it describes certain behavior, but does not actually explain anything
That's not so much of a problem, provided 1) it can help you make predictions, and 2) it's not screened off by better models (which would necessarily include those that actually do explain, provided they are simple enough to be practically applied).
An explanatory fiction in the wild:
A: Why is Charlie doing badly in school?
B: He's lazy.
A: What makes you say that?
B: He's always daydreaming.
A: So let's
B: Nah, it wouldn't work. Charlie is lazy.
So, saying that the British don't use assassination as a foreign policy tool based on their "national character" is really just saying the British don't assassinate because they don't assassinate.
Notice how saying "The British won't assassinate in the future because they haven't in the past" doesn't really invoke "national character" at all.
Here's the new thread for posting quotes, with the usual rules: