Reacting to the belief of Woodrow Wilson and others that World War I would be “the war to end all wars,” philosopher George Santayana wrote, “Only the dead have seen the end of war.”
History has confirmed the truth of Santayana’s dark rebuttal. Following World War II, which killed many millions more than the first, the next 50 years delivered violence and conflicts all around the globe. The 21st century appears no more inclined to peace than its predecessor. Right now, for instance, in addition to the fighting between Ukraine and Russia and Israel and Hamas, approximately 40 other countries are engaged in some type of warfare.
