitably be various forms of economic, social, military and political struggle.
Perhaps most of us are aware of this, but we seem to be unable to do anything but declare wars.
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