Anti-war advocates love the slogan, “War is not the answer.” But what is the question? The question is how we stop the X that is causing the conflict. How do the pacifists plan to alleviate that conflict? By talking to the enemy? Do they honestly think that hasn’t been done before declaring war? Do they suggest we simply engage in more talks? How long should ineffective talks go on before some other solution is sought? Do they honestly think Hitler would have stopped killing Jews if only the Allies had talked to him more, or that Osama bin Laden will stop trying to kill Americans if only we sit down and chat with him? Strict pacifism is naïve. We may debate whether this or that war was entered prematurely, but an absolutist “war is not the answer” attitude is untenable. The fact of the matter is that war has been the answer to many otherwise unsolvable conflicts. See my article titled “Pacifism: Well Intentioned, but Ultimately Immoral” for further arguments against pacifism.