Is war ever justified?

Jidun, please accept my apologies ahead of time if you feel slighted in any way. But as a member of the combat arms side of the house for over 15 years, some of those spent in special operations units, not SF (yet), I have to disagree and extend an overwhelming Yes to War Beauty. Now, heres why. There have been few instances in which we were not provocated into action against enemies or enemies to be. Have we done everything in our powers to stem the flow of hatred agianst us? No. Have we given the world reason to hate us? Honestly, I would also have to say no. Only because I think its more of a jealousy thing than an \"America is evil and trying to impose it's way of life on the rest of the world\". I think that as the last superpower on Earth and the most advanced civilization on the planet, we kind of owe the rest of the world a chance to expunge the forces that are keeping them in the stone ages, i.e. the 13th century mentality of the Middle East. Theres no good reason on Earth that women should be subjected to the treatment they receive from the men and warlords over there and for the complete disregard to human life as in the dragging and hanging of our slain and butchered brothers-in-arms. Have I had to make choices that violate the Geneva conventions or other treaties? In my opinion, no. Why is it that we are the only ones that have ever followed those \"rules of war\" since their inception? We save millions of lives every day by cleaning house and if that means a few people die, than so be it. War has brought us so much. We now have a relationship with Japan, Russia, who would have thought that would happen just 20 years ago? How about the unification of Germany? Granted we don't benefit much from Germany, but think of all the people that no longer have to stand in line for a week for a loaf of bread and a bar of soap. Above all, remember...Rangers lead the way. HUA! lol.

The ends always, always justify the means. However, to even begin wondering if the ends do justify the means, you must first see of the ends themselves are justified.

In my mind, war as a means can be possibly justified depending on the ends. If war is the end however, it is not justified. Because all you have then is a war that leads to nothing.

Greetings,

The question, \"Is war ever justified?\" is a tempting endeavor. As you have asked for an opinion, I feel compelled to comply.

The first this that must be done is define \"war\". War is defined in Wikipedia as:

\"violent armed combat between differing peoples (religion, political ideals, or territorial needs or demands, and race).\"

Unfortunately, this definition does not cover the underlaying issues of why war happens. At the root of the matter is the issue of is it ever appropriate to have conflicts. Is it ever justifiable to harm another human? Is it ever justifiable to fight. I would have to say that as living creatures we not only have a right but an obligation to fight in certain circumstances. If we did not ever \"fight\", we would have died out long ago. Our ancestors fought wooly mammoths for survival to eat. They fought animals that sought to eat them. It is natural to survival for fight for live. All living things do it.

Now apply that to the issues of modern warfare. When it comes to survival, true survival, war can be justified. When it comes to personal gain (i.e. greed), then war is intrinsicly evil. Now the argument moves to defining what survival is. Does that apply solely to life or a way of life? Does the American way qualify as a defendable position when it may mean the destruction of another culture? What makes one more valuable than the other? These are personal values and judgments that each of us has to make on a daily basis. As Jedi, I think that we should alway be keenly aware of this.


This is just my humble opinion. The Force is only to be used for Defense, never for attack. That is the path to the Dark Side.

Now i grew up as an Army brat and an now a privet in the Army National Guard palnning on going Active Duty, so I may be a little bias, but I belive that war is defenatly justifiable. As long as it isn't for the benifit of one person or a small group of people, or the useless enialation of a group of people. If war is fought in defense of people or ideas that make up what your culture is and if it is that last resort then war is most defenatly justified. War should be fought to free people from evil dictators and regimes, war should be fought to end a genocied, war should be fought to protect your country and it's people, war should be fought for freedom both th spread it to the oppressed and to protect it at home. While trying to avoid war is better than killing people it seems that when dealing with some people or groups of people in this world today war is the only thing they understand. So when you ask me \"is war ever justified?\" first I would ask you why is the war fought, then most likley I will say yes it is justified.

Call me a just war theorist, then. In the face of gross violations of human rights, inaction cannot be morally preferrable to action.
That is not to say that a call to arms should be the initial response.
Nor can I imagine a situation where anyone should be condemned for trying to defend themselves against an aggressor. Even if the defenders coming under attack was as a result of their committing human rights violations.

i believe war can be, depends. defending the nation from bad people yes war is, just to take oil no its not. its a fine line and i am not one to judge but i will tell you this in the old days it was.

Perris, nice can of worms you opened here, lil' sis'. I would have to call myself a \"Just War Theorist\". I like to use a quote by Leonardo Da Vinci, \"He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done.\" When there are gross violations of human rights, no matter what culture it is happening in, those being wronged should be defended. Ethnic cleansing, sectarian violence, or even enslaving a lower class in a society because you can. These I can see as justified. Defending your nation from threat and attack, this too, I see as justified. Due to my current membership in the military, I have to restrain what I have to say as unjustified, but can explain it better in about three weeks when I seperate. I believe war can be justified depending on the cause for such a reaction. I apologize for my not being able to fully express myself at this time.

i served time in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force, and i do believe that war is justified, but what we are doing in the Middle East is pointless.

Sukyaj Trebor wrote:

i served time in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force, and i do believe that war is justified, but what we are doing in the Middle East is pointless.

Sukyaj, is this really a judgement for you to make? do you have all the necessary knowledge wit which to make a statement of this nature? would it perhaps be more to say \"I believe what we are doing in the middle east is pointless.\"

Twsoundsoff wrote:

Sukyaj Trebor wrote:

i served time in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force, and i do believe that war is justified, but what we are doing in the Middle East is pointless.

Sukyaj, is this really a judgement for you to make? do you have all the necessary knowledge wit which to make a statement of this nature? would it perhaps be more to say \"I believe what we are doing in the middle east is pointless.\"

no disrespect intended, but i did say, \"i do believe that war is justified, but what we are doing in the Middle East is pointless.\" all part of the same statement