If the history of the past fifty years teaches us anything, it is that peace does not follow disarmament - disarmament follows peace.

Summary

This quote suggests that the path to achieving peace does not start with disarming, but rather, disarming becomes possible when peace has already been achieved. It implies that attempting to disarm in order to achieve peace is ineffective, as history has taught us that peace is the precursor to disarmament. Thus, the quote emphasizes the importance of establishing and nurturing peaceful relationships between nations before attempting to reduce or eliminate military weapons and capabilities. It serves as a reminder that peacebuilding efforts should come before disarmament initiatives for a more sustainable resolution to conflicts.