WARS ARE now commonly divided into types: those of necessity and those of choice. The former are unavoidable, fought because of a threat to our basic way of life. The latter are discretionary. There is no strategic imperative. These are the wars of regime change and humanitarian intervention. The distinction implies an underlying shift in international affairs, away from basic threats to our security and toward more complex challenges. If our rivals are less likely to pick a fight with us, does that give us more latitude to pick fights with others?
On War and Choice
From the issue
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April 20, 2010
