Why War May Be Necessary

War: ‘the waging of armed conflict against an enemy’. With so many desiring disarmament of all nuclear weapons, and the dissolving of all military forces, it becomes apparent that perhaps we need to consider the implications of what such acts would entail, and why, perhaps, war is necessary.

The final point frequently cited by pacifists is that ordinary people have no desire for war. However, this is not necessarily the case. Not only does war provide a sense of purpose, but it provides employment, and revitalises a country’s economy. It is interesting that the two main superpowers; America and China, are also the most patriotic, and whilst this patriotism also encourages war, it provides a sense of unity of cause. The adrenaline rush of combat will always remain a desirable experience in the hearts of many, and ‘fighting for a good cause’ will always be perceived by many as honourable.

In conclusion, there is no denying that certain aspects of war are barbaric. The murder of citizens. The use of bio-weapons. Torture and mistreatment of prisoners of war. However, humanity can not survive without it. There are entire eco-systems in Australia that depend upon fire to burn away old vegetation and trigger the birth of new life, and this in turn can be applied to humanity and war. It is clear though, that if war is to continue to be a part of history, it must be fought fairly, for noble purpose, and with great restriction on citizen casualties.

Many people argue that war is evil, and has no place in modern affairs. They claim it is an unsophisticated, brutish solution to problems that could easily be resolved by conferences and sanctions. However, it is important to recall that if war is truly evil, then so are its creators. It is in our nature to be aggressive and territorial, and this has manifested itself throughout history through war, intolerance and patriotism to a fault. Whilst it is clear that none of these characteristics are desirable, surely their frequent appearance in the actions of countless people throughout history speaks volumes about how difficult it would be to simply declare violence ‘a thing of the past’. Tension will always build between countries with conflicting ideals and interests, and once this tension rises past a ‘point of no return’, war is inevitable. Attempting to prevent an outbreak of war simply encourages the two countries to hold serious grudges against one another, which will simply result in prolonged hatred.