Most wars are senseless. Some, however, are especially pointless. That is certainly the best way to describe the tragedy that has befallen the African nations of Ethiopia and Eritrea. A poorly demarcated border provided the excuse for a war that two of the world's poorest countries can ill afford. This week a ceasefire was declared, but the conditions for an enduring peace do not yet exist.

There was little reason to expect such a conflict when the state of Eritrea was born in 1993. The country won its independence after Ethiopian rebels defeated then Emperor Mengistu Haile Selassie. In gratitude for Eritrean support, the new Ethiopian prime minister, Mr. Meles Zenawi, offered Eritreans their own state.

Relations between Mr. Meles and Mr. Isaias Afwerki, the new Eritrean president, quickly deteriorated. The two men had different styles of governing, and trade and economic disputes slowly escalated. The chief grievance was Ethiopia's access to ports in Eritrea and complaints that Eritreans were exploiting leverage over their landlocked neighbor.