"Even to men with emotions."
"Why—yes of course. Damn you Doug—"
"Even when one of the three to be sacrificed might be a kid who was still in high school when he enlisted—"
"Yes. Yes I guess so."
"Now remember what you've just told me, and switch to this.... What, actually, is the basis for armed conflict between nations? Generally speaking, with the long view of history?"
"I—I suppose covetousness. Materially translated that would mean just plain wanting the grain fields, the ore mines, the sea ports, the wealth someone else has and that you no longer have, doesn't it? Land, then. Hitler called it Lebensraum. One outfit thinks another is stepping on its toes over this chunk of real estate or that. Etcetera, ad nauseum, ad politics."
"Good. And what's the real root of this material covetousness do you think?"
"Grass is always greener, I guess."
"That is motive enough for the small-scale wars, yes. But I'm speaking of the kind nations fight in desperation, not merely for the sake of warring."
"Then, well—they run out of what they've got. Want more. Is that the answer you want?"