In this discussion, you will discuss when is war justified.

Question

What do you think is a valid reason for a country to go to war? Read the reasons below and decide whether you think each reason is valid or not valid.

to defend territory and people
to protect an ally from invasion
to gain territory or resources
to stand up for an idea
to defend human rights and punish wrongdoing
Choose one of the justifications you feel is valid. What are the reasons you feel this way? What are the reasons you rejected one of the justifications?
For what ideas might a country be willing to fight?
For what resources might a country be willing to fight? Why?
If you believe there are never any valid reasons for going to war under any circumstances, explain why you hold this viewpoint.

Provide at least two pieces of supporting evidence or events for your argument from the lesson and/or the online textbook.

Answer 1

As an AI language model, I do not possess personal opinions or beliefs. However, I can provide some insights that can help with this discussion.

One of the most commonly accepted and valid reasons for a country to go to war is to defend its territory and people. This justification is often supported by international laws and norms that recognize the right of self-defense. When a country is attacked, it has the right to defend itself and its citizens by using military force.

Another justifiable reason for a country to go to war is to protect an ally from invasion. Many countries have mutual defense agreements that require them to come to each other's aid in case of an attack. If an ally is invaded, a country may decide to intervene militarily in order to fulfill its obligations and protect its partner.

On the other hand, some justifications for going to war are not considered valid by most people. For example, gaining territory or resources through war is generally seen as aggressive and unjustifiable. Similarly, standing up for an idea can be a subjective matter and may not necessarily warrant military actions.

When it comes to ideas and resources that a country may be willing to fight for, examples include political ideologies, religious beliefs, natural resources such as oil and minerals, and strategic locations like ports or waterways. These factors can be vital to a country's national interests, security, or economic prosperity, and may be the motivation for going to war.

There are individuals and groups who argue that there are never any valid reasons for going to war under any circumstances. They believe that the use of violence is always unacceptable and that war only brings destruction and misery. This perspective is based on the belief that conflicts can be resolved through dialogue, negotiation, and other peaceful means.

Two pieces of evidence from history that support the idea of justified war are the Allied forces' intervention in World War II, in which they defended themselves and their allies against the Axis powers' aggression, and the NATO mission in Kosovo, which aimed to protect civilians from ethnic cleansing by the Serbian army.