“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth a war, is much worse. A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. As long as justice and injustice have not terminated their ever-renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to do battle for the one against the other.”
@russellc64: The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq serve no defense purpose, and utterly lack “moral and patriotic” purpose. We went into Iraq because the neocons wanted to, and thought 9/11 was a good excuse. They wanted to control the oil in Iraq, nothing more, and these plans had been around for years. Bin Laden was in Afghanistan, which could justify an incursion, but then George W. Bush even announced he didn’t care about bin Laden; Obama was the one who finally killed the architect of 9/11. All we are doing now is increasing hostility to the USA and providing recruiting excuses to ISIS and others.
So why are we there?
And for the record, John Stuart Mill was talking about the (American) Civil War, inveighing against those who would bring “peace” by granting the Confederacy independence, because of the immoral nature of slavery. This is in no way comparable to our ridiculous, wasteful, and brutal presence in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I think it was Tolstoy in War and Peace who said that it’s braver and harder to live for a cause than to die for it. I think the same could be said for killing vs. helping to/live and let live.
Packratjohn Premium Member about 5 years ago
Don’t worry dude, the VA will tend to your every need…
HarryCK about 5 years ago
I’ll take the 22 cent burger, 15 cent fries and 25 cent chocolate shake. (circa 1966)
wolfiiig about 5 years ago
Triple Cheese Double Sauce McTrumpburger, please.
Radish the wordsmith about 5 years ago
Don’t do evil because, “They told me to.”
Decide for yourself, are you a man or an animal?
kenfortenberry about 5 years ago
Well and truly said. Congrats Ted, you nailed it with this one.
russellc64 about 5 years ago
“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth a war, is much worse. A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. As long as justice and injustice have not terminated their ever-renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to do battle for the one against the other.”
John Stuart Mill
mommadillo about 5 years ago
Gotta give Ted credit – he’s one of the very few public figures willing to take on America’s military fetish.
Motivemagus about 5 years ago
@russellc64: The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq serve no defense purpose, and utterly lack “moral and patriotic” purpose. We went into Iraq because the neocons wanted to, and thought 9/11 was a good excuse. They wanted to control the oil in Iraq, nothing more, and these plans had been around for years. Bin Laden was in Afghanistan, which could justify an incursion, but then George W. Bush even announced he didn’t care about bin Laden; Obama was the one who finally killed the architect of 9/11. All we are doing now is increasing hostility to the USA and providing recruiting excuses to ISIS and others.
So why are we there?
And for the record, John Stuart Mill was talking about the (American) Civil War, inveighing against those who would bring “peace” by granting the Confederacy independence, because of the immoral nature of slavery. This is in no way comparable to our ridiculous, wasteful, and brutal presence in Afghanistan and Iraq.
https://almostchosenpeople.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/john-stuart-mill-on-the-american-civil-war/
Baba Yaga Premium Member about 5 years ago
So much hate……..
opsono about 5 years ago
I love Ted Rall
danshen about 5 years ago
I think it was Tolstoy in War and Peace who said that it’s braver and harder to live for a cause than to die for it. I think the same could be said for killing vs. helping to/live and let live.
himtenry69 about 5 years ago
Thou shall not kill>
ED CANTWELL about 5 years ago
War is the symptom of failed politics. And violence is always the final refuge of incompetence.