The purpose of sarcasm is usually to mock someone, and though it is very suiting for certain real life situations, I don't see how it means you're trying to offend any less. It's not debating because it doesn't attack the argument, it just an attempt to make someone look amusingly foolish and discredit what they say through it. I think it is against the spirit of a friendly discussion on an OOC forum. Sarcasm fits much better IC where nobles try to offend eachothers.
Now as for the "peace as a boogeyman"; I agree. Atamara has in my opinion been very entertaining these past few years, and there's no real reason to expect anything else. I think what people are afraid of is the fact that whether future wars will be fun for them or not is out of their hands, a fear that the central alliance will be able to dictate which wars will be balanced and which simply end before they start. And since because both IC (empire trying to widen its influence) and OOC (bring entertainment to own players) it makes a great deal of sense for the Cagil to meddle, I think this fear is reasonable.
Nobody, obviously, knows what exactly is going to happen, I just hope that if we end up in a position where the Empire ends up being a "peace keeping organization", the players within it will decide to create something fun for the whole island rather than try get as high as possible on the ladder of winning in an unwinnable game. And before someone says something, no it's not the Empire's duty to try create fun for others, it's just me hoping.
