How would Jesus respond in a world of war and violence?

Our world is full of violence -- and not just the kind you find in American cities. Think Sudan; think West Bank; think Iraq. As Christians, what should be our response to this? What should our response be to our current war? I supported our presence in Iraq and removal of Saddam Hussein because he was a cruel dictator responsible for the murder of thousands. I supported this because I believe we should all do our part to protect those who are being oppressed (especially those being violently oppressed) and to do our part to bring an end to violence. But where do you draw the line? Can you justify violence (i.e. war) to end violence?

A few of Wallis' words got me thinking about all of this. He says it best so I'll let him: “In a world of violence and war, the words of Jesus, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God,’ are not only challenging, they are daunting. The hardest saying of Jesus and perhaps the most controversial in our post-September 11 world must be: ‘Love your enemies, pray for those that persecute you.’ Let’s be honest: How many churches in the United States have heard sermons preached from either of these Jesus texts in the years since America was viciously attacked on the world-changing September morning in 2001? Shouldn’t we at least have a debate about what the words of Jesus mean in the new world of terrorist threats and pre-emptive wars” (Wallis, 2005, p. 16)?