IDES OF MARCH:

ON THE LAST GREAT WAR™

26-03-2026

IDES OF MARCH:

ON THE LAST GREAT WAR™

Civilization is not a static process, but a journey of events in constant motion, shaped and placed by time—often without our awareness. Wars, regrettably, form part of that collective process of agreement and disagreement, of the search for improved general circumstances and living conditions within nations, in every era and place.

Yet always, behind the noise and the blood, one finds reason and justice—and also their opposites. And the last great war is no different: humanity will, for the first time in a long while, find itself at a civilizational turning point. For if irrationality, the dehumanization and destruction of nations, and the proliferation of diplomatic hypocrisy are deemed the best path forward, then all the peoples of the world will bear the consequences.

Meanwhile, around these same dates, it is expected that an American citizen who serves as head of the Vatican will visit one of the most corrupt countries on the planet—an act perceived by some as honoring corruption—while his own country once again appears unwilling to assume the historical responsibility of accepting that without truth, without justice, and without fraternity, one cannot lead a nation, much less the community of nations.

I. On the Movement of Civilization

Civilization is not an immobile stone in the current of time. It is a river, a flow, a perpetual tension between memory and future. Whoever observes with serenity will notice that peoples do not walk in a straight line but in spirals: they return to ancient questions with new instruments; they repeat errors under different names; they seek justice even when unaware of their own deviation.

Nothing human remains static. Institutions rise, reform, and decay. Borders shift. Languages blend. Symbols are reinterpreted. And yet the essence of human aspiration—order, dignity, security, transcendence—remains constant.

In this unfolding, wars have, regrettably, accompanied historical transit. They do not constitute the foundation of civilization, but they have been its most severe trials. Within them condense accumulated tensions, unresolved grievances, excessive ambitions, and also legitimate defenses of a broken order.

Power, when severed from its moral foundation, degenerates into domination. And domination, sooner or later, provokes resistance. Thus begins the cycle that leads to confrontation.

Remember always: power is not domination, but order. And he who sustains order sustains the world.

II. War as a Fractured Agreement

Every war is, at its deepest root, the failure of an agreement—not necessarily the failure of formal diplomacy, but the failure of interior concord among peoples, leaders, and institutions.

Nations seek to improve their conditions, protect their resources, guarantee their security, and affirm their identity. When these objectives are pursued within a framework of mutual respect, shared prosperity is born. When pursued through imposition or deceit, conflict germinates.

One must not forget that behind the thunder of armies stand ideas—some noble, others perverse. Behind spilled blood lie principles in dispute: justice and injustice, truth and falsehood, honor and petty calculation.

Wars do not arise solely from irrationality. They also emerge when reason is instrumentalized to justify the unjustifiable. History teaches that the dehumanization of the adversary precedes his destruction. When the other is no longer recognized as a bearer of dignity, the moral boundary collapses.

Yet even in the darkness of conflict, the possibility of restoring order endures. War reveals, with stark clarity, the moral structures of a civilization. If they are solid, suffering will not be in vain; if fragile, devastation will extend beyond the battlefield.

III. The Civilizational Turning Point

There are moments in history when humanity approaches a threshold. They are not frequent, but when they arrive, they alter the course of centuries.

A civilizational turning point is defined not only by the scale of material destruction, but by the reconfiguration of meaning. In such moments, nations must answer an essential question: what kind of order do they wish to sustain?

If irrationality becomes normalized, if the systematic destruction of entire communities is justified under strategic pretexts, if diplomatic hypocrisy replaces the pledged word, then the very fabric of civilization weakens.

When treaties become mere tactical instruments rather than commitments of honor, the international system transforms into a stage of permanent suspicion. In such a climate, every gesture is interpreted as a threat.

The last great war—whatever future name it may bear—will not be remembered solely for its battles, but for the moral examination it imposes upon humanity. Military victory will not suffice; ethical reconstruction will be required.

If peoples conclude that falsehood is a legitimate tool and indiscriminate destruction an acceptable resource, then all will suffer the consequences—victors and defeated alike.

IV. On Hypocrisy and Responsibility

In times of crisis, leaders are observed with greater severity. Their words acquire specific weight; their silences, profound meaning.

History shows that princes have often visited decadent courts not to reform them, but to secure immediate advantage. Such gestures, though cloaked in solemnity, erode public trust when perceived as complacency toward corruption or moral disorder.

Authentic leadership demands coherence between speech and action. One cannot proclaim the defense of truth while tolerating convenient falsehood. One cannot invoke justice while evading historical responsibility.

Authority that refuses to examine its own errors loses legitimacy. And a nation unwilling to recognize its internal failures can hardly offer guidance to the concert of nations.

Historical responsibility does not consist in humiliating oneself before the past, but in assuming it with clarity. Without truth, there is no reconciliation. Without justice, there is no stability. Without fraternity, there is no enduring international community.

V. The Restoration of Order

Every great war ends with reconstruction. But not every reconstruction is a true restoration.

True restoration requires a return to fundamental principles: human dignity, balance of power moderated by norms, primacy of the pledged word, respect for cultures, and clear limits on violence.

Institutions must be reformed to prevent the same errors from recurring under new forms. Alliances must be grounded in verifiable trust, not ephemeral interests. Education must strengthen critical sense and historical consciousness.

A sustainable international order is not imposed through perpetual force, but through legitimacy. And legitimacy arises from mutual recognition and consistent fulfillment of commitments.

VI. Mission and Continuity

Each generation receives an inheritance—not only territories and structures, but moral debts and unfinished tasks.

The mission of those who exercise authority is not to conquer for themselves, but to safeguard for the future. The worthy ruler understands that his power is transient, while the order he sustains must aspire to permanence.

The last great war—like all those before it—will be judged not only by its immediate results, but by the quality of the order it leaves behind. If from it emerges a civilization more conscious of its limits and responsibilities, the sacrifice will have produced instruction. If, on the contrary, it consolidates arrogance and indifference, it will have been a regression disguised as triumph.

History does not automatically absolve the victors. It examines the justice of their actions.

VII. Conclusion: The Judgment of Time

Time is the supreme judge of empires and republics. No power escapes its scrutiny. No discourse remains intact if it lacks moral foundation.

Humanity once again stands before the possibility of choosing between amplified destruction and shared responsibility. It is not the first time it faces such a dilemma—but each generation must resolve it for itself.

Remember: power is not domination, but order. And he who sustains order sustains the world.

Respectfully,

Javier Clemente Engonga

President, Digital Republic of Equatorial Guinea™

Commander and Chief Operating Officer Corruption Investigation Agency (C.I.A.)™ – Equatorial Guinea

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