I did not know the French soldier’s name and he did not know mine, but when me met we were already enemies. He came and was prepared to kill me for our food, and I had to comply with his order to protect myself and my fellow monks. The two of us were not, by nature, enemies. Under different circumstances, we could have become close friends, even loving each other as brothers. It was only war that seperated us and brought violence between us.

This is the nature of war: it turns us into enemies. People who have never met kill each other out of fear. War creates so much suffering — children become orphans, entire cities and villages are destroyed. All who suffer through these conflicts are victims. — Thich Nhat Hanh