ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the statement, “War is merely a continuation of politics by other means”, explores the policy of pre-emption and explains its implications for international harmony. It describes the usefulness and limitations of international law and examines the several most important organs of the United Nations. The chapter summarizes the United States’ position on the United Nations and analyses the outlook for peace and provides a history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It considers the broad issues of war and peace in the specific context of the international institutions that have developed to help maintain international relations. The chapter also examines how these institutions are related to US foreign policy, and explores why it is so hard to avoid war. The contributions of diplomacy to peace include the efforts of third states as well as the parties to disputes. Military sanctions are supposed to be the final recourse of the UN in its peacemaking efforts.
