“All may be fair in love and war—but when leaders wage battles for selfish ends, justice, truth, and humanity are the first to fall.”

The phrase “everything is fair in love and war” has long been used to justify extreme actions in extraordinary circumstances. Yet, this idea holds relevance only when conflicts arise out of genuine necessity—defense of sovereignty, protection of people, or preservation of dignity. The moment war becomes a tool for personal ambition, political survival, or ego-driven decisions, it loses its moral ground entirely.

When leaders begin to act out of selfish interests, fairness is no longer a principle—it becomes a casualty. Truth is often the first to be manipulated, narratives are crafted to mislead, and the real cost of conflict is pushed onto innocent lives. Soldiers fight, civilians suffer, and nations bleed—not for justice, but for the ambitions of a few.

History bears witness to countless such moments where the misuse of power has led to devastation that could have been avoided. Responsible leadership demands restraint, wisdom, and above all, accountability. Without these, authority transforms into recklessness, and decisions taken in closed rooms echo as tragedies across generations.

A war driven by collective necessity may still carry a sense of painful justification—but a war driven by selfishness carries none. It erodes trust, weakens institutions, and leaves behind scars that no victory can heal. In such conflicts, there are no true winners—only varying degrees of loss.

In the end, the true test of leadership is not in the ability to wage war, but in the wisdom to prevent it. For when power is guided by self-interest rather than responsibility, even the idea of fairness becomes meaningless, and humanity itself stands defeated.

Col Shubh