Wars Getting Worse?

[Steve Petersen]

No.

In fact, the last decade has seen fewer war deaths than any decade in the past 100 years, based on data compiled by researchers Bethany Lacina and Nils Petter Gleditsch of the Peace Research Institute Oslo.

Other interesting facts about war in the link.

 

[mindlight]

No.



Other interesting facts about war in the link.

I would not be too complacent about that. The potential for death and destruction is still there albeit at a slightly less extreme level than at the end of the cold war. Wars have gotten smarter and more expensive cause of the current dominance of the US military which does them that way. More blunt instruments with no morals but using the same weopanry would not be so discriminate in their killing and could cause immense loss of life. IT's as the US starts to lose its dominance that the real dangerous wars are likely to develop as new powers emerge and assert themselves.

 

[keith99]

My Grandfather on my fathers side suffered from lingering effects of a Mustard gas attack in WW I.

By and large it seems ot me that wars ahve gotten cleaner if anything.

War has never been pretty. My guess is todays wars are a bit cleaner than the reallity of past wars and a lot dirtier than the cleaned up images of past wars.

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

Advances in medical technology, mostly. In World War II the wounded-to-killed ratio was about 2-to-1. In Iraq and Afghanistan it's about 10-to-1.

 

[mindlight]

Advances in medical technology, mostly. In World War II the wounded-to-killed ratio was about 2-to-1. In Iraq and Afghanistan it's about 10-to-1.

Also the wounded live longer as a result in the aftermath of war and more make good recoveries.

 

[Halfmaker]

War has gotten worse.

Especially since war is now waged on civilian populations subversively.

 

[Steve Petersen]

War has gotten worse.

Especially since war is now waged on civilian populations subversively.

Maybe you can provide us with some statistics that show how wars today are getting worse in terms of civilian casualties than World War II for instance.

 

[changewithgrace]

Wars have become far less deadly. The aftermath of the world wars, creation of the United Nations, those tried at Nurnberg for war crimes, rules of engagement, law of armed conflict etc has caused the wars be much more humane. As someone else mentioned chemical weapons are not allowed and technology has lead to bringing down casualities. Not only that but with the fall of the soviet union there has not been a state on state war since the world super powers are at peace with eachother for the most part. The number of democratic states has increased drastically since World War II and the only 'wars' that occur now are from non-state actors such as provoked by Al-Qaeda. The War in Iraq I think was a mistake and I dont understand why they did not leave after there was no WMD found. Outside of that we see the biggest problems from Civil intrastate wars from Oppressive governments or over land disputes., Syria, North Africa etc. Despite what the perception people have on warfare, humanity has increased drastically and co-operation and diplomatic efforts are always pursued first.

 

[Manheim]

Other interesting facts about war in the link.

Good link.