The mecha warrior wants the best mecha, and the fleet commander wants the best space battleship.
But these are just differences of opinion, not conflicts of will; they have always been aligned in their goals.
This includes the Federation's pro-war faction and pro-peace faction. At its core, it's just a difference, not a contradiction. Who doesn't want true victory? It's just that people have different ideas about how to achieve true victory.
Some believe that the already battered fist should be withdrawn, replaced with an indestructible glove before being thrown again, or perhaps, by picking up a gun.
Some believe in science; since force is mutual, how could the Empire be in any better condition when the Federation's fist is already battered?
Withdrawing can indeed heal the injuries and pick up new weapons, but will the Empire wait idly for the arrival of the iron fist?
