--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What remains unchanged is the principle…" description: "\"What remains unchanged is the principle, which is that we do not launch wars without overwelming reasons, and overwhelming alliances, and without overw..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf1/john-f-kerry-996_overwhelming_what-remains-unchanged-is-the-principle_1504795.png" --- # What remains unchanged is the principle, which is that we… ![“What remains unchanged is the principle, which is that we do not launch wars without overwelming reasons, and overwhelming alliances, and without overwhelming force.” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf1/john-f-kerry-996_overwhelming_what-remains-unchanged-is-the-principle_1504795.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf1/john-f-kerry-996_overwhelming_what-remains-unchanged-is-the-principle_1504795.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf1/john-f-kerry-996_overwhelming_what-remains-unchanged-is-the-principle_1504795.png) > “What remains unchanged is the principle, which is that we do not launch wars without overwelming reasons, and overwhelming alliances, and without overwhelming force.” [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. War is only justified when there are overwhelming reasons, alliances, and force; otherwise it lacks legitimacy. **In simple terms:** War needs strong justification and support. Key Takeaway Assess the necessity and backing before conflict. Themes politics war ethics alliances military strategy Mood analytical concerned Type philosophical strategic When to use this quote - policy making - international relations - defense planning - crisis response Key Concepts legitimacy deterrence collective security Questions to Reflect On - Are massive alliances always moral? - When is force proportionate? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on “overwhelming” can ignore moral nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Life remains unchanged till a leap of faith runs towards heaven”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/life-remains-unchanged-till-a-leap-of-faith-runs-towards-heaven/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) > [ \[T\]he scientific enterprise will never be completely free of mistakes. What is important is that the overwhelming consensus on global warming remains unchanged. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/t-he-scientific-enterprise-will-never-be-completely-free-of-mistakes/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [“Glory be to Him who changes others and remains Himself unchanged!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/glory-be-to-him-who-changes-others-and-remains-himself-unchanged/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will only talk about my work. I have always stayed away from commenting on my personal life, and that remains unchanged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karishma-tanna/i-will-only-talk-about-my-work-i-have-always-stayed-away-from/) [Karishma Tanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karishma-tanna/) > [No one comes face to face with God and remains unchanged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-sanchez/no-one-comes-face-to-face-with-god-and-remains-unchanged/) [Bo Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-sanchez/) > [“Before I left, he said, 'Nothing in this life remains unchanged, o meu menino. Not even mountains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-marafioti/before-i-left-he-said-nothing-in-this-life-remains-unchanged-o-meu/) Oksana Marafioti > [All illusion comes and goes, but the soul remains unchanged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/all-illusion-comes-and-goes-but-the-soul-remains-unchanged/) [Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/) > [Everything is flowing. 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You are the wave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-eternal-principle-which-never-was-born-never-will-die-it-is-in/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Too much principle is often more harmful than too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/too-much-principle-is-often-more-harmful-than-too-little/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [I'm a principle liberty, rule-of-law Conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/i-m-a-principle-liberty-rule-of-law-conservative/) [Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## 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. 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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 Overwhelming quotes > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [“This overwhelming, encompassing feeling is love. It's not perfect and it's messy as hell. And it's exactly what I need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/this-overwhelming-encompassing-feeling-is-love-it-s-not-perfect-and/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. 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I was nervous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ann-womack/my-first-big-show-was-with-tim-mcgraw-and-mark-chesnutt-and-that-was/) [Lee Ann Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ann-womack/) > [Babbo's menu is only four pages, but it's overwhelming - there are 20 different pastas in there, a lot of stuff. There is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/babbo-s-menu-is-only-four-pages-but-it-s-overwhelming-there-are-20/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) > ['I am insecure' means: I can't cope on my own. The odds are overwhelming. I can't resist them on my own. I need us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/i-am-insecure-means-i-can-t-cope-on-my-own-the-odds-are-overwhelming/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, Our Flag will be recognized throughout the World as a symbol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/we-are-determined-that-before-the-sun-sets-on-this-terrible-struggle/) [George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) > [When the world knows you for doing something, and what is inside of you is a bit different, it seems overwhelming at first to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sky-blu/when-the-world-knows-you-for-doing-something-and-what-is-inside-of/) [Sky Blu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sky-blu/) > [The outpouring of generosity is overwhelming. 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