I remember the 1940s as a time when we were united in a way known only to that generation. We belonged to a common cause-the war.

War continues to divide people to change them forever and I write about it both because I want people to understand the absolute futility of war the 'pity of war' as Wilfred Owen called it.

Rather than turning away from the staggering scale and depth of misery caused by war we must strive to develop our capacity to empathize and feel the sufferings of others.

President Kennedy was willing to go to war. He was not a coward. The man had been in war and so had Ken O'Donnell. He was ready to protect this nation but he was not ready for a military solution just because it was being rammed down his throat.

But does that mean that war and violence are inevitable? I would argue not because we have also evolved this amazingly sophisticated intellect and we are capable of controlling our innate behavior a lot of the time.

Say what you want to say about the rest of his presidency including his tone-deaf response to Katrina and a war waged in Iraq on false pretenses Bush connected with Americans in the aftermath of 9/11 because he looked as frail and unforgiving as we felt.

When I was a youngster growing up in South Dakota we never referred to the national debt it was always referred to as the war debt because it stemmed from World War I.

Republicans have been losing the war of words for years now. Now they are just caving because they don't even want to try. I don't agree with that approach.

I couldn't be happier that President Bush has stood up for having served in the National Guard because I can finally put an end to all those who questioned my motives for enlisting in the Army Reserve at the height of the Vietnam War.

I had nearly finished school because I was making effort not that bad on that. But there was a law in Germany after the war. You could not make your final examination before 18 so lots of people who were late because of the way had to do it first.

We need to decide that we will not go to war whatever reason is conjured up by the politicians or the media because war in our time is always indiscriminate a war against innocents a war against children.

In order for a war to be just three things are necessary. First the authority of the sovereign. Secondly a just cause. Thirdly a rightful intention.

I love it when Muslims go to war with each other as I do when the Christians do because it shows there's no such thing as the Christian world and the Islamic world. That's all crap.

This is an important book the critic assumes because it deals with war. This is an insignificant book because it deals with the feelings of women in a drawing-room.

In war events of importance are the result of trivial causes.

The executive has no right in any case to decide the question whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.

Total war is no longer war waged by all members of one national community against all those of another. It is total... because it may well involve the whole world.

Of all the enemies of public liberty war is perhaps the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other.

Circumstances cause us to act the way we do. We should always bear this in mind before judging the actions of others. I realized this from the start during World War II.

I find capitalism repugnant. It is filthy it is gross it is alienating... because it causes war hypocrisy and competition.

Think of what happened after 9/11 the minute before there was any assessment there was glee in the administration because now we can invade Iraq and so the war drums beat.

For a war to be just three conditions are necessary - public authority just cause right motive.

Another term for preventive war is aggressive war - starting wars because someday somebody might do something to us. That is not part of the American tradition.

What is the use of physicians like myself trying to help parents to bring up children healthy and happy to have them killed in such numbers for a cause that is ignoble?