War Is A Lie is a thorough refutation of every major argument used to justify wars, drawing on evidence from numerous past wars, with a focus on those wars that have been most widely defended as just and good. This is a handbook of sorts, an engaging, always informative manual that can be used to debunk future lies before the wars they're deployed to justify have any chance to begin. This 2026 edition updates and expands on the 2015 second edition, which built on the 2010 original.
The author, David Swanson, is available for interviews and events. Contact him here.
You can also join him for a World BEYOND War, four-session, online book club discussion of two of his books together here.
Or you can sign up for one or both of two free online discussions of this and another of Swanson's recent books through RootsAction Education Fund here.
Buy the new book at your local bookstore. The ISBN is 979-8-2561-9775-9. The distributor is Ingram.
Buy it at any online book seller, such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Thrift Books, etc.
Buy in the U.S. or UK for $22 here.
Anywhere on Earth, get a big discount on orders of 10 or more paperbacks (this can include copies of this and my other books). Be sure to let us know how many of which books and where they need to be shipped, and we can let you know the cost.
This is the Table of Contents:Preface 2026 12
Preface 2015 14
Introduction 2010 15
1. Wars Are Not Fought Against Evil 22
2. Wars Are Not Launched in Defense 58
3. Wars Are Not Waged Out of Generosity 103
4. Wars Are Not Unavoidable 126
5. Warriors Are Not Heroes 153
6. War Makers Do Not Have Noble Motives 193
7. Wars Are Not Prolonged for the Good of Soldiers 224
8. Wars Are Not Fought on Battlefields 241
9. Wars Are Not Won, and Are Not Ended By Enlarging Them 265
10. War News Does Not Come From Disinterested Observers 282
11. War Does Not Bring Security and Is Not Sustainable 300
12. Wars Are Not Legal 327
13. Wars Cannot Be Both Planned and Avoided 349
14. War Is Over If You Want It 361
Epilogue 2015 380
War Is Still A Lie 2026 421
Acknowledgments 512
About the Author 513
Notes 514
Index 548
"For a sophisticated and systematic demystification of war, consult David Swanson's book War Is A Lie.
-- Johan Galtung, father of peace studies
"A terrific tool for recognizing and resisting war lies before it's too late."
-- Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon Papers whistleblower
"David Swanson's War Is A Lie should be required reading. It lays bare the hypocrisy of American 'do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do' foreign policy, exposing the lies and the deliberate glorification of military disasters. War Is A Lie gives you the arguments, outrage and inspiration you need to take action. Read it."
-- Medea Benjamin, author, peace activist
"David Swanson is a truth-teller and witness-bearer whose voice and action warrant our attention."
-- Cornel West, philosopher
"A vital guide to understanding deadly propaganda, War Is a Lie maps out the deceptive terrain where people fall into accepting perpetual war as necessary. David Swanson has done the difficult work of making it easy for readers to grasp the extent of the lies -- and the horrific consequences. With meticulous research and moral clarity, this book could transform your view of war and the real possibilities for peace."
-- Norman Solomon, author, film maker, activist
"David Swanson predicates his belief that nonviolence can change the world on careful research and historical analysis."
-- Kathy Kelly, author, peace activist
"Our times cry out for a smart, witty and courageous Populist who hasn't forgotten how to play offense. Luckily we have David Swanson."
-- Mike Ferner, author, peace activist
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