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# *The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency*

### (Cambridge University Press, 2021) 

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Date and Time 

April 22, 2021 12 - 1 PM EDT 

Location 

Live Online 

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##### Featuring 

[![John Mueller](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/John%20Mueller.jpg?itok=GS-mbCD4)](/people/john-mueller) 

[John Mueller](/people/john-mueller)

Professor of Political Science Emeritus, Ohio State University; Senior Fellow, Cato Institute

[ 

](mailto:jmueller@cato.org) 

![Martha Crenshaw](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/crenshaw_martha.jpg?itok=voBZsmnT) 

Martha Crenshaw 

Senior Fellow, Center for International Security and Cooperation and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University

[![Fettweis-cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2020-05/Fettweis-cropped.jpg?itok=P3O4nwt8)](/people/christopher-fettweis) 

[Christopher Fettweis](/people/christopher-fettweis)

Professor, Department of Political Science, Tulane University

[![Brandon Valeriano](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Brandon%20Valeriano.jpg?itok=uWBnrysC)](/people/brandon-valeriano) 

[Brandon Valeriano](/people/brandon-valeriano)

Former Senior Fellow, Cato Institute

In *The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency* (Cambridge University Press), John Mueller argues that aversion to international war has had considerable consequences. American foreign policy has been dictated mostly by international threats that have been substantially exaggerated, including during the Cold War. Post‑9/​11 concerns about international terrorism and nuclear proliferation have been overwrought and often destructive. Meanwhile, threats from countries including Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea or from cyber technology are limited and manageable. Mueller explains how, when international war is in decline, there might be more-viable diplomatic devices to be leveraged and that a large military is scarcely required.

Join us as the author and a panel of experts come together to discuss these arguments and more.

![The Stupidity of War - Book Cover](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/promo_block_book_cover_1x/public/2021-03/Mueller_FC.jpg?itok=malkUGZl) 

##### Featured Book 

### *[The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency](https://www.cato.org/books/stupidity-war)*

In this highly readable book, John Mueller argues with wisdom and wit rather than ideology and hyperbole that aversion to international war has had considerable consequences. Unlikely to charm Washington, Mueller explains how, when international war is in decline, complacency and appeasement become viable diplomatic devices and a large military is scarcely required.

[Read about the Book](https://www.cato.org/books/stupidity-war) 

### Additional Resources

- [*The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency galley*](https://politicalscience.osu.edu/faculty/jmueller/xbookweb.pdf)
- [Cambridge University Press: *The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency*](https://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/politics-international-relations/international-relations-and-international-organisations/stupidity-war-american-foreign-policy-and-case-complacency?format=HB&isbn=9781108843836)

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This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).