A kingdom was lost

And the side-effect for those who manufacture and market the weapons, the real war criminals, is that it stimulates the economy of their nation. That's one reason U.S. politicians are often so reluctant to turn down a war, even though they may protest otherwise. It's good for their constituencies and the big businesses that support them and donate to their campaigns.
Imagine what Iraq could have done with all those billions of dollars which were spent on destroying it! Imagine the food it could have bought, the water treatment plants it could have built, the medicine it could have purchased to help heal its sick and suffering. War is such a waste!

A famous rhyme, based on the defeat of King Richard III of England at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, illustrates the importance of small details:
For want of a nail, a shoe was lost,
For want of a shoe, a horse was lost,
For want of a horse, a battle was lost,
For want of a battle, a kingdom was lost,
And all for want of a horseshoe nail.

Ted Rudow III, MA