Quote about war

[Farnan]

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless made or kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

Discuss...

[Hub'ite]

I'd have to agree with it. Stand for something or fall for anything.(I think thats how it goes)

[Last Roman]

While I have to say that there isn't much worth waging a war over, I do agree with the basic message. People who have nothing to fight for are a boring lot.

[HMMcKamikaze]

There is a war to fight for others, but never the less i disagree. Its much more pitiful when you fight in war when you dont need to. Basicly everything since WWII has been uncessesary. Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf war, Iraq... No of this actully threatened us. None of this was to protect our country. It was to protect our "interests", and we paid dearly with the lives of soldier whos thought that they were fighting for a righteous cause.

So thats why unessential fighiting is worse in my mind.

[Hader]

There is a war to fight for others, but never the less i disagree. Its much more pitiful when you fight in war when you dont need to. Basicly everything since WWII has been uncessesary. Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf war, Iraq... No of this actully threatened us. None of this was to protect our country. It was to protect our "interests", and we paid dearly with the lives of soldier whos thought that they were fighting for a righteous cause.

So thats why unessential fighiting is worse in my mind.

Well when you think of it, no it wasnt that uneccessary. As America is a world power, and was in those times, it would be 1)A bad idea to not protect our interests in those cases. Yes, we did shed our blood for others and not to protect us, sort of. Korea and Vietnam for example, were fought to protect against communism, and not just protect the people we defended but us too. Sure, we did not 'win' the war, but the intentions were right, although the outsome was not. 2)I would think that not doing something in dire situations like those you mentioned would be a bit shameful or hurtful to the US and its reputation. As a world power we cant sit around and do nothing as something develops, and if taking military action seems neccessary htne it should be taken, even if it does not help us more than other people. There is nothing wrong with helping others.

[HMMcKamikaze]

Well when you think of it, no it wasnt that uneccessary. As America is a world power, and was in those times, it would be 1)A bad idea to not protect our interests in those cases. Yes, we did shed our blood for others and not to protect us, sort of. Korea and Vietnam for example, were fought to protect against communism, and not just protect the people we defended but us too. Sure, we did not 'win' the war, but the intentions were right, although the outsome was not. 2)I would think that not doing something in dire situations like those you mentioned would be a bit shameful or hurtful to the US and its reputation. As a world power we cant sit around and do nothing as something develops, and if taking military action seems neccessary htne it should be taken, even if it does not help us more than other people. There is nothing wrong with helping others.

We have had a history if meddling when we shouldnt have, its not just to help people. Vietnam and Korea werent about helping, tehy were about containing communism..

And the military doesnt say "join to fight for what we want you to fight for" they say "join to protect our country"

[Richard the Lionheart]

Nationalism and the nationalistic state is a sociological creation caused by the concept of "modernity" which originally originiated from Europe. The leaders of different countries start wars, lie to their people, and then send them to fight against each other for no reason.

Really, War is the worst thing of all and I totally disagree with the quote.

I prefer this quote:

Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die. -Herbert Hoover

[Last Roman]

I think I misread the quote.

Is it saying that everyone should have something to fight for or what?

[Farnan]

We make war that we may live in peace.

War is sometimes neccessary that way we or others may live in peace. Is it not better to fight a war to end tyranny and men to die physically in war, than to live under tyranny and to be living dead?

[Richard the Lionheart]

War is sometimes neccessary that way we or others may live in peace. Is it not better to fight a war to end tyranny and men to die physically in war, than to live under tyranny and to be living dead?

It doesn't matter what we think. It's all up to the politicians. They can go to war for whatever reasons they want.

[bdh]

It doesn't matter what we think. It's all up to the politicians. They can go to war for whatever reasons they want.

Thats a false statement. Politicians can start a war for whatever reason they want. However, a nation under attack doesn't get choice. Its perfectly possible to find oneself in war.

[Richard the Lionheart]

Thats a false statement. Politicians can start a war for whatever reason they want.

That's what I meant.

However, a nation under attack doesn't get choice. Its perfectly possible to find oneself in war.

Yeah, but that's because the politicians on the other side decided to go to war. It all fits into the idea of patriotism, imperialism, nationalism, nationalistic identities, etc.

[MaximiIian]

War is sometimes neccessary that way we or others may live in peace.

Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.

[Hub'ite]

Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.

Not true. Poland was fighting for their peace. Should they just have rolled over and let Hitler take their country?

[Hub'ite]

But does it really matter if a soldier died in WWII or Iraq or Vietnam? They both were fighting for their country. They both deserve the same amount of respect.

[Richard the Lionheart]

But does it really matter if a soldier died in WWII or Iraq or Vietnam? They both were fighting for their country? They both deserve the same respect.

Well, it depends on how each individual behaved while at war.

[Hub'ite]

Well, it depends on how each individual behaved while at war.

On whole American soldiers have behaved well. There have been a few, minor instances in Iraq. It was just by chance that one soldier got to fight in WWII while the other has to fight in Iraq. They both signed up for the same thing, to defend their country.

[Last Roman]

They both signed up for the same thing, to defend their country.

except that one could actually question if all wars are to defend their country. Iraq certainly wasn't. But that is for another thread

[Hub'ite]

except that one could actually question if all wars are to defend their country. Iraq certainly wasn't. But that is for another thread

True but the soldier signed up to defend their country. Its not their fault they have to fight a "controversial" war, some politicians sent them there.

[Aristophanes]

The only thing worse than war is losing a war. Which is precisely what happens to people who fear war more than they fear the depredations of those who bring war.

There is no more point to arguing against war than there is to arguing against change. War is the escalation of a[that] natural process.