What are wars good for?

Question

What are wars good for?

Answer 1

Profit for the wiley investor.

Follow the money.

Answer 2

Nothing coz nothing is actually resolved

Answer 3

Absolutely nothing. Say it again!

Answer 4

War is terrible, awful and should be the last option. However war is good for finally resolving conflict in situations where there is no opportunity to reasonably negotiate.  Japan foolishly initiated war on its neighbors and the United States.  The war commenced with the Japanese knowing that they were superior to any other nation/race.  It ended with tens of millions of Japanese dead and with a clear understanding that they were not a superior race.  

Like now, where the world is encountering extreme muslim fanaticism, much like the Japanese of World War II, people are willing to commit suicide to force their position on others.  Where suicide is a viable means of achieving victory, it is impossible to reasonably negotiate with such peoples' leaders and followers.  War therefore, resolves the conflict as it permits the participants to kill those who cannot or will not be reasonable and to bring finality to the conflict.  Those remaining both the survivors of the losing side and the victors are hopefully willing to pursue a lasting peace.  

This is why the U.S. victory in World War II is so very humbling.  We won the war, we occupied the countries that we defeated and we then built them back up to greatness.  By doing so we freed countless millions from dreadful tyranny.  

In short, war is useful for concluding disputes involving persons that are unwilling or unable to reason.

Answer 5

absolutely nothing  

Answer 6

Some industries depending upon how successful the endeavor is are benefited greatly. National identity and culture formation, temporary reprieve and quelling of internal unrest, unifying influence upon the populace, nationalistic sentiment allowing for lessened impedance to state policy en-action, resource security/procurement, greater regional/global influence from proven display of force may potentially convince otherwise unco-operative states or organisations to acquiese to governmental foreign policy.

Removing the need for mutual-benefit and reciprocity can reduce the cost depending upon the cost of waging the war; of interaction and trade between two communities. War itself is good for war, defending against aggressors is a necessity for continued existence of a state or community, intervention by 3rd parties into conflicts can help states secure continued beneficial relations between other states and from a humanitarian perspective can be rationalised as a means to end or prevent continuing warfare. Governments may use wars as a means of justifying removal of elements of the population they consider to be a threat to their continued governance or whose removal they perceive will be beneficial in strengthening their control.

Establishing significant social changes and in furthering eugenics, in a dramatic, hollisitc way, is often only achievable to organisations/states pursuing it through means of force as resistance will otherwise be unsurmountable. Plenty of things one can say it's good for really, depends how it's rationalised, thing is though cost-benefit analysis of war usually falls apart in a number of historical cases, and most of what I just said is quite horrifyingly bad for me, an individual and a member of a populace and not a person in any governmental role, yet for some people it's highly beneficial. It all depends who you ask and when you ask them, much of the rational arguements for warfare are built around the already made decision for it and their absence would unlikely change the outcome, a famous recent venture by a very powerful and influential state would be a good example of that (though many of the other arguements such as resource procurement could perhaps adequatey explain the motives behind it.)

EDIT: Oh and I also forgot to mention that human technological development is often spurred and accelerated by the unifying effect of warfare or the threat of warfare along with the imminence and high stakes involved with war creating the necessity that is the mother of invention.

Answer 7

Creating hundreds of thousands of refugees.

Answer 8

to make you realize the beauty of peace.

love

Pluto

Answer 9

Peace.

Answer 10

Movie script material

Answer 11

The economy.

Nothing like a good war to create jobs.

Answer 12

well i think because of financial problems.

Answer 13

The arms industry.

Answer 14

Oil.

Answer 15

Really, it's good for nothing!

Answer 16

Population control

Answer 17

War is good for:

the winning country

population control

making the rich richer

destroying countries

depleting resources

aiding in global warming

creating orphans

harming millions of people

Come to think of it, absolutely nothing good.

Answer 18

Conquering land.

Overthrowing governments.

Shifting powers.

Building alliances (in the case of backing other countries)

Disputing problems.

Gaining independence...

etc.

I think this question is a bit childish.