SERIOUS REFLECTIONS FROM THE OLD LION – WINSTON S. CHURCHILL In Churchill’s book, The Aftermath, he took the liberty to enumerate some of his impressions of the war, between the Armistice and changes in British Government. However his most prolific and incisive thoughts related to his premonitions of a dangerous future. I present them to all future foreign policy leaders that may need to discern a dangerous global pathway to the future. Churchill felt it was not until the dawn of the twentieth century of the Christian era that war began to enter its kingdom as the potential destroyer of the human race. It has been an ongoing revelation since Churchill’s reflections that Science has unfolded her knowledge and mysteries to the demands of men and placed in their grasp devices decisive in their character. Reflecting in the late twenties Churchill became concerned and disturbed about future possibilities of catastrophe. Certain serious facts emerge on Churchill’s figurative mountains in the mist as he examined the mortal threat to mankind. He is convinced that in the future entire populations will take part in war, all doing their best, all subjected to the fury of their enemy. It is already established that nations believing their life is at risk will not be restrained from using any means to secure their continued existence. It is probable that among the means which will next time be at a nation’s disposal will be agencies of destruction once launched will be uncontrollable. Humankind has never been in this position of terror in prior decades. Churchill believed without doubt weapons could accomplish civilization’s extermination. This question of the threat of societal termination is where the efforts of all humankind has led many to the present. Churchill thought people in national foreign policy leadership would find it helpful to pause and contemplate seriously their new responsibilities and the demands of leadership. The old lion concluded metaphorically that death stood at attention, obedient, expectant, anxious to perform and shear away civilizations in great numbers, ready if called upon to pulverize, without hope of rebirth, what is left of population. War awaits only a direction or command to act. Death awaits the order to strike from a frail, bewildered being, long his victim, now for one occasion only-his Master. In the allies’ loss of direction, in the abandonment of principles they had advocated, they allowed conditions to build up that ultimately led to war. Churchill felt their national peers and fellow global societies have only to repeat the same short sighted destructive behavior towards the 2lst century challenges to bring about a third event from which none may survive to tell the tale. Like Churchill I am convinced that foreign policy strategy and implementation is not for knee jerk impulsive neophytes who ignore salient lessons of history. Dr. Alan G. Phillips, Sr.