War

Okay, I have a question.
Think about the battles that the people of Israel fought with the surrounding nations. The ones that God told them to fight.
Got it?
Now my question, why did God make them fight?
I mean look, God could have simply said the word and blammo! Enemy dead.
The way it worked out, they fought and they died. The battle was won (or lost depending on what God wanted them to do) but at a human cost.
I know the simple answer is that man sinned and because of that we die. I got that part, but why did God make his own people fight?
War is a horrible thing, nation verses nation. Young and old, soldier and civilian suffer. Families are torn apart, huge amounts of money are expended and the scars can last a lifetime.
The only answer I can come up with is that God wanted the victory to cost something. It would make His people appreciate their freedom more if it cost them.
It may not be the right answer, but it's the only thing I can come up with.
People have asked me about the current war, is it right or is it wrong? As a Christian I have the same thoughts that Alvin York had before he entered the fighting of WWI. The book says not to kill (the book being the Bible), so we shouldn't kill.
I have to remember that the same God who gave Moses those words also told the people of Israel that when He gave the go ahead to go to war, in some of the instances they were to kill EVERYTHING. Men, women and children, period.
So when God said "Do not kill" He must have been speaking of murder, outside of the war scenario.
The human part of me wants to see Muslim terrorists pay for 9-11, and I think that's a fairly common reaction to the attacks that were made on the United States.
So my problem is balancing forgiveness and revenge.
Pretty tough to do.
I've thought a lot lately about war and it's cost. I watch youngsters play war, cowboys and Indians and I wonder, where do they learn to fight?
If we are created in God's image (which we are) and the Bible says that God is a warrior, do we have the warrior instinct in us? Are we born with the instinct to fight to protect our loved ones and our way of life?
I have a great respect for veterans of all wars. They went when their nation called. Many didn't get the chance to come home. We owe a them a great deal.
Should we be in Iraq? You can argue that one pretty hard either way and I will not muddy the waters here. As long as their are Americans risking their lives in harms way, they have my support.
So for now wars and rumors of wars will be our lot. I'm looking forward to the time Isaiah spoke about, when soldiers will have no need for their boots anymore, and we will burn all of the bandages.
Peace.