Well you could love them in the context of aligning yourself with similarity and familiarity between say, one soldier and another, both having/protecting families etc. But on the other hand, if he wants to fuck your daughter/wife and steel your shit, then he’d need to be a better fighter.
I think loving enemies can only work relative to the degree of differences. If you start to wonder why you are fighting a war, then peace is easier.
The sentiment as i see it refers to the idea that there are no real reasons to fight. But that’s often an unrealistic lie e.g. Resources are limited. Historically Celts and germanic cultures would send ‘excess’ men out to raid, as they knew that overpopulation caused mass starvation and weakness. War was a summer sport which kept people strong.
Love is the opposite of fear. Fear makes you lock up in battle. Men beat their wives. Did a man ever lose in battle to their wife? Beat your opponent as you would a woman.
The only question is how we will die, and whether we will face death with dignity, or as a coward. Since death is unavoidable, one may as well love one’s executioner as hate her. With any luck, she will be quick with the sword. In our Christian culture, we tend to think ourselves not worthy of a swift death; death should be slow and agonizing.
Love the Grim Reaper, and just maybe you will obtain immortality.