Why are wars fought?

[Dis]

I have a theory women are the cause of almost all war, but I won't delve into that right now. . It's related to the land ownership/territorial dispute part of warfare.

Ideology. Perhaps I have never been that passionate about someting. But it's hard for me to die for an ideal. Yet, I live in a country that was founded by this. If people wouldn't fight for this, they would be oppressed forever. Peaceful demonstrations can only get you so far.

I'm too tired to continue, and I'm more curious in the responses to this thread anyways. I don't want to get into religion too much, and it ties into ideology anyways.

One thing always fascinates me about warfare. Is the ability of a group of men (and women I suppose) to do things as a group they would not normally do individually. Killing (and to a lesser extent raping and pillaging). Do these men know what they are killing for? Don't they realize they are pawns being manipulated by other people? Why do they fight?

[TheStinger]

Ned would answer because of the British and in particular Winston Churchill

[Tattila the Hun]

"That's a nice piece of land/pile of gold/etc you got there. I want it."

Boom, basic highway robbery, on national level.

[Pekka]

Many reasons. I guess Freud would say we fight because deep down we like to fight. It's human nature in some sense.

However, there's lots of reason to do war.

You have to go back to time and see how difficult life was. I'm just thinking of Europe here, before and during middle ages. Life was hard. In some regions, where the nature didn't offer you lots to eat.. you had to work very hard just to eat. So.. to me, it sounds like a logical decision to just attack the village next to you and raid it. Keep the village as well. Or, if someone would threaten you, you can't give up what you have, just give it away without a fight.

So I think lot of little conflicts happened just out of the necessity and hard living. Easier to just go and kill people, take their lands.

Now? Is it the same, do we have to fight for survival, not really, not us in the West, not in national level. Greed? Nah.. politics? Maybe. Projecting your will abroad? Absolutely. You need to work the power in order to keep it.

[Proteus_MST]

War is the continuation of politics by other means.
(Carl von Clausewitz)

It is just like ordinary brawls that break out because of disputes of two people about something (or because they don´t like each other).
Only that states go to war instead of starting a brawl.

Or state a has something that state b wants and is weaker than state
b. For example land. So why not just start a war to get the things we (as leaders of state b) want if a doen´t want to gve iet to us peacefully?

Or one of your friends (allies) is attacked by a brute and you want to help him and therefore start a war against he brute.

I think this sums up most of the posible reasons for war.

[Spiffor]

Many ancient and medieval wars were started because there were no checks and balances on the ruler: whenever he felt anger or envy, the ruler could launch a war. Just imagine what it looks like when the rulers are teens

[Pekka]

Spiffor, right Plus, imagine you were a servant of some 9 year old kid, who is the ruler.

I mean.. what if you just whacked the bastard? Slap the kid's head off. I mean you'd prolly be killed as a punishment, a horrible death, but then again, instead of washing some kid's feet for all your life, you had a good run and changed the history. Maybe you can make it to the other side, the side of the rivals and bring the kid's head to them, pledging loyalty and saying you want to be an officer with 5 beautiful wives, lots of wine and free time. Who knows, might work. I'd say it's definitely worth the shot.

Or even better, kidnap the ruler. Then, bring the ruler to your enemies and say 'Behold! I will show you King Mk'ean is not from the Sun! I can show you the powers he has not!". Then they gather watching around you guys, and you're like blue team go go go!

Sodomize the kid for an hour, spank the butt all red and silly, make the kid cry, sodomize some more and ask "where is your father now! Demand your powers to strike me now, or would you rather be sodomized more? Should you not be able to stop me, you are not all powerful. Or you like to be sodomized, in case I'm doing you a favour!".

So I'd say sodomizing is the answer, you can't go wrong with it as I pointed out, it's a win-win for you.

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Many ancient and medieval wars were started because there were no checks and balances on the ruler: whenever he felt anger or envy, the ruler could launch a war. Just imagine what it looks like when the rulers are teens

Oh yea, cause adult rulers have behaved sooo well.

[padillah]

I'm not sure what puts me off more: rationalising war or Pekka's penchant for buggery.

I think I'll just step away from this for a while.

Tom P.

[OzzyKP]

WTF Pekka?

[Pekka]

OzzyKP, that's the way to take out an underaged King. Perfect strategy.

[Krill]

Population pressure [/Starship Troopers]

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Mostly to turn Their Stuff into Our Stuff.

Although I like the theory that modern wars are more about the economic need to destroy goods that are overproduced due to industrialization. Or the women thing, whichever.

[Dis]

just seems strange dying for someone else. Even if they are a charismatic person.

I can see defending yourself. That's a no-brainer. But to get the courage to take the first shot... I always wonder who takes the first shot in wars. I guess it's kind of like a fist fight. It eventually happens. Once that first shot happens, you are essentually defending yourself- no matter what side you are on.

And of course mob mentality. As an individual, you could not convince people to take that first shot. But within a group of your peers, that peer pressure eggs you on. I still and revolted, yet fascinated by the mass rapes during ww2 by the russians and japanese. Did they have no concience? WTF? I guess in a group, men can become dangerous. Mob mentality.

[General Ludd]

Wars are fought because cities / civilized society require the importation of resources in order to be sustained. When local resources are depleted or insufficient for the city or nation, they must be imported from somewhere else. When that somewhere else is not interested in or unable to trade, war is made and the resources are taken forcibly. This continues untill all resources have been depleted and civilzied society succumbs to overshoot and crash.

It's also a bit of a pass time.