I'm glad I will never have to make the decision to send our country to war...

[wyldwolf]

The decision to do it is fraught with obstacles and questions of morality and necessity. Presidential powers have been abused in the past and congress has failed to question them. The whole idea of any conflict now always leaves me at least a hint of tinfoil hattery - is there another agenda? Where the circumstances created? Are we being lied to?

It also occurs to me, though, there have been times when I felt war was justified when it happened (WWII, for example) and justified even when it didn't happen (Rwanda, for example.)

There's a part of me that WANTS the US to be that proverbial guardian of the world. Then there is a part of me who believes the lives of our soldiers are more precious than than those of citizens in other countries.

I'm in the mushy middle on the topic of Syria. I don't believe we're being lied to. But I'm also not sure if our involvement would prevent another chemical attack. Several years before we entered WWII, FDR was lobbying for it. Would an earlier entry by us have prevented the atrocities committed by the Nazis?

The question I'm asking myself is this: At what point is a war or an attack justified? How many lives have to be lost before someone else takes action?

[NYC_SKP]

1. I dare say most of us couldn't even stomach what it is the POTUS needs to look at to make decisions.

I worry that as bad as we think things may be in the worst places on the globe, that they're actually far worse.

My dear departed friend, Mike S., was in the first Gulf War.

He shared that he was ordered to use a dozer blade to bury Iraqis alive in their trenches.

Not surprisingly, as a result of the traumatic things he saw and did, he became involved in crank and ate his gun.

RIP, studly.

[NuclearDem]

2. WWII had absolutely nothing to do with Nazi atrocities.

[wyldwolf]

3. Let me clarify

Regardless of why WWII was fought, the end of that war also effectively ended the Nazi atrocities. IF the US had entered earlier, would more lives have been saved in regards to the Holocaust?

[GeorgeGist]

4. Just a guess ...

but I'd bet you believed Colon Powell.

[LordGlenconner]

5. Nice slur

But how would you answer the question about when to act, and when not to act?

[wyldwolf]

7. He obviously wouldn't or can't

[wyldwolf]

6. I'm sure you're not known for your 'guesses.'