The civilized world has always been engrossed with conflict. Territories have been conquered, resources seized, people enslaved; those with power have always asserted their wills over those without it. Nations, countries, empires, kingdoms, whatever the name have at one point or another taken advantage of others, in a way that would be deemed politically incorrect or barbarous by today’s standards. Even America, the land of the free, was founded on land which had been taken from its native people. What are the limits, how far will nations go to use their power for their won benefit? Most importantly, is it just? Is it not just natural that the strong should control the weak? Do lions not prey on the defenseless for survival? If the species of man can be held to the rules of civilization that govern animals, he is constituted to do what is beneficial to himself.
However, if men are governed by a higher law, than their faith constitutes right and wrong. Yet, faith can govern many and all men. On both sides of conflict, there is good and there is evil. How then can conflict be resolved? Certainly not by peace, as such a resolve never occurs. Power resolves all conflict. Power asserts control, the weak follow that is the law of nature. But to what means can the powerful use their resources? In today’s society, there is a line too how much power one nation can assert. How do the rules of nature and those of civilized societies conflict in a wartime manner, when war itself is barbarous? Questions such as the use of torture and nuclear warfare are not clearly answered.
