War on Peace by Ronan Farrow exposes the decline of American diplomacy and the rise of militarized foreign policy. Drawing on insider experience and deep reporting, Farrow shows how the State Department has been sidelined, while military solutions dominate. This urgent book argues that without a revival of diplomacy, the U.S. risks endless war and lost influence. A powerful call to restore the art of peacemaking before itâs too late.
War on Peace is a powerful and deeply reported exposĂŠ that chronicles the deliberate dismantling of American diplomacy and the rise of militarized foreign policy over the past several decades.
Written by Ronan Farrow, an award-winning journalist and former U.S. State Department official, this book combines firsthand experience, insider interviews, and investigative reporting to reveal how the United States has shifted from a nation that leads through dialogue to one that increasingly relies on force, secrecy, and military dominance.
âWe are becoming a country that shoots first and asks questions later.â
Farrow argues that while diplomacy was once the cornerstone of American global leadership, it has been systematically weakenedâundermined by political neglect, budget cuts, bureaucratic infighting, and a growing preference for covert operations and drone strikes over negotiation.
This summary walks you through the core arguments, key stories, and urgent lessons from War on Peace, offering a clear understanding of how the decline of diplomacy threatens both national security and global stability.
At the heart of the book is a stark reality: the U.S. Foreign Service, the diplomats who build alliances, negotiate peace, and prevent war, is being hollowed out.
Farrow shows how:
âThe diplomatic corps is not just underfunded, itâs under attack.â
He contrasts this with the past, when figures like George Kennan and Dean Acheson shaped a world order through patient statecraft. Today, many of those institutions are in crisis.
Key Insight: When diplomacy fails, war becomes inevitable.
One of the most disturbing themes in the book is how military power has replaced diplomacy as Americaâs primary tool of influence.
Farrow documents how:
âWeâve outsourced peacemaking to warriors.â
He warns that this shift creates a cycle of perpetual conflict, where problems are met with bullets instead of bridges.
Important Lesson: Military action can win battles, but only diplomacy can build lasting peace.
Farrow brings unique credibility to the story because he served as a State Department official under Secretary Hillary Clinton.
He shares behind-the-scenes moments:
His time in government gave him a front-row seat to the dysfunction, and convinced him that diplomacy is not soft; itâs essential.
âDiplomacy is the art of preventing problems before they require a military response.â
He also reveals how internal politics often undermine even well-intentioned efforts.
Farrow illustrates his argument through compelling case studies from around the world:
Despite billions spent and thousands killed, the U.S. failed to achieve peace. Farrow profiles Richard Holbrooke, the legendary diplomat tasked with brokering peace in Afghanistanâonly to die in office after years of being stonewalled by military leaders and White House officials.
âHolbrooke believed in diplomacy until his last breathâbut the system did not.â
Farrow describes how U.S. reliance on drone strikes alienated civilians and empowered extremists, while diplomatic channels were neglected.
âKilling terrorists isnât enough, you must address the conditions that create them.â
He examines the volatile relationship between the U.S. and North Korea, showing how erratic rhetoric and broken negotiations have increased the risk of nuclear war.
After NATO intervention toppled Gaddafi, there was no diplomatic plan for what came next, leading to chaos, civil war, and a refugee crisis.
âWe broke it, we didnât fix it.â
These examples show that without sustained diplomacy, military victories mean little.
Amid the grim narrative, Farrow highlights individuals who fought to preserve diplomacy:
A towering figure in American foreign policy, known for negotiating the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian War. His final missionâto bring peace to Afghanistan, was blocked by institutional resistance.
âHolbrooke was the last of a dying breed.â
Farrow gives voice to unsung diplomats working in dangerous posts, building relationships, gathering intelligence, and preventing conflictâoften at great personal risk.
He emphasizes that these professionals are not bureaucratsâthey are strategic assets.
Farrow traces the decline of diplomacy to deeper systemic issues:
Over decades, funding for diplomacy has declined sharply, while defense spending soars.
âWe spend more on bombs than on building alliances.â
Foreign policy has become politicized, with appointments based on loyalty rather than expertise.
Presidents from both parties have marginalized the State Department, relying instead on military advisors and intelligence chiefs.
Most Americans donât understand what diplomats doâseeing them as irrelevant or elitist.
âWhen diplomacy is invisible, itâs easy to cut.â
The result is a weakened capacity to respond to crises before they escalate.
Farrow makes a passionate case that diplomacy is not optionalâitâs fundamental to survival in the 21st century.
He explains that diplomacy:
âItâs cheaper to send an ambassador than a bomber.â
He also debunks the myth that diplomacy is weak or passive. Real diplomacy requires courage, skill, and endurance.
Key Insight: True strength lies in restraint, patience, and the ability to negotiate.
To build his narrative, Farrow conducted extensive interviews with some of the most influential figures in modern foreign policy:
These voices paint a picture of a foreign policy establishment in disarray, where the tools for peace are being discarded.
Farrow explores why leaders choose war over diplomacy:
âIn a crisis, action is valued over thought, even if the action is counterproductive.â
He argues that this mindset rewards aggression and punishes caution, making diplomacy seem ineffective, even when it works.
Farrow highlights proven diplomatic tools that are underused:
Informal talks between non-government experts that lay the groundwork for official negotiations.
Using early warning systems and mediation to stop violence before it starts.
Sanctions, trade deals, and aid used strategically to influence behavior.
Exchange programs, educational partnerships, and public diplomacy that build goodwill.
âSoft power is not weak, itâs sustainable.â
These approaches build trust and resilience over time.
Farrow calls for a fundamental rethinking of how America engages the world:
He urges citizens to demand better, a foreign policy that values prevention over reaction.
War on Peace ends on a note of cautious hope.
Farrow acknowledges that diplomacy has been batteredâbut not destroyed.
He believes it can be revived through:
âDiplomacy is not dead,itâs waiting to be rediscovered.â
He warns that without a renewed commitment to diplomacy, the world will face more endless wars, greater instability, and diminished American influence.
As he writes
âThe alternative to diplomacy is not peace, itâs war.â