The cause of War

[Mister D]

I'm going with the idea that war is initially over resources. Ego, power etc are all involved as well, but i think it usually starts with one group, or at least it's leaders, wanting something the other group has.
I also suppose we could say that there are at least two reasons for every war.
The reason the war is really started and the reason that is fed to the masses to get their support in the form of the willingness to sen d their sons to kill and die.

When your fabled HGs went to war over an insult or a personal squabble how did they manage to keep the "real" reasons from the "masses"? When warriors from the steppe or from Viking settlements attacked their neighbors did their leaders convince them it was for humanitarian ends?

[Tahuyaman]

War happens when two sovereigns can't solve their conflicts diplomatically. Typically it is over allocation of limited resources.

Which often end up as territorial disputes.

[zachroidott]

When your fabled HGs went to war over an insult or a personal squabble how did they manage to keep the "real" reasons from the "masses"? When warriors from the steppe or from Viking settlements attacked their neighbors did their leaders convince them it was for humanitarian ends?

No, they didn’t have internet, television, global politics, blah and blah. It’s as if you and another member slept through the Cold one.

[zachroidott]

I t is not the same thing it was a thousand years ago.

[donttread]

When your fabled HGs went to war over an insult or a personal squabble how did they manage to keep the "real" reasons from the "masses"? When warriors from the steppe or from Viking settlements attacked their neighbors did their leaders convince them it was for humanitarian ends?

Probably. The H&G probably invoked the "kill for religion" thing long before city states even existed. But the modern war machines have learned from that tactic well. "Praise the lord and pass the ammunition" .

[donttread]

Which often end up as territorial disputes.

And territory is a resource.

[donttread]

Do you think mankind will ever learn to make little or no war? Or do you think that it will get even worse as more and more people are sharing the finite resources of the planet? Or maybe we will always find a way to hate or pretend to hate for gain?
Or maybe one way or another our violent tendencies will end us and reset evolution?

[Mister D]

Probably. The H&G probably invoked the "kill for religion" thing long before city states even existed. But the modern war machines have learned from that tactic well. "Praise the lord and pass the ammunition" .

Those questions were rhetorical. The answer to both is obviously, no. Moreover, as you might by now understand, war predates the state and virtually everything you denounce.

Your knowledge of history is so poor it can't but lead to poor arguments.

[Ransom]

What in your opinion is/are the cause/causes of war? The root cause.

9) Humankind's desire to determine their own outcomes
8) To overthrow dictatorships.
7) In defense of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness
6) get your neighbors women and children
5) force your neighbor to get it's shiit together
4) To keep a union
3) Religious strife
2) Defend honor
1) God save the Queen
0) Isolationists finish last and are never heard from again

[Ransom]

Do you think mankind will ever learn to make little or no war? Or do you think that it will get even worse as more and more people are sharing the finite resources of the planet? Or maybe we will always find a way to hate or pretend to hate for gain?
Or maybe one way or another our violent tendencies will end us and reset evolution?

Is it not your contention that the atomic bomb has indeed lifted us to little or no war? We don't have massive invasions nor world wars as a result of mutual assured destruction, mankind merely created a doomsday weapon and dared each other to use it first.

But those are great questions, donttread, and deserve thoughtful answers. But, I would like to ask first...thanks...You'd do nothing in their development of a weapon...….then you're asking if Members think this will all get "even worse".....will the Iranians have an atomic bomb in your scenario above?

I mean....if Iran builds one, Israel will certainly have to publicize the fact that they've got one pointed at Tehran. Saudi Arabia will have to react, Syria will certainly need to respond. This is your ideal 'perfect scenario' yes, donttread?