War is a Policy, not an inevitability

Filed by Elara Myst

by Joseph Solis-MullenOne of the most persistent myths about war is that it is sometimes inevitable. States are carried along by the impersonal forces of history: the balance of power, alliance commitments, ideological antagonisms, the rise and decline of great powers, et cetera. Leaders may make mistakes along the way, but these are trivia, for the ultimate outcome was determined by circumstances beyond their control.And while it is true the international environment constrains the choic