Any discussion of Isaiah's irenic vision must begin with the unhappy observation that war and conflict have been perennial features of the human condition. "The vision of peace with justice has burnt brightly in the hearts of men and women over the millennia, but the recurrence of war has repeatedly mocked these dreams and aspirations- It is hard to escape the conclusion that the prospects for a stable peace are. at best, uncertain, and at worst, illusory. This is the tragedy of international politics.