For anyone who wishes to become an armchair General in their living room while watching the nightly news unfold on their TV set, these are some things they need to know. So often the news media will give opinions and ask other reporters what they think about this or that or the other thing. Yet few really understand what war is, why it exists or even its main objectives. Certainly killing one’s own species is not a smart thing to do, but political will seems to be a greater driver of the human endeavor, whether this is good or bad should be left for additional debate. War is hell, war makes no sense, but if you find your self in the position of defending a nation or serving up a dish of political will; Carl von Clausewitz has some insight which you owe it to yourself to understand before you join in an critique or comment on any current war we are having. I therefore recommend the following book: