Here's a screen cap of it:

Perhaps this war is simply between Jacob and Man in Black, and their followers of course. But if Man in Black is looking for followers on the island, it seems like he wouldn't find very many, seeing as all the others, Ilana's team, and [presumably] our Losties are against him, who exactly could Man in Black recruit? Perhaps "The Sickness", which we learnt more about in What Kate Does could be what will help him to get more followers. But even if he did get Claire or Sayid(which were revealed to have this "darkness" inside them) on his team, it seems like he would still be very much outnumbered. Which is why I think that Charles Widmore may also be on his team.
then manipulate Ben into killing Jacob. Jacob's death may have been necessary in order for Man in Black to win this "war", and then return "home", as Evilocke(Man in Black) revealed to Ben in LA X.
In the opening scene of The Incident we see Jacob wearing white, and his nemesis, The Man In Black wearing black, which obviously led some people to beleive Jacob is the opposite of MiB(so, a white version of the Monster).
from the Monster, and therefore the white light that Locke saw was not The Monster(MiB), but Jacob, appearing as his white form.
Evidence of this theory is that in the season 1 finale we see the Monster trying to pull Locke into a hole in the ground. The reason for this could have been MiB trying to get Locke for his body. He just didn't succeed until season 5.