Whether the History Channel's special on the War of 1812 presented a balanced perspective is pretty much irrelevant. The facts presented were generally factual, and the viewer was obliged to look at it from his own point of view. It is true, there was no winner in that war, which is true of war in general. However, the lessons learned from the War of 1812 have served both Great Britain and the United States, as well as other nations, as to how judgment may be better exercised in future potential conflicts of interest. While there was no winner or loser in that war, both sides gained on the side of wisdom, and lost in lives and fortune. In war, there are never any winners, but on the plus side, there is the chance some wisdom may have been gained as a side effect, as has been the case in all wars recorded in history. Not to suggest that war is a satisfactory solution to any problem, but there is no great loss without some small gain. When one is in a position of responsibility, he must make decisions, some right, some wrong, and only history will judge the propriety of any of them. Any one of us could some day be in such a position.