Would you go to war for your country?

ch85us2001 · Post by **ch85us2001** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:01 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 · Post by **dragon wench** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:03 pm

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

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:10 pm

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

ch85us2001 · Post by **ch85us2001** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:10 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 · Post by **Phreddie** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:12 pm

[QUOTE=ch85us2001] And, if I didnt go, who would?
[/QUOTE]
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 · Post by **Damuna_Nova** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:31 pm

[QUOTE=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.[/QUOTE]

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 · Post by **dragon wench** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:04 pm

[QUOTE=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.[/QUOTE]

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 · Post by **mr_sir** » Tue Apr 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 · Post by **Darzog** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:01 am

[QUOTE=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'[/QUOTE]
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 · Post by **Xandax** » Wed Apr 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=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.[/QUOTE]

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 · Post by **mr_sir** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 1:12 am

[QUOTE=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'[/QUOTE]

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 · Post by **Damuna_Nova** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:46 am

[QUOTE=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.[/QUOTE]

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 · Post by **dj_venom** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:14 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 :laugh: ).

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

Magelord648 · Post by **Magelord648** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:45 am

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

ch85us2001 · Post by **ch85us2001** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 6:48 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?

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:09 am

[QUOTE=ch85us2001]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?[/QUOTE]

Probably not, because if the war is going nuclear there is not really a lot of point as every country will get blown to pieces whether I go to war or not. I'd probably choose to spend time with my family and loved ones instead. On the other hand, if there was only a slim chance of it going nuclear but the threat was there, and the Eastern Civilisation had twisted policies and views on stuff (like Hitler's views etc.) and were doing indescribable/horrible things then I probably would go to war as I'd feel it was for the good of the majority of the world's population to do that. If the Eastern Civilisation was actually better than what was already going on in the country they invaded and I agreed with their way of doing stuff more than the 'lets blow everyone up til they do what we say' mentality of the Westernised countries then I wouldn't go to war.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:11 am

If someone sent an army to invade my country? Yeah, I would kill those bastards. If someone started nuking my country? There's not a whole lot I can do. I can fight hand-to-hand, I don't dig guns or missiles. I don't drive, and don't fly planes. Furthermore, the US government would be more likely to draft toddlers than to draft me given my psychiatrict records. So, given that, when the recruits take their binkys to war, I'll join them.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:29 am

[QUOTE=ch85us2001]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?[/QUOTE]

Vastly different scenario from your first mentioned.

In that situation yes, because my country is attacked (or allies so to speak, meaning I'd join in on WW2 for instance, given if hypothetical circumstances would allow it)

However, there is little use for ground troops in a full scale nuclear war, because then it isn't about holding/liberating territories, but about destroying the opponents means of striking back. But I'd still try to do "my bit" so to speak.

shana · Post by **shana** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 1:43 pm

I would never go anywhere to fight anyone, but I would defend my home or city.

Siberys · Post by **Siberys** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:00 pm

Probably not...not because I think we're a screwed up country or I hate it or anything, but more as to I wouldn't last. I'm not physically built to survive more than a few hours out there......

Plus, I'm a pacifist, so it just wouldn't work....