Korean war Quote by Richard N. Haass
“Wars of necessity are essentially unavoidable. They involve the most important national interests, a lack of promising alternatives to the use of force, and a certain and considerable price to be paid if the status quo is allowed to stand. Examples include World War II and the Korean War.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Future of Conflict: The Rise of the Nations, Richard N. Haass, 2020
Wars driven by essential national interests are often seen as unavoidable, though they carry high costs.
In simple terms: Essential wars are costly but sometimes seen as inevitable.
Key Takeaway
Weigh necessity against consequences.
Themes
war
necessity
policy
Mood
serious
analytical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- defense planning
- diplomacy
- policy debates
Key Concepts
international relations
realism
Questions to Reflect On
- Are all wars truly unavoidable?
- What non‑military options could replace conflict?
A Different Perspective
Peaceful alternatives may exist but are overlooked.
![“I had a visceral connection to the period [of Korean War]. By visceral I suppose I mean emotional. But every fiction requires so much that is not that so I did a lot of other research and a lot of thinking, a lot of struggling there.” quote by Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c28/chang-rae-lee-3318_connections_i-had-a-visceral-connection-to-the-perio_332937.jpg)
