Sure, war has created some solutions, but the song shows that is not the right way to go about things. The lyrics "The Old General tossed in his sleep and wrestled with its meaning" suggests that there is a morality struggle when it comes to war. The general feels obligated to fight for his country, but at the same time he knows the fight is unjust. By the general telling his men to leave the fight, it shows that violence is not the answer. There are several ways of fighting, but killing human beings just because they are considered an "enemy" is not the right way to solve problems. The lyrics "You got no time to lose, you are young men, you must be living" also shows that his mean should not be risking their lives becaue there is so much more to live for and they have their whole lives ahead of them. So war can be a solution, but many lives could be saved if people go about solving problems in less violent ways.