War isn't civilized. War is failure. It's the ultimate result of a breakdown in public policy, and soldiers are the machines that handle that breakdown. In warfare, you're taught to do whatever you have to, to stay alive.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Ventura calls war a failure of public policy, with soldiers as the tools that execute that failure, and notes the survival imperative in combat.
- In plain terms
- War shows policy failure; soldiers are used to carry it out.
- What can you take from it?
- Improve policy to avoid war, recognizing soldiers bear its costs.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What policies could prevent war?
- How can we better protect soldiers?
Another view
Not all conflicts stem solely from policy breakdowns; security threats also play a role.
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