To "own" a land? Is this not the folly of grasping at externals, a distraction from true virtue? Control through domination breeds resentment, not security. Did not Rome's overreach sow the seeds of its own decline? Let wisdom guide our actions, not the fleeting allure of territorial gain.

Such a notion is, frankly, preposterous. Nations should strive for mutual benefit through trade and diplomacy, not conquest. Remember, a nation that buys its metal cheaply risks being sold cheaply itself. Territorial appetites invite conflict, disrupting the very peace necessary for prosperity.