Assignment 9 Daryn Smith

While war never should be necessary, too often it becomes the only way a problem will be resolved. Although logically anything can be resolved through negotiation and compromise, often times governments are not willing to make any sacrifices.

As the leader of a nation, one should attempt to avoid war at all costs, as more likely than not, a resolution can be reached without tens of thousands of people being killed. However, if a leader is put in a position where the other side is not willing to negotiate or compromise, war may be necessary. It depends on the seriousness of the issue- for example, if allowing the other side to get exactly what they want will lead to even more deaths than war would, war is probably the better option.

Deciding whether to go to war comes with huge responsibility and requires careful consideration. It is a leader's job to do whatever will benefit their citizens and country the most. If they truly have no other options, it is okay for war to be a last resort. Morally, war is a horrible thing. The concept of people killing one another for a diplomatic victory sickens me to some degree when I really think about it. It is definitely a lesser of two evils rather than an important part of foreign relations.

A country only has the responsibility to go to war when it will benefit them and their citizens more than any alternative would. Having said that, there are several alternatives which, in most cases, would be significantly better than war. These include negotiation, compromise, and giving the other country what they want. Systematically sending people to kill and get killed is by no means moral or a good option to consider, but rather a last resort when faced with a very tough decision.