Georgia - Politics of Intervention

[Marmora Man]

I am sympathetic to many Libertarian ideas. The following is a recent statement from the Libertarian Alliance - it makes for interesting reading but, as yet, I am not sure if I want to buy this argument.

Libertarian Alliance - Thoughts on Georgia

Any alternative views / thoughts out there?

[Jimbob]

i blame barry george.

[PeckhamRose]

Like every long term war or even short term ones, I read and read and try and understand and - whether it be the history of the middle east or Africa or Europe or wherever, and despite all the seeming differences in what started the war or whatever it was - two things always seem to come to the surface. Men start wars and it's often about or because of the MindVirus aka religion, or just the old "Get Orf Mah Landdd" reason.

So basically, as long as there is testosterone and religion we're f***ed.

After WW2 - even WW1 - all the politicians said it should never happen again. It always will. We're human. It's what we do.

But that's just my thoughts.

[????]

I consider myself pretty libeterian but there's a load of horseshit in here.....The 2nd world war unneccesarry my arse and the laughable view that WW2 combined with WW1 somehow stopped us being a liberal democracy and a corporate something instead.....poor article IMO

[Huguenot]

Hmmm...

"I believe that the best way to minimise the threat of war is to have our own state keep out of any dispute that does not immediately concern the integrity of its own territory"

He said that right at that start.

Now since 40% of our fuel is gas (with no other options on the table at the moment), and the majority of that comes from Russia, and Russia have a pronounced tendency to shut down supplies to those countries with whom they have a political dispute, and Georgia and it's adjacent states are a key alternative to our fuel needs...

Isn't it really much much wiser to take an interest in these events now, rather than waiting until you have no options?

To suggest you just hide behind the sofa with the lights off because the mob is turning off the electricity at the other end of the street (at the moment) is simply pathetic.

I disagree with PR, I find that most wars are about resources, religion is often a vehicle and testosterone is the fuel. Resources are poorly distributed around the world, so until we can resolve critical needs independently then we'll have wars.

The irony is that consequently the ability to end these wars is in our own hands. Pay a premium for non-carbon energy derived from wind, water and the sun, support genetic modification of crops to improve yield, conserve water, reduce your use of the car, own only one house at a time.... ;-) Reducing demand has the sames effect as increasing supply and takes the pressure off.

Hmmm. Ending wars doesn't seem so sexy now we have to do something about it :(

[PeckhamRose]

Huhuenot of course that is a valid point and I take it.

"I disagree with PR, I find that most wars are about resources, religion is often a vehicle and testosterone is the fuel. Resources are poorly distributed around the world, so until we can resolve critical needs independently then we'll have wars."

It was not the reason at the beginning of wars I am sure, but now it is one of them.

[mockney piers]

It's just a plain terrible essay, worthy of some of the rambling rants on here, most of them mine ;)