Clausewitz, read it, and 100s of other books on military strategy and history. European history is filled with peace settlements, usually followed within 20-30 years with another contest of strength. Negotiated peace never satisfies anyone. Only when the loser acknowlegdes total defeat can a solution be implemented. Cases in point: the American Civil War and WW2. Both played out to unconditional surrender and both have brought enduring peace of a sort. On the other hand, negotiated peace where there was no clear loser has a worse track record for peace. Look at Vietnam, Gulf War 1, and all the Arab-Isreali Wars for examples of failed peaces. The problem with war is that politicians start them and then try to meddle in them when the military (the SMEs) are on the brink of decisive results. Had we pushed another 100 hours in the first Gulf War we would not be in the mess we are in today.
Of course, our state department could always bore the enemy to death......