Why NLNM and not just Peace

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Created: 1/11/2025

The future of warfare is unclear. It is likely that over the next centuries we will arrive at a multitude of junctions and will have choices to make on how to limit violence and potentially on how to limit destruction. Much will depend on the state of our cultural and technological development as a species. Above all the top priority is life, wholeness of and lack of serious damage to our people. There will likely be many ways to achieve this goal but the need for building defensive capabilities and spirit will continue to exist as we slowly prepare to enter first solar and eventually (after sufficient preparation) interstellar space.

As we advance technologically we change the environment around us and change the infrastructure that sometimes stifles progress or possibly prevents us from making further necessary advancements. It is likely that in the coming centuries the pace of progress will slow and we will be able to peacefully rebuild on on-going basis. However, if we find ourselves in positions of need for rapid infrastructure upgrades and there is no way to accomplish it without open conflict, then we must plan for conflict that forces infrastructure rebuilding without any loss of human life or wholeness and without serious bodily damage.

In the coming centuries the international and inter (sub)-continental conflicts may continue to be prevalent and could continue to dominate the course of events. Trying to outright prevent those conflicts may lead to build up and cause open hostilities on a much larger scale with much more damage.

Some parts of the planet have stabilized their national boundaries but even there the territorial boundaries of international blocks are still under question. Much of the world hasn't gotten to that stage of development and possibly may never take that path. The questions of countries belonging to one block or another or even being split up between blocks may continue to come up and trying to hold back the pressure may not always result in "calm waters" if the "tide continues to rise". And while territorial expansion may soon become the thing of the past, temporary territorial occupation may continue for several centuries or even beyond that.

Given that the above assumptions are correct we must prepare for the possibility of continuation of open hostilities. If they continue we need to build upon the rules of engagement we already established and continue the evolutionary process of limiting warfare. Above all are the lives of people and the proposal of NLNM combat attempts to show a way forward to where open hostilities do not cause loss of life or wholeness and do not cause serious bodily damage.

Peace is the way, no question about that, but trying to enforce peace without continuously resolving all of our conflicts may lead to greater and more horrible war. If open hostilities is what it will take to resolve them, let's make sure that everybody comes back home alive, in one piece and without any serious damage.