Using merge --pull

[Eli Zaretskii]

Is there a downside to using "bzr merge --pull" even if the branch is
_known_ to diverge from the source?  From the docs, I understand that
if the `pull' attempt succeeds, I don't need to commit after the
merge.  This could be a win, because I need not remember to commit
afterwards.  So this is a potential advantage; are there any
disadvantages?

And a related question: if "bzr merge" does not find any conflicts,
what is the reason for it not to commit the merges automatically right
away?

TIA