Sunday, November 23, 2014

Assignment 9: Whats is it good for?- Samantha McGehee

I will admit to procrastinating on my blog posts, but when this prompt of war came up, I found an excuse to wait on it. I struggle with the idea of war. And I prefer not to discuss things that tear at my heart like war. I guess I was hoping that in the time I waited on this post that I might reach a definite solution. But I did not. I don't believe there are definitive guidelines to war. I am not anti-war, but I wish that we lived in a world where war wasn't necessary, where it wasn't needed. Unfortunately,  often times I find that war is  usually the result of ignorance or pride. I believe that war should be the last option. That resolutions should be reached in nonviolent negotiations first, if possible. If that doesn't work then war could be considered.

 However we should ask ourselves three questions before going to war
1) Have we exhausted every other possibility?- If every other peaceful, non-violent effort been made and shown as unsuccessful or insufficient.
2) Is this war worth the results that will ensue? - If the sacrifice, violence, death, and impending consequences would be worth the fighting.
 3)Are we confident that the results of this war will be a lesser atrocity than what we are fighting against? - If we can ensure that the direct consequences of our involvement will be lesser than the ones we are working to cease. Essentially, let us not turn into the monsters we are at war with.

I believe we should consider these questions because we should never be eager in going to war. We should be patient in consideration, not ineffective, but still hesitant. Because war is violent and complicated, and requires the sacrifice of our soldiers and their families, of our resources, of our time, of our money, of our moral reputation. And if we can determined that no other possibilities exist and that we should pursue the war, then we can not forget what we are asking people to sacrifice and the consequences that will proceed; deaths of soldiers, deaths of innocent civilians, violence, and unintended losses. We should proceed to war with caution and never see it as just a three letter word that doesn't impact us on the home-front, we must always remember what we are asking others and ourselves to sacrifice. And years down the road, if history will reflect on our war as "They did what was necessary" or "There was a better way, how unfortunate". Let us never be the dark spot in history by being impatient and blinded by pride.

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