Avoiding civil war is crucial, but sacrificing core values to prevent it raises the question of whether the cost is worth it.

The loss of a unifying enemy like Carthage contributed to the breakdown of political cohesion in Rome, allowing for civil wars and the rise of personalist armies.

The English Civil Wars were described as a war without an enemy, highlighting the internal conflicts that can arise in a society.

Destroying trust in institutions can lead to either anarchy or dictatorship, as societies rely on these structures for stability and order.

Geography significantly influences the outcomes of wars and the rise and fall of civilizations, as seen in the historical development of societies around rivers.

Civilization could end with a bang, like World War III, or a whimper, like a demographic collapse. It's crucial to consider these risks.

In the midst of war, you see the very best and the very worst of people, and they exist beside each other.

If you invade a country, you must commit to reconstruction; abandoning efforts leads to the undoing of progress, as seen in Afghanistan.

Two pillars of world order have been effectively demolished, serving only as ideological weapons, yet people should still defend and fight for these ideals, as they are not the end of the road.