Would you go to war for your country?

ch85us2001 · #1 (**permalink**) 04-25-2006, 09:01 PM

Would you go to war for your country, if you were needed???

I would. Too many brave men have died for my country to let it go to pot. And, if I didnt go, who would?

"This was a great country in the past. It is still a great country today. It will be a great country tommorrow, unless we fail it." -Daniel Carter Beard.

dragon wench · #2 (**permalink**) 04-25-2006, 09:03 PM

That would depend entirely on whether, or not, I thought the conflict was justified and legitimate.

VonDondu · #3 (**permalink**) 04-25-2006, 09:10 PM

I would fight in a war if the president of my country thought his own daughters should be fighting in it.

ch85us2001 · #4 (**permalink**) 04-25-2006, 09:10 PM

Situation: Terrorists attack your country and threaten to do it again, and it has been proven that they have the capabilities. A draft is about to be enacted, due to a long drawn out war in a foreign country. Recruitment numbers are EXTREMELY low.

Phreddie · #5 (**permalink**) 04-25-2006, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ch85us2001

And, if I didnt go, who would?

So you would fight alone?

I dont remember who said this, ro exactly waht they said, but somebody said something along the lines of: 'It is stupid to feel proud of your home country because you were born there, as you had no choice in where you were born, and no hand in the shaping of that country'. That said, I would fight, for my home, maybe. I would not go off and fight for my country on foreign soil, especially if I was attacking. I will defend my home, or run to Canada trying.

However, depending on the conflict/my motives I might go. Revenge is th eonly reason I could think of that would motivate me to move myself halfway across the world to kill some one I dont know.

Damuna_Nova · #6 (**permalink**) 04-25-2006, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ch85us2001

Situation: Terrorists attack your country and threaten to do it again, and it has been proven that they have the capabilities. A draft is about to be enacted, due to a long drawn out war in a foreign country. Recruitment numbers are EXTREMELY low.

I'm cowardly, I'd probably opt to join the terrorists. <.<

I think I would only really fight back if they attacked my town without an option of peaceful assimilation, conditional peace at low cost, or if they killed my family or friends.

dragon wench · #7 (**permalink**) 04-25-2006, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ch85us2001

Situation: Terrorists attack your country and threaten to do it again, and it has been proven that they have the capabilities. A draft is about to be enacted, due to a long drawn out war in a foreign country. Recruitment numbers are EXTREMELY low.

Depends on how conclusive I thought the proof was.... It would also depend on who the terrorists were and what they represented. If I felt their actions were no more heinous than those of my own country, I likely would not fight. If I felt my own country had played more than its fair share in creating the situation in the first place... I definitely would not fight.

mr_sir · #8 (**permalink**) 04-25-2006, 11:32 PM

It depends on what the war was about. If it was just because our government wants to make everyone in the world do what they want them to do then no. If it was something that could not be avoided and would save far more lives than those that would be lost in the war and there really was no other choice but war then yes I would go to war for my country. In about 99% of cases though I wouldn't as I see war as something that should only be a last resort not a way to try and prove how good and powerful a country is.

Darzog · #9 (**permalink**) 04-26-2006, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phreddie

'It is stupid to feel proud of your home country because you were born there, as you had no choice in where you were born, and no hand in the shaping of that country'

I completely disagree. There is nothing stupid about showing pride in your heritage, whether that be in the country that you were born in or your ancestors' nationality. Mexican Americans celebrate their heritage from Mexico, African Americans celebrate their African roots, people in New Orleans celebrate their Creole/Cajun heritage. These are not stupid activies and the people are not stupid for feeling this pride. And these activities would be doubly stupid by your definition because they are attaching pride not even to their own country/culture of birth but that of their ancestors.

I would not call someone stupid based on their decision to be proud of their heritage (whether they had pride or they didn't). It is a personal decision but calling someone stupid for the decision they make isn't appropriate.

