David f.,

Wars may have been fought between humans for millenia, but surely that is no reason to ignore the root causes of modern conflict. The article is spot-on in its rumination on greed as a continuing motivation for conflict.

Colonial Britain and France threw their weight around in spades in the middle-east before handing the baton over to the emergent power of the U.S.
The West is an insatiable and deceitful force in many parts of the world. If the IMF, the World Bank or the WTO can't extricate the riches it desires, it fabricates a common threat and goes in militarily.

Man's greatest obstacle is his penchant for avarice and excess. It not only feeds his lust for material gain, but also his savagery in the pursuit of it.

Dear Poirot,

I disagree that western culture is the root cause of modern war. The genocides and conflict in Rwanda-Burundi, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Tibet, Sinkiang, Libya, Sri Lanka, Indonesia & the Philippines have little or nothing to do with wstern culture. Population pressure, religious rivalry and moves to gain or retain power are not unique to western culture.

Many factors may influence the decision to go to war. The personalities of the leaders; the influence of nationalist, religious, or other ideologies; the extent of popular support for war; the anticipated economic gains or losses; the ambitions or advice of the military; perceptions or misperceptions of the other side's motives and intentions; the expected reaction of the international community; and, of course, expectations about the likely outcome of the conflict. But one factor that seems particularly likely to encourage war is preparations for it. A military build-up by country X may make country Y feel threatened, leading Y to begin a defensive build-up.

Country X perceives the new build-up as a hostile move and increases its armaments, proving Y that its supicions about X were right all along and that more arms are needed and so on.

In general militarized nations tend to fight with other militarized nations, and countries that prepare for war tend to become engaged in war.

To a visitor from another planet, it would seem that the modern world is obsessed with preparation for "defense" (it's never called 'offense'). Many countries spend more of their budgets for military purposes than they do for education or medical care. World military expenditures in 1986 - the "International Year for Peace" were $900 billion. Over the past quarter century, global spending for military purposes has consumed in the trillions. This represents a colossal diversion of funds from socially useful goals. For example a single hour's worth of these expenditures would sufice to save through immunisation, children around the world who die each day from preventable infectious diseases.

David f.,

I don't believe that western culture is the "only" cause of modern conflict. Yet, it wields vast economic and military power and is stridently belligerent when it suits the agenda.

Philo

Please clarify for me.

Do you mean the Western culture that has its basis in Judeo-Christian values or one without. If it is without J-C foundations please give examples.

Thank you

Dear Poirot,

The USA, a predominately white, Christian country elected a dark-skinned man with a Muslim father as president. Many other countries would not have as leader a person who was not of the same ethnicity as the majority in the country. A hotel maid accused a very powerful man, the head of the International Monetary fund, of sexually molesting her. He was arrested and is now in custody. Many other countries would not have bothered with the maid’s complaint.

Most countries in the world do not have an independent judiciary and free speech. You are perfectly free to condemn western culture and the actions of your country all you like, and nothing is going to happen to you because of that. See what happens if a Chinese does that in China.

People from many countries in the world are trying to get into the United States. A million people fled from Cuba to the United States. Few people have fled from the United States. I now live in Australia, but I hope to go back to the US this year. I haven’t fled. I am married to an Australian who wanted to go back home. Living in Australia I still collect my social security and pensions from the US. Had I come from a Marxist country I couldn’t do that since Marx recommended in the Communist Manifesto: “Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.”

I am free to express my thoughts and feelings. I don’t have to worry about being dragged off to a gulag or concentration camp because I said something that some authority figure didn’t like.

I am now retired, but during my working life I could work where I wanted and go where I wanted. My ancestors and family all left Russia and eastern Europe to come to the United States. Some fled the tsar, and some fled Lenin. I love the United States and Australia and greatly appreciate western culture. I condemn the US and Australia when I think they are wrong and appreciate my right to do that.