Friday, August 30, 2013

War: What is it good for?

Back in 1970, amid growing public opposition to the Vietnam War, Edwin Starr sang "War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothin'!" (The song, by the way, was first recorded by The Temptations, but it is Starr's version that is best known).  It wasn't long after that poet Kendrew Lascelles, wrote The Box, with the stirring line "and please don’t ever mess around with WAR.”  In the years since, we seem to have forgotten.

In 2001, the United States began a war in Afghanistan. From 2003 to 2011 we were fighting in Iraq. Earlier this year we were on the brink of some kind of fighting with North Korea. Now it's Syria. Nothing has happened yet, but it looks likely the some kind of military action will happen there.

Let me point out before going any further that I love the United States and I certainly support our servicemembers who have volunteered to defend our nation.  How often though is war really justified?  Do we actually accomplish anything?  Wouldn't a peaceful resolution always be better?  This blog, as you know, is NOT about me.  I'd really like to hear your thoughts.  Should President Obama bring military action against Syria.  Should the United States be the world's police?  What do YOU think?

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for this post. To me, there must be a better solution than war, which brings with it death and destruction. If your goal is to make the world a better place, and you have at your disposal the best minds in the world, then shouldn't we rise to the occasion and come to more creative solutions? I believe the USA should assume the role as the world's police only if our President could somehow administer justice and promote peace, without death and destruction (not to mention impinging on individuals' rights). If the USA could come up with creative non-violent solutions to world problems, then the USA deserves to be the world's police.

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