Comics and Wars

The so called 'western civilasation' has conquered since its first existance. We now look back and think how primitive the man have been back in the Roman empire, but the truth is that we have not changed since then. Given we have computers, weapons of mass destruction and other nice toys they did not have back then but we still do the same things, we still try to conquer to expand our power. Imperialism has not hepled anyone, it takes on both sides, it destroys the area fought over and in the end we all end up with less then we had before. The only way to proof that we actually did advance would be to show acceptance for other religions and people, to not try to conquer them with weapons but rather invite them in and making them once friend. This is not impossible it is just something that seems fairly difficult to men.
So now something a little less emotional...

Is it neccassery that we control other people, or that we own the land that they life on?
What does a individual gain from possesing more than they could ever use or need?
Imperialism is something that is not neccassery it is only a way to make some (an elite richer), while the rest (soldiers and the local residents have to suffer the consequence.)
If these elites want to fight over the riches of the world let them do it but let them not drag others in these disputes, for example the Danish newspaper did probably not intend to anger others but rather thought that it would sell well to print that picture. (I might add that many in Europe are non-religious and thus don't understand how a comic can trigger such reactions.)
Ignorance should not be excused but if it is possible to think of it as something that can be changed.