The business of battles

Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

At the time of writing, the people of Pakistan are united in their pride of their armed forces, particularly the air force. The most hard-core critics of military spending have seen the wisdom of a high defence budget when we have a hostile nation as a neighbour.

But in the end, who does war benefit? Not the civilians who fear for their lives and livelihoods while mourning those who are lost to conflict. Not the countries that...