Para bellum

The Voice of Equestria

Interlude

My friends, I want to take a few minutes to talk to the citizens of Equestria about the war.  Equestria is a peaceful land, her policy both foreign and domestic guided by the philosophy of Harmony.  I recognize that it is indeed a troubling time for our nation.  Our peace has been disrupted.  Our homes burned to the ground.  Our families splintered.  Our harmony all but lost.  War has indeed come upon us.

The current conflict needs no introduction, but its root causes and the Equestrian government's actions to preserve our nation in the face of it deserves explanation.  I owe this to the fortitude and good temper with which the citizens of Equestria have endured the materials rationing, the flights from encroaching battle fronts, and the hardships experienced by a nation at war.  I know that when you understand the causes of this crisis, I shall continue to have your cooperation as fully as I have had your sympathy and help during the past months.

Those who follow politics are well aware of the leadership situation in Aquellia, the land of the Griffons.  Aiden Razorclaw, the late prime minister of Aquellia, left a power vacuum in the wake of his untimely passing; a vacuum which was eventually filled by the Aquellian Nationalist Party.  Valerian Titanclaw, the nationalist candidate, was elected the leader of Aquellia by majority vote. While we did not expect Valerian to become the head of state, we gave him a chance, as we should for all prospective leaders.  It is the Equestrian way.

Unfortunately, as is often the case in statecraft, Valerian's ideas of what was right and good for his people conflicted with what we believed to be right and good for our people.  While diplomacy is the preferred method of resolving conflicts of interest, in this case, the differences were too great to permit a peaceful resolution.  Thus, with a heavy heart, Equestria committed to war.

As tragic as this turn of events is, it should be remembered that war is an implement of the state, not the citizen.  It is not in our nature to hold hate in our hearts against the citizens of Aquellia.  Instead, it is up to us to hold compassion and resolve, even for our adversaries on the battlefield.  I do not hate the Griffons, for the citizens of Aquellia have done me no wrong.  Instead, I pity them for the decisions their leaders have made and hope that they will soon realize the price that we all pay for this war.

What, then, drove the Aquellian leadership to make the decisions that they did?  As most of you well know, the Griffons are a proud people, passionately patriotic and fiercely loyal to their families and friends.  There is no question that they would rise up to defend their nation if there was ever a threat to her.  Because of the strength of the Equestrian state, the prevalence of Equestrian culture, and the commitment to showing the strength of Harmony both at home and abroad, the Aquellian Nationalists saw Equestria as a grave threat to not just their security, but themselves.  Nowhere is a Griffon more ardent than in defending his or her identity as a Griffon.  These are fundamental conflicts of interest; complex and difficult to resolve.  They can only be overcome by the willingness to negotiate and reach an acceptable compromise, a step that the Aquellian administration was unwilling to do, the end result being the crisis that exists today.

I do not promise you that this conflict will be without loss.  Bloodshed and material damages are inevitable in full-scale war.  But I can promise you that the REA is doing everything in its power to safeguard the ponies of Equestria.  Citizens are being evacuated from towns and villages in the way of potential battle zones and efforts are being made to keep civilians from being caught in the crossfire.

Even as they continue to fight, the REA does its best to minimize collateral damage.  We are not savages.  We do not delight in wanton destruction and senseless slaughter.  We show compassion to refugees displaced by the fighting.  We accord Griffon prisoners proper food, housing, and medical care so that they might return to their homes after the war and tell of our compassion even for our enemies.  We show the best of ourselves even in the worst of times.

It has been wonderful for me to catch the note of confidence from all across Equestria.  I am forever grateful to the ponies of Equestria for their loyal support of Luna and myself in this time of tribulation.  After all, there is more to winning this war than guns, steel, and magic.  Courage and compassion are essential in securing victory, not just over the invading army, but over the circumstances that led to this war.  Equestria will stand strong in the face of adversity.  We will show the world that we can endure any trial, face any foe, and see each other through any crisis.  Harmony will prevail.

To quote the words of the olden hymn, 'a circle of friends we'll be to the very end.'  As friends, as representatives of Harmony, we stand fast together.  And together we cannot fail.

This is Councilor Mi Amore Cadenza with the Voice of Equestria, signing off.