*haven't read most of the thread*
I agree with whoever said war and politics are blurry, I'd go so far as to say they are inseparable. The idea of the military somehow rationally deciding on how to reach rational objectives (as opposed to the politicians ideologically deluded involvement) that seems to flourish in some quarters is, a chimaira.
Our culture shapes how we wage wars, partially because it shapes what we consider important (a highly urbanized culture would likely concentrate any attack on the larger cities, something that might prove very unwise against an agrarian civilization like feudal europe) In some cases a winner might be hard to discern in a conflict because they are playing different games, it becomes even more confusing when they do not recognize the motives of the other side...
I agree with whoever said war and politics are blurry, I'd go so far as to say they are inseparable. The idea of the military somehow rationally deciding on how to reach rational objectives (as opposed to the politicians ideologically deluded involvement) that seems to flourish in some quarters is, a chimaira.
Our culture shapes how we wage wars, partially because it shapes what we consider important (a highly urbanized culture would likely concentrate any attack on the larger cities, something that might prove very unwise against an agrarian civilization like feudal europe) In some cases a winner might be hard to discern in a conflict because they are playing different games, it becomes even more confusing when they do not recognize the motives of the other side...
