@Dan_Lyons I agree to an extent. The executive in most countries is corrupt, and unfortunately many wars are started for economic reasons. It is no coincidence that US construction companies won most of the tenders to rebuild Iraq, with US government loans that will cripple Iraq’s economy for years to come. It is unspeakably sad that the hawks are circling on the Iran issue, and it appears voices of reason have only delayed that war.
However, there have been wars throughout history that have been fought for noble purposes. Between them, the two world wars essentially ended the concept of a war of expansion. Very few countries can get away with attacking another country purely for resources or land gains in our modern world. When the US does it, they can’t get away with annexing the region in question, so they have to resort to a proxy government. A few hundred years ago, people would’ve simply said “bad luck” if Germany invaded Poland.
No one is saying that we should support the politicians and power brokers who start the wars. No one is saying that all wars are just, and the idea of going to war is praiseworthy. That simply isn’t true. But that shouldn’t stop us showing support and encouragement to the soldiers who fight those wars, or showing appreciation for the freedoms bought through the wars that were in fact noble. I don’t believe Australia should’ve ever been involved in the recent Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts, but I still respect the soldiers who fought there, and believe they are worthy of honour.
I must also dispute your population control idea. If governments wanted to control the population, there would be nothing easier than dumping a few hundred grams of ricin in key water supplies. The fact is, modern economics relies on population growth. Population control is the last thing on government’s minds, however much our overpopulation destroys the environment.