Pope Francis Quotes

We all say no to war, we are all for justice and peace. But sometimes in order to maintain peace, armed action is necessary. But we hope it won't be the case.

There was never a good war, or a bad peace.

I certainly don't like a label that suggests I believe that the military is the solution to most of the world's problems.

We best avoid wars by taking even physical action to stop small ones.

What is not conservative about saying, 'Don't go to war unless we go to war properly with a full declaration of war and no other way?'

I believe in not attacking a country pre-emptively unless you're sure of what you're doing and you're working with allies.

We must never relent in our efforts to resolve conflicts through diplomacy and through all of the instruments bestowed by the Charter of the United Nations.

War is too serious a matter to leave to soldiers.

What I've learned, and will try to remember from now on, is that defending your country's credibility is never sufficient reason to fight a war.

I think there has to be greater heed paid by the Security Council members to military advice.

Every attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster.

Military strength in reserve is better than military strength being reigned upon the other side including all of its innocent civilians.

Preventing a war is tantamount to winning a war.

I think, unfortunately, we live in a world where people attack other people and I think a legitimate rationale for war is the saving of human life, the saving of lives of people who cannot defend themselves.

Some in my party threaten to send a message that they don't know a just war when they see it, and more broadly that they're not prepared to use our military strength to protect our security and the cause of freedom.

War, except in self-defense, is a failure of moral imagination.

I am certain that we need a solution completely separate from military intervention.

We try very quickly to show that we are not at war with the Iraqi people. We're trying to deal with the people who are indeed themselves at war with the Iraqi people.

I see no reason to use offensive tools unless you're defending the country or in a state of war, or you want to achieve some really important thing for the good of the nation and others.

Today, war of necessity is used by critics of military action to describe unavoidable response to an attack like that on Pearl Harbor that led to our prompt, official declaration of war, while they characterize as unwise wars of choice the wars in Korea, Vietnam and the current war in Iraq.

The disagreeable reality for those who believe in human rights is that there are some occasions - and Iraq may be one of them - when war is the only real remedy for regimes that live by terror.

It is one thing to be against unilateralism and against nonhumanitarian interventionism - but it is quite another thing to be against humanitarian interventionism.

Most wars, after all, present themselves as humanitarian endeavors to help people.

The preservation of peace and the guaranteeing of man's basic freedoms and rights require courage and eternal vigilance: courage to speak and act - and if necessary, to suffer and die - for truth and justice; eternal vigilance, that the least transgression of international morality shall not go undetected and unremedied.

We must be prepared to face our responsibilities and be willing to use force if necessary.