war

Act of force, usually on behalf of the state, intended to compel a declared enemy to obey the will of the other. The aim is to render the opponent incapable of further resistance by destroying its capability and will to bear arms in pursuit of its own aims. War can therefore be seen as a continuation of politics carried on with violent and destructive means, as an instrument of policy. Conversely, politics and diplomacy can be seen as attempts to avoid war.

In the wars of the late 20th century, 90% of casualties have been civilian (in World War II, the figure was 50%; in World War I only 5%).

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), there were fewer wars in 1995 than at any time since the end of the Cold War in 1989. All 30 of the wars in 1995 were civil wars fought within nations, apparently signalling a further shift from the pattern of inter-state wars which had characterized the modern era. More of these internal conflicts were fought over territory than over government control.

Global military spending in 1997 was 800 billion dollars.