"Warmaking doesn't stop warmaking. If it did, our problems would have stopped millennia ago"

Colman McCarthy's quote, "Warmaking doesn't stop warmaking. If it did, our issues would have stopped centuries earlier", encapsulates a critique of the cyclical nature of violence and war as tools for solving human disputes. This statement challenges the conventional belief that military force and warfare work means of accomplishing peace and security. By asserting that warmaking stops working to stop more conflicts, McCarthy highlights the historic pattern where making use of violence frequently begets more violence, rather than fixing underlying issues.

The quote suggests that if warfare were genuinely a solution, mankind's long history of conflicts-- stretching back countless years-- would have already dealt with the wide range of social and geopolitical concerns that have perpetuated violence. Rather, wars have continuously repeated, indicating that the root causes of conflict, such as greed, power battles, ethnic stress, and resource scarcity, remain mainly unaddressed. McCarthy indicates that war may provide short-lived services or shifts in power, however it does not essentially solve the deeper issues that cause conflict.

In addition, this viewpoint welcomes a reflection on alternative methods to conflict resolution. By dismissing war as an inefficient approach, McCarthy motivates a focus on diplomacy, discussion, and other non-violent techniques to attend to disagreements. The quote calls for a re-examination of how societies conceptualize security, highlighting the need for sustainable and tranquil solutions that deal with the roots of dispute, such as inequality, injustice, and lack of access to resources.

Ultimately, the quote functions as a reminder that while war is frequently viewed as an inescapable element of human history, it must not be accepted as the ultimate system for accomplishing peace. Instead, it encourages a relentless look for more effective, gentle, and lasting solutions to the difficulties that provoke disputes in the very first location.