Is intelligent alien life common in the universe?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Is intelligent alien life common in the universe?". Your opponent's style: Carl Sagan

Is war necessary to maintain peace? Against.

You've got it backwards. War doesn't maintain peace, it just pauses violence until the next conflict erupts. History shows that peace built on military deterrence is fragile, expensive, and constantly on the verge of collapse. Costa Rica abolished its military in 1949 and has thrived. Meanwhile, countries that spend billions on weapons still face instability. The real mechanism for lasting peace is institutional cooperation, economic interdependence, and conflict resolution systems, not the threat of annihilation. If war were truly necessary for peace, we'd see a direct correlation between military spending and stability. We don't. What evidence do you have that violence actually prevents violence?