As to whether I would go to war, I would like to say yes, but using our current situation as the example, I have too much of a problem with the way this is being handled and the motivation of the government in this conflict. In an ideal hypothetical situation where we could assume that I have trust in our governing body then I would sign up. But I would only act in an indirect capacity, probably as an engineer or officer considering my background (even though some would make little distinction between the harm caused by that role and someone firing a gun).

Xandax · #10 (**permalink**) 04-26-2006, 12:34 AM

Depending on the situation. To defend my country from invasions and similar threats, I would (heck - that was a reason why I was in the army in my younger days) but....

Quote:

Originally Posted by ch85us2001

Situation: Terrorists attack your country and threaten to do it again, and it has been proven that they have the capabilities. A draft is about to be enacted, due to a long drawn out war in a foreign country. Recruitment numbers are EXTREMELY low.

No I would not.
You can't fight terrorisme as a regular conflict and thus regular army troops would be very much unneasecary in such a conflict.
Terrorisme needs to be taken out with surgical attacks against the cells, education and likely aid to the general innocent public.
You can't send in troops into a city and expect it to be "liberated" and "safe" because there are terrorists in there - it would only cause more resentment and loss of possible support towards the country and the troops from the inhabitans.
Terrorists fight another battle, it isn't even directly comparable to guerilla warfare although similar in conception, because with terrorisme it is often very small cells operating. I think the notion that you can infact fight as a regular conflict simply the consequences of not learning the lesson in Vietnam because terrorisme is - as mentioned - similar, but a step futher - to guerilla warfare and not normal armed conflicts between countries.

mr_sir · #11 (**permalink**) 04-26-2006, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phreddie

'It is stupid to feel proud of your home country because you were born there, as you had no choice in where you were born, and no hand in the shaping of that country'

I'm not proud of being British, but that has a lot more to do with the way the country is run than anything else. But at the same time, I am proud of the fact that I come from Britain. I know this sounds like the same thing but its not. I'm proud of my family and my roots, just not proud of the country as a whole. I would go to war to protect those roots, such as my family and their home, but I would not go to war to protect the British government. And everyone of voting age does have a hand in the shaping of their country, although a small hand. Countries are formed by the actions of its civilians so everyone has the right to feel proud of where they come from.

Damuna_Nova · #12 (**permalink**) 04-26-2006, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_sir

I'm not proud of being British, but that has a lot more to do with the way the country is run than anything else. But at the same time, I am proud of the fact that I come from Britain. I know this sounds like the same thing but its not. I'm proud of my family and my roots, just not proud of the country as a whole. I would go to war to protect those roots, such as my family and their home, but I would not go to war to protect the British government. And everyone of voting age does have a hand in the shaping of their country, although a small hand. Countries are formed by the actions of its civilians so everyone has the right to feel proud of where they come from.

I hate Britain. I loe the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man will always be my home, and I will always acknowledge where I came from, and neer forget it.

This is probably a bit how first gen./forced foreign immigrants feel, only I grew up speaking English, and hearing about British politics and the like.

dj_venom · #13 (**permalink**) 04-26-2006, 03:14 AM

As already said, if I personally believed in it.

For me, it goes personal opinion, then my nationalism and patriotism. As you might tell, I'm not the kind of guy who'd fight someone for a simple insult to me etc. (well, probably partly because if I did, it would end horribly for me

).

But yeah, if I truly believed it noble and necessary, then I would most likely do it.

Magelord648 · #14 (**permalink**) 04-26-2006, 05:45 AM

I would defend my country but I wouldn't attack a country.

ch85us2001 · #15 (**permalink**) 04-26-2006, 06:48 AM

Ok, Xan and others, take this hypothetically.

A very powerful Eastern Civilization with nuclear power decides to over take a weaker country that is allied with most of the western civilization (USA, Britain, and others). More and more countries are drawn in on either side, until we have a full out world war with Nuclear options on are hands. Finally, your country is attacked by the Eastern civilization, and joins the war. Would you go?