So, to say 'Regardless of who's side you are on, that "conflict" was never going to be resolved by force by any side' is quite naive in my opinion - I would rephrase it to say "conflict will only be resolved militarily with the total eradication of the other side, everything else is just a reconciliatory 'pause' (some long, some short)".
I certainly don't think that view is naive. I think you stand a far better chance of a long term peace with an enemy if you can reconcile your differences than if you defeat him. As we saw with Germany post WW1, defeat harbored resentment and we soon found ourselves at war again.