--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I will never conduct a war or start a war…" description: "\"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..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/john-f-kerry-996_america_i-will-never-conduct-a-war-or-start-a-wa_728370.png" --- # I will never conduct a war or start a war because we want… ![“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.” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/john-f-kerry-996_america_i-will-never-conduct-a-war-or-start-a-wa_728370.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/john-f-kerry-996_america_i-will-never-conduct-a-war-or-start-a-wa_728370.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/john-f-kerry-996_america_i-will-never-conduct-a-war-or-start-a-wa_728370.png) > “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.” [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The U.S. should only go to war when necessary, avoiding unnecessary conflicts and veteran casualties. **In simple terms:** War only when required, not for convenience Key Takeaway Advocate for restraint in military engagement Themes war ethics citizen duty Mood serious reflective Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy debates - public education - veteran support Key Concepts just war theory military policy Questions to Reflect On - When is war justified? - How can societies honor veterans while preventing unnecessary wars? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitics may demand action despite ideals ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Guidance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guidance/) [Medal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medal/) [Protest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protest/) [Throwing away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throwing-away/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [United states of america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states-of-america/) [Veteran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veteran/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [If America is at war, I won't speak a word without measuring how it'll sound to the guys doing the fighting when they're listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/if-america-is-at-war-i-won-t-speak-a-word-without-measuring-how-it-ll/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Life is like a war, you may start off on the advance, and towards the middle loose some ground, but what really matters is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-a-war-you-may-start-off-on-the-advance-and-towards-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Finally the time had come. War would start soon. Blood would flow and tears would drown the land. The air would be filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-beerden/finally-the-time-had-come-war-would-start-soon-blood-would-flow-and/) [Stephanie Beerden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-beerden/) > [“Let’s honor a man or woman who was there, but never a war itself and those who start it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-anderson/let-s-honor-a-man-or-woman-who-was-there-but-never-a-war-itself-and/) Steve Anderson > [We are the only nation in the world that waits till we get into a war before we start getting ready for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-the-only-nation-in-the-world-that-waits-till-we-get-into-a-war/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I’m ready to stop waging war and start washing feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-ready-to-stop-waging-war-and-start-washing-feet/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [From now on, we're home schooling you. Whatever we don't know, you don't know. When did the Korean War start? I don't know, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/from-now-on-we-re-home-schooling-you-whatever-we-don-t-know-you-don-t/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [There are three basic routes to escalation inherent in the conduct of war: one or both sides deliberately escalate to win, one or both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/there-are-three-basic-routes-to-escalation-inherent-in-the-conduct-of/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [It seems to me an utterly futile task to prescribe rules and limitations for the conduct of war. War is not a game; hence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-seems-to-me-an-utterly-futile-task-to-prescribe-rules-and/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [If we clear the air of the fog of catchwords which surround the conduct of war, and grasp that in the human will lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/if-we-clear-the-air-of-the-fog-of-catchwords-which-surround-the/) [B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/) > [The conduct of war was so much more interesting than its prevention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-conduct-of-war-was-so-much-more-interesting-than-its-prevention/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [We are in a war on terrorism. We need to conduct that war and take it to the terrorists, not here at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-l-thomas/we-are-in-a-war-on-terrorism-we-need-to-conduct-that-war-and-take-it/) [Craig L. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-l-thomas/) > [“Those who are to conduct a war cannot in the nature of things, be proper or safe judges, whether a war ought to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/those-who-are-to-conduct-a-war-cannot-in-the-nature-of-things-be/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [The conclusion that many uniformed military came away from Vietnam with was that political interference, dominance of strategy and even tactics were a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcfarlane/the-conclusion-that-many-uniformed-military-came-away-from-vietnam/) [Robert McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcfarlane/) > [Those who are to conduct a war cannot in the nature of things, be proper or safe judges, whether a war ought to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/those-who-are-to-conduct-a-war-cannot-in-the-nature-of-things-be-2/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) ## More by John F. Kerry > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [The fact is that in too many parts of our country, we still have discrimination. And affirmative action is not just something that applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-fact-is-that-in-too-many-parts-of-our-country-we-still-have/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [ People talk about \[Bashar\] Assad running Syria. He doesn't control his own country. He's down to about 20, 25 percent of the country. What… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/people-talk-about-bashar-assad-running-syria-he-doesn-t-control-his/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-m-an-internationalist-i-d-like-to-see-our-troops-dispersed-through/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [ You cannot bring peace in Syria as long as \[Bashar\] Assad is, in fact, there. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/you-cannot-bring-peace-in-syria-as-long-as-bashar-assad-is-in-fact/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [There's an agreement that Syria should be a unified country, united; that it needs to be secular; that ISIL needs to be taken on;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/there-s-an-agreement-that-syria-should-be-a-unified-country-united/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [It's very hard to get other countries to give up their weapons when you're busy developing a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/it-s-very-hard-to-get-other-countries-to-give-up-their-weapons-when/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [There is no bigger judgment for a president of the United States than how you take a nation to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/there-is-no-bigger-judgment-for-a-president-of-the-united-states-than/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I have confidence in my campaign. I have assembled a great team that is going to beat George W. Bush, and any rumors to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-have-confidence-in-my-campaign-i-have-assembled-a-great-team-that/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [In a few years, you should be able to plug your American-made plug-in hybrid into the outlet in your garage, so that you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/in-a-few-years-you-should-be-able-to-plug-your-american-made-plug-in/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Unlike Washington, which is stuck in ideological gridlock, Americans feel the impact of climate change in their own hometowns and they know something must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/unlike-washington-which-is-stuck-in-ideological-gridlock-americans/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [America must always be the world's paramount military power, but we can magnify our power through alliances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/america-must-always-be-the-world-s-paramount-military-power-but-we/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [We should not allow a tiny minority of shoddy scientists and science and extreme ideologues to compete with scientific facts,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/we-should-not-allow-a-tiny-minority-of-shoddy-scientists-and-science/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Jesus did not help just the sick who could afford to pay for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/jesus-did-not-help-just-the-sick-who-could-afford-to-pay-for-it/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [War should be not a war of choice; it should be a war of necessity. And it should be a last resort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/war-should-be-not-a-war-of-choice-it-should-be-a-war-of-necessity-and/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) [Explore all 312 John F. Kerry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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