History shows us few times of real peace. We may need to pass through protracted conflict on the way to peace. If we can avoid a killing war in a world of competing interests, we may be holding the line for peace the best way possible.

The Cold War was a time of protracted conflict, but it never became a global hot war. No nuclear weapons were fired, no armies massed over continents, no navies engaged in large battles.

Winston Churchill is credited with favoring jaw-jaw over war-war. In the past few years, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry seems to have been jaw-jawing forever. With Middle Easterners, with Europeans, with Russian foreign minister Lavrov, with Chinese leaders and scores more, he is constantly speaking to reporters after some conference or meeting.

Dropping bombs, especially if you are a superpower, is more exciting than weary negotiations for the one thousandth time. But dead men, women, and children cannot be brought back to life. You can always hold one more talk, give a little here, dig your heels in there, perhaps inch your way toward resolution of those competing interests.

War is final, talking is forever.