Les Aspin Quotes

I came here as a practical man, to talk, not simply on the question of peace and war, but to treat another question which is of hardly less importance - the enormous and burdensome standing armaments which it is the practice of modern Governments to sustain in time of peace.

When states decide to use force to deal with broader threats to international peace and security, they need the unique legitimacy provided by the United Nations.

The most expensive peace is far less costly than the cheapest war.

Too often, U.N. peacekeepers face an impossible task in countries that are still at war and where there is no real peace to keep.

To many, peace is what enables development and is critical in providing opportunities to young people. To some - especially those from regions involved in conflict - peacekeeping and efforts to preserve peace are absolutely vital in bringing prosperity and hope for the future.

I don’t see any role for American peacekeepers in the Middle East because there is no peace to be kept.

If you can secure peace, you may be cursed by a lot of hotheads but … you will be blessed in Europe and by future generations

The UN has no troops. For peacekeeping we have to borrow troops from the member nations. Sometimes they give us troops; sometimes not.

One of the primary necessities of the world for the maintenance of peace is the elimination of the frictions which arise from competitive armament.

A world without the United Nations or with a paralyzed United Nations would be far more costly to all of us and far more dangerous to peace and stability.

Terrorism gravely threatens international peace and security, and as a solution, the power and apparent finality of force are seductive.

War as Napoleon knew it just not possible any more. However, we're very unlikely to accept or recognize 'world peace' even when we get it.

During the three decades of its existence, the effectiveness of the United Nations has, on the whole, tended to decrease, particularly in the field of peace and security and, more generally, all issues in which the developed countries feel they have important stakes.

Let him who desires peace prepare for war.

Disarmament or limitation of armaments, which depends on the progress made on security, also contributes to the maintenance of peace.

We should wage war not to win war, but to win peace.

In some ways, Israel has achieved a peace. There are fewer rockets being sent into Sderot, there are no rockets to speak of from the North, there has been very little terrorism from the West Bank. It's a kind of peace. I hope for a better and more enduring peace. Peace is not an endgame; we will never be completely at peace.

In a case like Iraq the UN has again shown what important role it plays as the guarantor for protecting international peace and stability in the global political structure.

So I've gone in and out of the U.N., working on counter-terrorism, on U.N. reform, on peacekeeping, peace and security issues, many things through the years but always with a strong interest in humanitarian issues, and human rights issues as well.

I grew up in war and saw the United Nations help my country to recover and rebuild. That experience was a big part of what led me to pursue a career in public service. As Secretary-General, I am determined to see this organization deliver tangible, meaningful results that advance peace, development and human rights.

The great armies, accumulated to provide security and preserve the peace, carried the nations to war by their own weight.

We cannot be both the world's leading champion of peace and the world's leading supplier of the weapons of war.

I didn't promote war when I was a weapons inspector.

Winning the peace is harder than winning the war.

The change began in Somalia, where we discovered that we were involved in an operation where there was no peace, so there was no more a peacekeeping operation because there was no peace.