Quote Originally Posted by oxysback
Agreed. War is hell.
I was talking to a high school guy awhile back. He voiced the opinion that no wars should have happened...ever. I then asked him if he liked his freedom. He looked at me funny until I mentioned the Civil War. He happens to be black. Point made.
Some people don't get that sometimes there are righeous reasons for war.
Sorry. I do NOT believe there is ever a righteous reason to start a war. After all, the spanish inquisition was righteous, Hitler surely felt righteous, and Bush felt righteuos actually starting a war which has now gone on for years with absolutely no end in sight. Currently it can only be described as a civil war due to his destruction of their dictatorial (and admittedly NOT civil rights protecting, unfair, insane) government and infrastructure.

Very few people (not zero, I know) died in Sadam Hussein's era, and thousands and thousands of iraqis have died because of Bush with 10's to 100's dying every day now. I sure don't see anything righteous here. Or smart. Or successful.

As for the American civil war, you don't know the alternative outcomes that could have occured if war was averted. Let's say there was no war and the north and south split peacefully. The north probably would have chosen to outlaw slavery. It is certainly conceivable, and in fact likely, that with time the south would have changed it's structure as the political climate and influences of bordering countries pressured it. Ultimately, the south would very likely have gotten rid of slavery as well. The civil war remains the war during which the USA had the highest number of casualties. I don't see how that is righteous.

War is always the worst solution. Diplomacy coupled with respect for other people's right to exist and live differently should be the goal of every conflict.