In his retreat to Gideon, Pahoran has called upon his people to create an army of his own, not to fight against the Lamanites, but rather to defend against those who are fomenting civil disorder in Zarahemla. Of course this reallocation of troops to Gideon forcibly prevents their allocation to either the western or eastern fronts to bolster Helaman or Moroni. Pahoran explains the military situation to Moroni, letting him know that it is at least stable, in that he has created a stalemate of the conflicting parties in the heartland of the Nephite nation. What Pahoran is describing is the worst possible scenario for a military man such as Moroni to hear. Not only is there a war on two fronts against the enemy, but now there is a civil war in the heart of the country.