--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even on just the career level for your…" description: "\"Even on just the career level for your average officer, there's no incentive to end the wars. There's not even an incentive for these think-tank guys t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/michael-hastings-6810_fighting_even-on-just-the-career-level-for-your-a_1985346.png" --- # Even on just the career level for your average officer… ![“Even on just the career level for your average officer, there's no incentive to end the wars. There's not even an incentive for these think-tank guys to end the wars. They would never admit it and say, "Oh, how could we at the Center for a New American Security not want the wars to end?" Well…” quote by Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/michael-hastings-6810_fighting_even-on-just-the-career-level-for-your-a_1985346.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/michael-hastings-6810_fighting_even-on-just-the-career-level-for-your-a_1985346.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3f/michael-hastings-6810_fighting_even-on-just-the-career-level-for-your-a_1985346.png) > “Even on just the career level for your average officer, there's no incentive to end the wars. There's not even an incentive for these think-tank guys to end the wars. They would never admit it and say, "Oh, how could we at the Center for a New American Security not want the wars to end?" Well then, why the hell are you continuing to promote strategies that will keep us fighting for years?” [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Officials and analysts lack motivation to end wars because ending them removes their purpose and funding. **In simple terms:** War proponents have no incentive to stop fighting. Key Takeaway Address structural incentives that perpetuate conflict. Themes politics war incentives policy military strategy Mood critical inquisitive Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy debates - legislative hearings - military budgeting - public advocacy Key Concepts conflict of interest defense economics strategic stagnation Questions to Reflect On - What reforms could realign incentives toward peace? - How do think‑tanks influence war policies? A Different Perspective Changing incentives may face entrenched institutional resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [To most of America, war has become not only tolerable but profitable, and so there is no longer any great incentive to end it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-risen/to-most-of-america-war-has-become-not-only-tolerable-but-profitable/) [James Risen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-risen/) > [The vast majority of people have never hurt anybody in their lives, don't want killing, don't want wars. 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