Pen / writing represents bits. Sword represents atoms. We already know atoms > bits. Nation states by their monopoly on violence through judicial system have abused that power. You can do hairsplitting analysis all day long but real people suffer because powerful people want something else. Petrodollar is a perfect example of physical force enforcing rules that benefit the country who ensured that system comes into existence and has maintained that through intermediate violence.

"Information, used well or abused well, is more powerful than any other weapon of war."

Indeed, because people with the swords will decide on that information who to slain or who to defend. If you do it right, you don't need to fight the enemy soldiers, but they will fight for you.