Assignment 9: what is it good for? Karl Werner

I believe there is a time when a country must go to war. There are situations that call for a nation to take up arms and stake its claim on the battlefield. I believe when a country has its own soil or soil under its protection threatened, it is morally obligated to its people to defend its turf and citizens. If its peoples are under threat, be it from a foreign invasion force or long range missiles, a country and its government must defend those people. Other than that, I am against war and foreign intervention. I believe it is both fiscally and morally irresponsible. Sticking noses (and weapons) in where they have no real reason to be only strikes up new conflicts and inflames former ones. Unlike previous eras where wartime meant a boom in manufacturing, today's battles leave nations uncertain and shaky, pulling down their economy. Meaningless deaths are wrought in a fight one side really has no part being in. While there are exceptions to every rule (for example, a tyrannical dictatorship committing genocide should probably be combated), I believe that in nearly all cases, no matter what the situation, nations should avoid wars unless directly involved or threatened. If there's a possible nuclear threat, sure, it should probably be checked out. But if, say, a foreign government is in a state of upheaval, a nation really has no moral right to jump in and attempt to influence the situation. It is both unfair to the foreign citizens and to its own. These situations have a thousand alternatives, from diplomatic action to avoidance altogether ( See: Neutrality Proclamation and how it allowed America to become what it is today). When a country is in danger, it has moral grounds to self-defense, perhaps even preemptive strike. But when a situation does not involve them, it does not involve them, and they have no right to involve themselves. Such involvement will only lead to hostility, conflict, inflamed problems, and negative action from other nations and groups. That is my uninformed opinion on the matter.