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The United States Needs a Broad-Based Anti-War Movement

Cold Highway

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The conversation began with discussions of the history of anti-war advocacy in the United States and what we can learn from it. One point repeatedly made by people on the left and right was that historically there have been conservatives who opposed war and empire. Today those voices are heard in a whisper, if at all. Before the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II, strong opposition to foreign intervention not only came from progressives but also from traditional conservatives rooted in the recommendation of George Washington’s farewell address – ‘avoid foreign entanglements.’ How can we re-awaken that common sense conservatism and forge a broad based anti-war movement?

What would a broad based anti-war movement look like? Some of the conservatives in the room warned against this 21st Century movement looking like the anti-Vietnam war protests of the 60s. Many on the left and right acknowledged that the mass weekend protests against Iraq were large in size but ineffective in result. While there is a role for such protests, they are not sufficient for the task at hand. Some conservatives warned against describing the United States as imperialist – that would get up the hackles of many Americans. But, they were comfortable describing the United States as an Empire.

Perhaps Mr. Zeese is right but I dont know how any self respecting Libertarian can agree with wealth redistributionists like Code Pink and Cold War relics like Pat Buchanan.

The United States Needs a Broad-Based Anti-War Movement
 
I can't agree with this.


Perhaps, as things stand right now, we are too quick to go to war in some cases.

However, being too slow to go to war can be much worse.

I'd prefer a more pragmatically balanced view.
 
A broad based anti-war movement would be just as retarded as a broad based pro-war movement. War is a tool in the toolbox, and has to always be available. Don't like it, find another planet to live on, with without humans on it.
 
Perhaps Mr. Zeese is right but I dont know how any self respecting Libertarian can agree with wealth redistributionists like Code Pink and Cold War relics like Pat Buchanan.

The United States Needs a Broad-Based Anti-War Movement


Try Antiwar.com. This is a site that was started by a consortium of traditional Conservatives and Libertarians, in response to Clinton's wag-the-dog war in Yugoslavia. It later expressed its disagreement with both, the Bush and Obama administrations, in regard to the Iraq war.
 
Try Antiwar.com. This is a site that was started by a consortium of traditional Conservatives and Libertarians, in response to Clinton's wag-the-dog war in Yugoslavia. It later expressed its disagreement with both, the Bush and Obama administrations, in regard to the Iraq war.

If you know about it then it is obviously fake conservativism.

/sarcasm
 
I want to play devils advocate so please ignore that I have "libertarian" on my profile.

The problem isn't war in and of itself. The problem is how we chose to fight them. You cannot fight an insurgency surgically. If a town is unable to fight against insurgents, the entire town should be firebombed. War is about breaking the enemies will to fight. There is no higher morality a nation should have to maintain when it fights a war. The fact that you go to war to fix a problem should be a commitment to not have morality in mind. Our "morally superior" rules of engagement and surgical warfare kills more and prolongs suffering in a way that does not allow any side to win.
 
War should always be used as a last resort and in self defense.

I think today's anti-war movements are smaller because there is no draft. In other words most people are complacent because unless they sign up it doesn't or so they think it doesn't affect them directly. A draft would get more people collectively against the war and stand up to the government.

On the other hand a draft is unconstitutional as it's involuntary servitude and therefore I'm against a draft.
 
Anti-War is a naive fantasy and in it's own way is as dangerous as a Pro-War mentality.
 
Anti-War is like being against anti Human, I mean war is as natural if not more so then peace is. There are limited resources, but growing populations you do the math.
 

For a reactionary cesspool making common cause with some of the worst creatures on God's green earth because they are too stupid to figure out that the enemy of their enemy isn't their friend, perhaps.


They should have just named it usefulidiot.com.
 
Typically anti-war movements turn into anti-military movements, which is unacceptible in my view. Even a libertarian must agree that we need to maintain our defense capabilities.

I have never called and never will call for a dismantling of our military. My father, uncle (both on mother and father's side) fought in Vietnam, my Grandfather (fathers side) and Late Great Uncle (mothers side) fought in Korea. A national military is neccessary for a nation but I have problems with our so called leaders who want to use our men and women like toys and deploy them all over the planet.
 
The idea of not getting involved in foreign affairs is more than a bit silly and naive considering we live in a world where everything affects everyone. We get involved in other people's business because everyone's business is everyone else's business.
 
The idea of not getting involved in foreign affairs is more than a bit silly and naive considering we live in a world where everything affects everyone. We get involved in other people's business because everyone's business is everyone else's business.



No, it isn't. It's this line of thinking that caused the problems that we have today.

Negotiate and trade with countries, yes.

Starting the wars, no.

Everything does not affect everyone.
 
No, it isn't. It's this line of thinking that caused the problems that we have today.

Negotiate and trade with countries, yes.

Starting the wars, no.

Everything does not affect everyone.
Au contraire, it does. Isolationism is a childish fantasy, and occasionally you have to back your interests with the use of force, lest other countries use force against you. In a world where everyone's interests are connected, the goings on in Tehran or Tbilisi affect the goings on in Berlin or Washington.

The mentality that's caused all of our problems is the one which says that war is avoidable, unjust peace is better than just war, and that holding hands and singing Kumbaya is the solution to everything. War is a diplomatic tool just like trade agreements and defense treaties and like any tool, war gains its morality from the context in which its used. In truth, any problem can be solved if you have the resolve to use enough violence.
 
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