A couple of notes for those seeking solace at the far ends of the spectrum (chicken-hawks and peaceniks): no one hates war more than soldiers. We'd all go home if we could. But the enemy gets a vote. Few countries are necessarily our enemy, and we'd like to keep it that way. Making a military success unpalatable helps keep it that way. Detente is in many ways offers a more stable peace than pacifism, particularly for a major world power entangled in many alliances.