Well-said, the question of whether we can learn without disaster (further) will be answered soon.  I hope that with the example of many of the successes of the Europeans in overcoming the tragedies of the first half of the 20th century we can see what a disaster we have brought on by our militarism and its human and financial costs.  It may well be that we can't learn to see until disaster hits generally-that seems to be mankinds way.

"I said, 'Wait a minute, Chester, You know I'm a peaceful man...'" Robbie Robertson