Reasons to go to war

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War and Peace

We will now be studying opinions and theories regarding whether or not it is morally justifiable to go to war.

The reasons countries go to war.

Identify 6 reasons countries go to war

Give an example of a war which indicates more than one motive of going to war.

Give an opinion on whether it is ever okay to kill people.

Nationalism

War based on the reassertion of national independence for people with a common language, history, religion or heritage.

“Ein Reich, Ein Volk, Ein Fuerhrer”

There is a logical necessity for homogeneity in nationalism, whether it be ethnic, racial, religious, cultural or linguistic – in times of war the perceived danger from the ‘other’ is heightened.

After 9/11 even Muslim residents of the US became suspects

Protection

Sometimes countries go to war to protect their lands and people from aggression or to protect people in other lands from evil dictators.

Self defence

War declared as a measure of selfdefence due to a fear of attack or a threat to the countries vital interests.

Resources

The need and sometimes greed for more resources has long been a significant cause of war. – more land, water or mineral resources such as oil have reckoned to be the root cause of a quarter of wars in recent years.

Fighting was fuelled by the countries vast mineral wealth with all sides taking advantage to plunder the country's resources such as gold.

Religious reasons

The Crusades were a series of military campaigns against the

Muslims of the Middle

East-fighting to gain control of Jerusalem – lasted nearly 200 years.

Some wars are fought for religious reasons. Holy wars are fought in the name of God by armies who believe they have

God on their side.

Are wars the result of only one reason?

An example:

Take what you know about the war in

Iraq and list the reasons why you believe the war started.

You may do this task with those sitting next to you.

You have 4minutes

WMD’s – to protect

America (the West) from possible attack.

To secure the Iraqi oil fields

– prior to the invasion 63 companies were fighting for oil contracts – after the invasion Exxon, Shell and BP got majority share (after meeting with Bush prior to the invasion)

Possible reasons war on

Iraq was declared.

Saddam Hussein was a threat- larger risk leaving him in power.

Saddam had threatened US interests in the past

– firing missiles at

Saudi Arabia and

Israel

-Albert Camus

What do you think?

Is it ever right to kill someone?

Is our first motive always the most important?

Reasons to go to war

In a short paragraph describe, with reasons when you think it is okay to go to war.

Do you think it is ever okay to kill another human being? Why?

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5.

The costs of war

Page 80

Pink books

Make a list of the costs of war

Outline an example of the environment being damaged by war

Explain how starvation can be the result of war

When do you think it is acceptable to go to war? Give reasons

‘War does more damage to the morals of men than to their property

and persons.’ – Desiderius Erasmus. Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer

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