Beating the Drums of War

I just read a really interesting, and surprisingly balanced article, about how Christians approach war. Honestly, I am sometimes disturbed at how pastors and religious leaders handle the war in Iraq. Some of them seem to say that if you are a Christian you have to support the war. At the same time, my heart breaks over the condition of oppressed people around the world (and lets face it, Iraqis were severely oppressed under Sadam). I wonder where the line is that we cross making violence a feasible option to rescue those who need rescuing. I remember a church in Nashville taking up a collection to buy guns for the Sudanese People's Liberation Army. I feel weird about that but, at the same time, I desperately want the suffering to end and I wonder if violence is justified. I have to tell you, I don't know the answer to this question. I read about the armies of Israel wiping out entire nations exactly as God instructed them, and then I read about Jesus telling his disciples to love their enemies and do good to those who persecute them. I have trouble knowing how to approach war as a follower of Christ. I'd like to know what you think.