WAR: AN ECONOMICAL VENTUREThere's been alot of protests going on recently over the war in Lebanon and it's gotten me thinking. Many would think badly of the Bush administration and the many wars that America has participated in. But here's food for thought: War has traditionally been taken as a last resort or as an aggressive stance to achieve something. Basically, the wars of the past have been fought for greed (conquering new lands), when honor is at stake, etc. But has war now progressed from being a political venture to one that has more economical nuances?
A significant portion of the American taxpayers' dollar goes towards the country's defence fund. This in turn is used to procure weapons, machinery and the such, things essential in fighting a war. Soldiers need to be clothed, fed, have a roof to slip under, etc. All these are contracted out. Industries previously not profitable in nature become profitable in times of War and this in turn, creates jobs for people as workers are needed in factories to produce these things. In a somewhat, sick vicious cycle, the taxpayers' dollar indirectly creates jobs for the nation and pours money back into the economy through selected industries.
So tell me, has war not become an economical venture?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I approve of war or violence. But realistically, we know that sometimes war is inevitable and some wars were fought with good intentions in mind i.e the Confederate war that was fought to abolish slavery. Yet, at the end of the day, for every job created and for every dollar earned for the economy, there's someone's son or daughter; wife or husband, boyfriend or girlfriend, brother or sister, uncle or auntie, cousin, etc who was shot, maimed, emotionally scarred or killed in this great economical venture that is war.
Can you go to bed at night knowing the money you earned and spent was gained through the spilling of someone's innocent blood?