According to Hegel and some philosophies, war and death is necessary. No one likes it, it is suffering, but if there is no death, then we experience the death of the absolute.
I wouldn't go so far as to generalize soldiers as all just doing it to protect the ones they love. They're human too. I've known people who have joined for the money, as an escape, as a career, or even just as an excuse to kill.
Sometimes I cannot help but wonder how much better the world would be with less people. I think the best days of humanity ended when the Europeans set foot on North America and not long after, when the industrial revolution began.
But I'd better hush up my preachings of death before my Nietzsche friends find out. ;)

Good work,
TMO