No, I’m not disputing the famous Carl von Clausewitz aphorism: “War is merely the continuation of policy by additional means.” It’s hard to disagree with that – regardless of whether you translate the German “politik” as policy, politics, or diplomacy. The statement is self-evident from our historical experience. Clausewitz, however, was establishing a dialectical tensionContinue reading “Clausewitz Was Wrong”
Tag Archives: war
War in the Year 2024: Why Do They Fight, and How?
It’s true that warfare has persisted throughout human history. Evidence exists that tribes even fought in paleolithic times – like chimpanzees today. But, at least since Plato’s time, we humans have also believed in idealism. Peace is better than war, and continuous warfare is never thought to be the ideal human condition! Indeed, those whoContinue reading “War in the Year 2024: Why Do They Fight, and How?”
War, What Is It Good For?
I belong to the generation that fondly remembers Edwin Starr’s 1970 Motown hit, “War.” It was meaningful to our Vietnam generation because it both reflected our predominant philosophy of war (generally pacifist) and apparently justified our antipathy toward the specific American war of the age. It was most likely recorded and marketed with that zeitgeistContinue reading “War, What Is It Good For?”
Of Walls and Drowning
Published February 28, 2019 in Warp & Woof Of Walls and Drowning Geopolitics of Climate Change in the 21st Century William Sundwick The term “geopolitics” was first used in the 19th century to refer to the influence of geography on political actions of nations. When U.S. Navy Captain Alfred T. Mahan published his seminal work,Continue reading “Of Walls and Drowning”
Link from The Maven
Read again, post from last month: “History’s Greatest, Cruelest Levers of Power – Wars”
History’s Greatest, Cruelest Levers of Power — Wars
Published November 6, 2017 in Warp & Woof History’s Greatest, Cruelest Levers of Power – Wars And, How Morbid the Fascination William Sundwick Why So Fascinating? Power is an intriguing study. It’s not an overstatement to say that history is all about exploring the exercise of power by different peoples in different times. Politics isContinue reading “History’s Greatest, Cruelest Levers of Power — Wars”
Warp and Woof 