Today, the world turns 15 years old.

It was on 2 August 1990 that Iraq invaded Kuwait in what has been called the First Gulf War. Iraqis know it as Um M'aārak ("the Mother of All Battles").

I'll not go into my involvement in that conflict except to observe that I was a watchkeeper in a military headquarters -- whoopee!; but, it changed my perception of armed conflict.

Karl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) is not everyone's bed-time reading, but it's worth reviewing that he was and remains read as being among the leading military thinkers of the last 200 years. His most famous writing is the (military) strategy book Vom Kriege (On War), first published in 1832. It's still used, but not only in military circles: It's also read for its business and manangement advice.

von Clausewitz' most often quoted saying is, "War is merely the continuation of policy by other means." That deserves a deeper thinking time than mererly reading the line, so here it is again:

"War is merely the continuation of policy by other means."

Does that ring true today?

In what ways?

Is that important?

What does it say about the world today? (and tomorrow? and for the foreseeable future?)

_____
Peter