The War Party was a group of powerful ministers (the Minister of Political Education and the Minister of the West were named specifically; presumably the Minister of War would also have been a supporter) along with Ges Vorrutyer and Prince Serg who believed that Barrayar's glory and honor resided in conquests. They strongly favored invading Escobar, to the point of trying to eliminate the strongest voice of reason against such an invasion, Aral Vorkosigan. Emperor Ezar used their planned invasion of Escobar as an opportunity to destroy the War Party utterly.