War Defined

According to Webster’s dictionary war is, “a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations, a period of such armed conflict, a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism, a struggle or competition between opposing forces”. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy war “should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political communities”. These definitions do not define war entirely.

War can only be given a face when different aspects of it can be defined. What purpose does it serve, what are its effects, why does it perpetuate? As a country at war, the people would like to believe war is a battle against good and evil. It is a stand against the wrong and the criminal. It is a fight to protect freedoms and liberate, or so we are told. It is taught to be a necessary evil for the good of a specific agenda. When war has ended it would like to be believed that something positive would always arise from the rubble.

What can war truly be defined as? War is a devastating, dehumanizing, destructive conflict. War is expensive for it comes with the high price of human life. War is constantly an issue and a dreadful possibility. It is an inflicted wound that quickly becomes infected and spreads throughout a society. War is something that is truly unimaginable until it is seen first hand. Even though war is devastating it has been a part of human history since the beginning of time. It has devastated, destroyed, and changed societies forever and will continue to do so until the human race evolves;

War is a brutal and ugly enterprise. Yet it remains central to human history and social change. These two facts     together might seem paradoxical and inexplicable, or they might reveal deeply disturbing facets of the  human character (notably, a drive for dominance over others). (War)

Is war every worth, the time, resources and pain? Is the result ever completely worth the battle? The ongoing war in Afghanistan brings some questions forward related to whether or not war is necessary. The war in Afghanistan has been going on for 8 years, and in recent time the war has been ignited with an increase in American military presence. For years the war laid dormant due to the war in Iraq taking center stage.  Not only has the United States been fighting a war against Afghanistan, Afghanistan has been fighting a civil war. Is any of it necessary? That can be left up to debate. One thing that is certain about these two ongoing wars is that there are victims suffering as a direct result of both wars.

In the New York Times article, A School Bus for Shamsia readers are told a story about a school in Afghanistan where a group of young girls were terrorized and burned with acid, their education was placed in jeopardy after the incident along with their lives. After the United States began their fight in Afghanistan there was “one unambiguously positive change that the American-led enterprise has brought it is the education of girls” (Filkins). This is undoubtedly a positive change, but woman are still victimized and a struggle amongst the people of Afghanistan still prevails. The country according to the article “lay in ruins” after 8 years of an American waged war.

Has an 8-year-old war substantially positively affected this country? Or has is just caused more strife and pain? Creating educational opportunities for oppressed young girls is a priceless achievement; but the ongoing battle in Afghanistan leaves many hopeless and fearful that when and if America can claim victory Afghanistan will be left as a carcass. The United States has been focused on fighting a war and increasing military but is not focused on socially improving conditions. If social conditions and climate do not change then the purpose of the war is obsolete.

War’s face is ugly, disfigured, and a vile visage to look at. The reality of war is painful, too painful to even be comprehended by one who has not witnessed or truly lived it. There will always be conflict and war which will always be an option that the world would be better off without.  War can easily be redefined in the dictionary as a horrendous crime against humanity.

I found this video while searching for a video that would help me get a glimpse of war. After pilfering through you tube clips of war video games and music videos I found a series of videos called “Rethink Afghanistan”. The particular segment focuses on the conditions of women in Afghanistan.

Works Cited

Filkins, Dexter. “A School Bus for Shamsia.” The New York Times. 17 Aug. 2009. Web. 7 Sept. 2009. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/magazine/23school-t.html>.

“War.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. 7 Sept. 2009.

Webster’s Dictionary. Web. 7 Sept. 2009. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/war>.

Advertisement