Do you think we will go to war again?

Answer 1

Sandy, We are at war, even as I write this. This war is not against any particular country but rather against the adherents of a virulent strain of Islamist ideology who have wormed there way into many nations and intend to murder as many people as they can to show their contempt for Wetsern Civilization and its ideals of freedom and tolerance. They began this war many years ago but we didn't really become aware of it, as a war, until the deadly attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. Now it is definitely on though and we will detroy these people and overthrow any government that seeks to give them succor. As usual,we didn't start it, but we will finish it.Michael Montagne

Dear Sandy

Mr Montagne is right, you are already at war.

But Islamists are just the latest fashion. The USA has been at constant war ever since 1945, in various parts of the world. In fact, all over it. Islamists appear only in the early 90s as enemies of the USA. Before that, they were friends of the USA, especially in combatting the Soviets. Before the islamists there were others. Presumably, after them there will be others also.

I understand your confused question, as the USA has been comparatively peaceful, save city cores. But much of the rest of the world has been constantly bombed, to no small extent by the USA, ever since '45. So the idea of going to war "again" sounds a little strange.

Some of these wars have been overt and high intensity, such as Korea, Iraq and Vietnam, others have been overt but low intensity, such as Panama, Granada, the Balkans and such. Others yet have been covert, such as El Salvador, Chile and Afghanistan. In addition, there has been a number of proxy wars, such as Namibia and Nicaragua etc. Finally, there have been a number of US attacks on countries with no state of war, covert or overt, as consequence, such as the Soudan, Cambodia and Iran etc.

That's not mentioning the cold war, or semi-domestic wars, such as that on drugs (spilling over to supplier nations but principally a domestic war), of course. Also not including economic warfare, within or without UN sanctions.

The USA never really demobilised after WWII, maintaining instead a - by historical USA standards - gargantuan army and arms industry, and remaining at an extreme state of readiness at all times. Nor did she really go back to peace.

This cannot be news for you Sandy. War has reached continental USA. It did in September 11th. The manner of the attack was a surprise, but not the fact of it. The USA cannot be defeated in a conventional war. With her military spending and huge population, no other nation can keep up, save perhaps China. Her enemies are not very likely ever to challenge her on a conventional battlefield again. War comes in new shapes these days.

The USA cannot end war. War is no longer a state to be bombed into submission. War just is, and will be whatever she does. She can pull out of it, or take part in it. USA of yesteryears used to want to be left alone. This has not been policy for the last 50 years. And so she�s in.

You are at war Sandy. Sorry. But never mind. You have been since you were born, most probably, and you're not likely to notice much of it all, unless you travel abroad.

Yours Sincerely Tommy

Non American States are at war as well - defending themselves at being forced to live the "American Way" - beware we will be all eating donuts and be obese if we don't make a stand now !!!

On a more serious note - as a non American can I ask why we should be forced to live this way ?