12 SECTION 4 : PEACE, CONFLICT AND WAR “There never was a good war or a bad peace”. – Benjamin Franklin, 1773. The States of Peace, Conflict and War 2.1 At any given point in time, a country will be in a state of peace, conflict or war or a combination of these. Nations act in their own self-interest which includes the pursuit of political, economic, ideological or cultural objectives. When the interests of nations or a group of nations are in harmony, or at least pose no real or perceived threat to each other, there is peace. However, when the actions or policies of one nation are viewed as a threat to the vital interests of another, a condition of conflict arises. Conflict may escalate to war. The illustration below depicts the entire spectrum of peace, conflict and war. Intensity or Degree of Violence Global War Total War Limited War Civil War/ Revolutionary War LICO Proxy War Insurgency No War No Peace Spectrum of Conflict Regional War Sub-Conventional War Operations Other Than War Conventional War Nuclear War Note : Guerrilla War and Terrorism may occur concurrently across the entire Spectrum of Conflict. Probability of Occurrence Non Combat Operations Violence/Occurrence