[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

And, in their wisdom, the presidential electors have repeatedly chosen former generals to be president.

Someone with a finer memory for history may correct me, but I can't recall a US war that began while a former general was in the White House (unless you count the start of the Vietnam War sometime during the Eisenhower Admin, rather than with Kennedy's commitment of "advisors" to the SVN army).

[Miss Marple]

The following men were generals who were elected President of the United States:

George Washington
Andrew Jackson
Zachary Taylor
Ulysses S. Grant
Dwight D. Eisenhower

All of these men were elected immediately AFTER a war, or fairly soon thereafter. Taylor was in office only a short while, so his presidency really doesn't count.

Grant was coming off the Civil War, and it was a generation before the nation was ready to fight over anything.

Washington was the first president, when the nation was just getting started. Having defeated the British, he no doubt felt it good to keep a low profile, as we were really not capable of taking on France or Britain again at that time.

By the time of the War of 1812, the United States had become a far-flung battleground of the Napoleonic wars in Europe. Jackson was a hero of the defense of New Orleans. As he instigated several attacks on Indian tribes, I don't think his presidency can be considered peaceful.

Eisenhower pursued the Cold War, which had many fronts, including Viet Nam.

In short, electing a general doesn't guarantee peace; it is simply an accident of history.