War has always been, and always will be, a necessary action perpetrated by man. There are many reasons for war: anger, passion, greed, defense, and religion, to name a few. When differences cannot be resolved or compromised through mediation with an opposing party, war is the last remaining option. The Muslim historian Ibn Khaldun wrote in 14th-century Spain that “war is a universal and inevitable aspect of life, ordained by God in the same measure as heaven and earth, heat and cold. The question of whether to scare is not a significant moral question because the struggle is constant; the minor decision not to fight this war will only be made in the context of the knowledge that another war will present itself soon enough because it is simply always there.” (Peter S. Themes. The Just War) The politician and the soldier have a common goal; to win the war. But there is a difference in their mentality. The politician, safe behind his desk, has never experienced the fear and terror of being in battle. He did not see the blood or hear the screams of the suffering soldiers. He didn't see his best friend die in his arms after being hit by enemy fire. He is a spectator, free to analyze and criticize every aspect of the war from the safety of his office. He is free and safe to talk about ethics and correct war etiquette. The soldier, immersed in battle, fighting for his life, can only think of one thing. Kill or be killed. When bullets graze his face and mortars explode all around him, he doesn't worry about fighting ethically. Nor is he even aware that he is fighting for his country. He is fighting for his life. To stay alive, he must kill the enemy, destroy the enemy. The longer the war persists, the more likely it is that he will not return home alive. “The use of organized violence means, in fact, abandoning fixed and consolidated values”. (Chris Hedges, War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning) It is clear that the way the United States approached the war in Iraq was in fact due, in some sense, to the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan and the consequent debate that arose later.