A dilemma confronts each and every citizen of a country at war: what to do if you believe that your country is in the wrong?
The overwhelmingly common action is inaction. Silence protects you from most present consequences and allows you, in the future, to say, "I never said a word in favor of that war."
But what if your revulsion for your country's aggression compels you to speak out or act against the excesses of a patriotism gone mad? People are swept up in a combative fervor when surrounded by compatriots who feel aggrieved or threatened. At such times, even silence can condemn you for not coming to the party of war. And if you do express opinions opposing your nation's military, you run the risk of being seen as someone aiding and abetting the enemy.