War in itself is a very realistic concept. The human nature
is inherently selfish, strives for its own power and security maximization
which eventually leads to conflicts between parties whether at an individual,
domestic, interstate or a global level. Realists hold the belief that war stems
from a set of rational, conscious decisions that fuel the thirst for power in
humans. Opposing schools on the other hand hold the thought that it is only
human imperfection and deviation from rationality that can lead to war. None of
these theories, however, have been able to identify the root source of war because
for every war that has been caused by calculation and rationality; there have
been others that have been caused by simple errors or mistake.
Throughout history, wars have been fought over religious,
ethnic, ideological, territorial, governmental and economic conflicts. States may
believe that war is justified when it comes to maintaining the sovereignty of
the state or to protect it from potential threats. What states, or even
individuals, fail to acknowledge are the catastrophic effects war can have on
individuals. Not only is the damage to human life physical, it is also mental. Military
personnel are often subjected to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and
psychiatric disorders. No matter what a state hopes to gain by going to war,
the cost of human life will always be greater.
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