---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The war is just when the intention that…"
description: "\"“The war is just when the intention that causes it to be undertaken is just. The will is therefore the principle element that must be considered, not t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/henry-kissinger-5357_war_the-war-is-just-when-the-intention-that_1577708.jpg"
---

#  The war is just when the intention that causes it to be…

![“The war is just when the intention that causes it to be undertaken is just. The will is therefore the principle element that must be considered, not the means... He who intends to kill the guilty sometimes faultlessly shed the blood of the innocents...' In short, the end justifies the means.” quote by Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/henry-kissinger-5357_war_the-war-is-just-when-the-intention-that_1577708.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/henry-kissinger-5357_war_the-war-is-just-when-the-intention-that_1577708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/henry-kissinger-5357_war_the-war-is-just-when-the-intention-that_1577708.jpg)

> ““The war is just when the intention that causes it to be undertaken is just. The will is therefore the principle element that must be considered, not the means... He who intends to kill the guilty sometimes faultlessly shed the blood of the innocents...' In short, the end justifies the means.””

[Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Just war theory argues that a war’s morality depends on both its cause and its conduct, not merely its outcome.

**In simple terms:** War’s justice hinges on intent and means.

Key Takeaway

Weigh both purpose and method.

Themes

war justice ethics politics

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- military interventions
- policy decisions
- humanitarian actions

Key Concepts

just war theory moral philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- Is a noble goal enough to justify any method?
- When do means become more important than ends?

A Different Perspective

Ends can be misused to excuse immoral means.

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[End Justifies The Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-justifies-the-means/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

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