Managing Politics and Conflict in Projects

Do you consider it unethical to engage in organizational politics?
Have you been in confrontations with colleagues about project team assignments and the roles of project team members?
Do you view conflict as unproductive?
Does your stomach sometimes knot up at the thought of bringing up a difficult topic in a team meeting or executive briefing?
Have you cringed at the thought of dealing with a difficult coworker, especially if they have more positional power than you?