Possibly my hatred of war blinds me so that I cannot comprehend the arguments they adduce. But, in my opinion, there is no such thing as a preventive war. Although this suggestion is repeatedly made, none has yet explained how war prevents war. Worse than this, no one has been able to explain away the fact that war creates the conditions that beget war.

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969) American general, US President (1953-61)

Speech, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh (19 Oct 1950)