Thread: Is it ever ok to start a war?

Is it ever ok to start a war? If not, what kind of foreign policy do you feel would best protect US citizens from terrorism? If so, under what circumstances?

Defend yourself but never start a war. It kills people and wrecks stuff and makes you an asshole.

Don't be an asshole.

Yes: If there is substantial political support, if the target of the war is a threatening and repressive regime or if perceived national interests are under direct threat.

Defending oneself can entail starting hostilities at times....a sad fact of life but a fact none the less. However, the threshold for starting one must be kept very high and evidence must be ironclad....ie if you make the case for war then you must base that case on facts. This lack of ironclad proof and the use of specious intel is part and parcel of why the current war is so damned unpopular.

You can't rule it out, but it takes on considerable risk, and you will definitely be killing innocents.

The circumstances would have to be so extreme that I can't actually imagine them...

The case for military intervention in an existing warzone is much more easily justifiable, in my view.

Yes, when all other options either fall away or fail.

Perhaps there may be a situation that would merit "starting" a war. I can't think of any but I'm sure there could be some.

Whomever fires the first shot is an asshole because by firing that shot they caused negotiations to fail. The person (country) who had the first shot fired them can then formulate and excecute an appropriate counter offense, hopefull that's where their guys get to sock us in the arm as hard as they can and we can't hit them back. Then it's over and we have bruises but get to go home

Originally Posted by Goldwater

Whomever fires the first shot is an asshole because by firing that shot they caused negotiations to fail. The person (country) who had the first shot fired them can then formulate and excecute an appropriate counter offense, hopefull that's where their guys get to sock us in the arm as hard as they can.

Hear, hear. The "Bellicose Asshole" position rules.

Originally Posted by Davocrat

Hear, hear. The "Bellicose Asshole" position rules.

Hard to argue against it with a real-world reference...