I will never conduct a war or start a war because we want to; the United States of America should only go to war because we have to. And if you live by that guidance, you'll never have veterans throwing away their medals or standing up in protest.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Kerry argues that war should only be a last resort, not a choice driven by desire. He believes this principle prevents soldiers from feeling their service was misguided.
- In plain terms
- War should happen only when necessary, not because we want it to.
- What can you take from it?
- Restricting war to necessity protects veterans from moral conflict.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is war truly necessary?
- How do soldiers feel about unjust wars?
Another view
Peace can also be pursued through non-military means that avoid war entirely.
More from John Kerry
I promise just to serve two terms. Republicans do it differently. They just have the son repeat the father's whole first term.
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Permalink to quote #41 I look forward to standing up and holding George Bush accountable for pushing seniors off of Medicare into HMOs.
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