{SPOILERS} So, how did you feel about...

[Theodric]

Still not sure when we slaughtered Garleans not in self-defense or without need. We let anyone who stands down live... and more often than not they attack us without mercy. So...

Well, there's the utter lack of an attempt at diplomacy. The Warrior of Light and Scions attempted to broker peace between the Ishgardians and Dravanians. They failed, multiple times - but persisted regardless. Even after meeting reasonable Garleans such as Regula they failed to even acknowledge the possibility of peace - and if they continue to avoid trying to secure it then they're simply massive hypocrites. They're now supporting destablising territory that isn't theirs to reclaim - causing fear and panic. I hope the Scions and their allies pay dearly in blood for any Garleans who lose their children, lovers or friends in rebellions incited in otherwise peaceful territory. We already know that not every part of the Empire is a cesspit - some territories are virtually unchanged by Garlean rule. We've heard it but we'll likely see it for ourselves in due time.

Yet the longer the Warrior of Light and his allies fail to attempt diplomacy, the more needless bloodshed there will be. I suspect that you'll counter with 'but the Garleans aren't interested' but even if that turns out to be true (which is unlikely, given the mixed opinions on things like the Meteor Project) it doesn't change the simple fact that the Warrior of Light and his allies refused to take 'no' for an answer when it came to peace between the Dravanians and the Ishgardians.

It's not like there isn't a mutual goal in regards to putting an end to the Primal/Eikon threat once and for all, either. Here's hoping we'll see the Garlean Consulate in Kugane used to discuss potential diplomacy with someone along the lines of Regula, Reeve, Larsa or Drace. Ideally someone who will just as readily call out the Eorzeans for their dubious elements just as quickly as calling out Garlemald's own.

[Cilia]

Well, there's the utter lack of an attempt at diplomacy.

[...]

It's not like there isn't a mutual goal in regards to putting an end to the Primal/Eikon threat once and for all, either. Here's hoping we'll see the Garlean Consulate in Kugane used to discuss potential diplomacy with someone along the lines of Regula, Reeve, Larsa or Drace. Ideally someone who will just as readily call out the Eorzeans for their dubious elements just as quickly as calling out Garlemald's own.

It's impossible to engage in diplomatic relations with people actively trying to kill you - which, other than Regula (after he tried to kill us three times, no less), has always been the case. Self-defense is a perfectly valid reason to fight and kill, and I doubt many would consider preserving sovereignty or restoring liberty invalid reasons either.

The Doman shinobi encouraged rebellion. They did not, to our knowledge, engage in or encourage terrorist acts or force those who preferred Imperial rule to abandon it. We also have no evidence of Garlean civilians living in the few provincial territories we've seen, so to my knowledge the likelihood of Garlean civilians being killed in any such uprising is low. Military deaths, while equally tragic, are an occupational hazard.

We were able to broker peace between the Ishgardians and Dravanians precisely because there were Dravanians willing to engage in diplomacy. We have yet to meet such a Garlean (other than Regula who is now dead), and I wholeheartedly encourage brokering peace with them if at all possible. However, in the meantime I will not tell those suffering and dying at the Empire's hands "Sorry, we're waiting to engage in diplomacy with them."

We have the same goal, ending the issue of primals, but until the Empire is willing to reach out and talk to us instead of engaging in aggressive negotiations all the time we can't exactly make peace with them. Regula was a perfect opportunity for this, which is why I am so disappointed he had to go full General Leo and get himself killed. The Garlean Consulate may be used for this purpose - I'd like to think it's there for a reason beyond illustrating that Kugane is neutral territory and for delivering bath water to - but that remains to be seen (and I'd like to think everything has a purpose, but that's not always true, lol).

... and, other than wars of self-defense against the Empire, Eorzea's dubious elements are largely self-contained. The inverse does not hold true, which is the core of the problem.