[Sethomas]

Hey, I actually like the idea of this thread!

"Peace" is always going to be a subjective and relative term. However, I think that a rational fear of violence in itself is a contradiction of worthwhile peace, and national autonomy is most always a prerequisite for real peace. Like, the Pax Romana was famous for having no wars, but I wouldn't consider it a genuine across-the-board "peace" because there were skirmishes virtually everywhere that were simply incapable of escalating into war because of the constant thumbscrews in place.

Obviously, peace should be the perpetual telos of all politics, but that doesn't override the option for operating a just war to accomplish a greater peace.

Just an aside, if the fear of Iran getting nukes is such a valid concern on the grounds that they could fall into even worse hands, what is being done for the much more palpable reality of the Soviet stockpile that everyone's totally forgotten about? I'm not saying that Russia would sell them to terrorists, but last I heard their security measures were non-existent.