Governments go to war or engage in conflict in order to serve or preserve their nation, their political ends, their political interests. At times that political end may be to preserve the nation itself. At other times to help their allies whose continued existence most definitely benefits a nation and therefore their political ends, political referring to their government. The main and first objective of any government is to maintain its existence. You gave the Civil War as an example that you believe proves my statement wrong.
The point of the war was the preservation of the Union. The southern states rebelled against the Union. The north would not have it. Yes, slavery sparked the southern states to rebel but the north did not send their young men to die simply to free the slaves. There was another more important issue at hand: the Union of States, the United States of America.
EXECUTIVE MANSiON,
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 1862.
Hon. Horace Greeley:
DEAR SIR: I have just read yours of the 19th,
addressed to myself through the New-York Tribune. If there be in it any
statements or assumptions of fact which I may know to be erroneous, I do
not now and here controvert them. If there be in it any inferences
which I may believe to be falsely drawn, I do not now and here argue
against them. If there be perceptible in it an impatient and dictatorial
tone, I waive it in deference to an old friend, whose heart I have
always supposed to be right.
As to the policy I "seem to be pursuing," as you say, I have not meant to leave any one in doubt.
I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest
way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be
restored the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." If there be
those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time
save Slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not
save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy Slavery, I do
not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the
Union, and is not either to save or destroy Slavery. If I could save
the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it, and if I could save
it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it, and if I could save it by
freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. What I do
about Slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to
save this Union, and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe
it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall
believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I
shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct
errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as
they shall appear to be true views. I have here stated my purpose
according to my view of official duty, and I intend no modification of
my oft-expressed personal wish that all men, everywhere, could be free.
Yours,
A. LINCOLN.
_____________________
Lincoln's letter is the epitome of what national leaders must do. They must first preserve the nation, and its political interests, and do what is necessary to accomplish those ends. If that means war then it is war.
In Lincoln's time that political end was the preservation of the Union. He, imo, accomplished a worth while political end. He preserved the Union and the nation.
Frank
