Imagine, if you will, an old French soldier returning to his home after WWII. He stands on a hilltop overlooking his small town. The houses have been burned. The steeple is crushed. The farmlands are razed. Any building left standing bears the scars of gunfire and explosions. The people are weary and worn. Why did all this happen? This soldier fired some of the very rounds that desecrated his home. His actions were part of the destruction of his home, the death of his people. Why? Does he not know war is a terrible thing?
This seems an absurd question, as we know the wider context of history. We know why that old soldier fought. He knows better than anyone the horror of war, but also knows better than anyone he would do it all over again if called upon.
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