It can take one day to start a war but over a decade to recover from one, in a world where Ireland's neutrality successfully treads the line between "passion and pragmatism," according to the victorious Trinity Historical Society team in the final of The Irish Times Debate 2006-2007.
David Boughton and Ciaran Denny also argued in an increasingly "black-and-white" world, where supporters are allies, and opponents are labelled "terrorists", Ireland's position as a neutral country provides colour.
The "oversimplification" of a complex world into good and bad does not help to solve its problems, they contended. Instead, there is a need for a multiplicity of different opinions and a peacekeeping role for a neutral Ireland.
The pair were opposing the motion that "This house believes that a neutral Ireland cannot fulfil its global responsibilities in the 21st century".
They received the Demosthenes trophy from the presiding judge, Editor of The Irish Times Geraldine Kennedy. The Christina Murphy Memorial trophy, awarded to the individual winner, was presented to David Quinn, of Kings Inns. Mr Quinn also opposed the motion.
Saturday evening's debate was chaired by Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former UN high commissioner for human rights. Mrs Robinson is also a former finalist of The Irish Times debate, and is currently chairwoman of Realising Rights, a US-based lobby group established to promote ethical globalisation.
"It is Ireland's actions which have rendered it neutral in the modern world . . . Ireland treads the line between passion and pragmatism, and we tread it with great pride," Mr Boughton said.
" is pragmatic in the sense that it allows us to do what we do best . . . in any conflict in any country, there is going to be an aftermath and that is what we are much better at coping with," his team-mate Mr Denny said.
However, this does not mean saying "nothing about anything". For example, a neutral Ireland is still in a position to remonstrate with China over human rights abuses, he added.
In his winning speech, Mr Quinn contended that Ireland's neutrality has changed and adapted over the years, and now operates in the context of a sole superpower. He also highlighted the impact which the State, as a small neutral country, has had on world affairs, including its key role in the nuclear non-proliferation debate at UN level during the 1960s.Ireland must invest itself, "as we always have", in the ideals of diplomacy.
"Do we want to live in a world where there is one rule for everyone else and no rules for a superpower?" he asked.
The lively debate saw participants challenged on a range of issues, including whether Ireland has the capacity to intervene militarily on its own, and the limitations placed on its ability to intervene due to the "triple lock" requiring a Government, Dáil and UN mandate.
The three winners will represent Ireland on a three-week debating tour of the US.
The runners-up in the team category were Ross Kelly and Susan Connolly of the UCD Law Society, while the individual runner-up was Christopher Kissane of the TCD Historical Society. All three were speaking in favour of the motion. The motion was defeated following a vote of audience members.
The adjudicators were Geraldine Kennedy, Editor of The Irish Times (presiding judge); Prof Brent Northup, of Carroll College in the US; Prof David Mc Connell, TCD academic, chairman of The Irish Times Trust, and a former winner; Dr Elizabeth Barrett, a former winner; and Ian Kehoe, journalist and former winner.