It is the politicians and government leaders that declare war.
It is the poor bloody troops who have to actually do the fighting.

Try Kiplings 'A Dead Statesman'

I could not dig: I dared not rob:
Therefore I lied to please the mob.
Now all my lies are proved untrue
And I must face the men I slew.
What tale shall serve me here among
Mine angry and defrauded young?

Or more up to date Richard Heller's

'The Minister has all his notes in place'

The Minister has all his notes in place.
No line of truth has etched his handsome face.
The House is sparse; they have heard it all before.
His expert lies massage away the war.

While Serbian artillery take aim,
Decide which new civilains they should maim,
He fills the Chamber high with empty talk,
And here's another child will never walk.

The Opposition make synthetic rant;
He answers with the Foreign Office cant.
Some random shrapnel takes a boys right eye:
The other one is all he needs to cry.

'Next business', and the Minsister displays
A lapdog urge to here officials praise.
A woman fetching water stops a shell.
He smiles: 'That went rather well.'

I saw active service and like many others after we saw the names of comrades who fell or drowned at sea we questioned the need for the Falklands campaign. It was purely political but when you join up at 16 (as I did ) you never really understood politicians.