A question worth pondering IMO: Are there other ways of dealing with an oppressive government besides civil war? Maybe protests, strikes, boycotts, sit-downs? Would they be any less effective, result in less death and destruction and social upheaval? Looking at Syria, one might conclude that mass protests were ineffective and unarmed people were just getting slaughtered, but look at it now that it has gone fully violent on both sides. More and more people are getting killed, the country is getting completely destroyed and space has been made for more and more radicals, yet the initial goal is not particularly closer. Maybe this idea of violently fighting off the government as a means of change is archaic. I don't have the answer myself, but it seems to me people would be better off taking productive roles rather than focusing on some doomsday fantasy of shooting each other.