Corbyn does not consider himself an absolute pacifist and has named the Spanish Civil War, the British naval blockade to stop the slave trade in the 19th century and the role of UN peacekeepers in the 1999 crisis in East Timor as justified conflicts. However, opposing violence and war has been "the whole purpose of his life". Ronan Bennett has said that Corbyn had told him that his support for engagement with paramilitary groups was aimed at "persuad(ing) people to put away the guns". Corbyn has also said that Britain has not fought a just war since 1945.