Leadership: Wednesday, Period 1, Class 12 (4/1/09)
"War is hell," Nathan said after everyone had gotten to their seats. "There aren't many people who find war fun. There are those who find it inevitable. As a leader one of your hardest decisions will be about when to go to war.
"Do you go to war to defend your people? What counts as defense? If you know of a threat do you strike first or do you wait until you're hit? Is it ethical to make the pain and death of your own people a touchstone? Are you serving your people well if you allow them to be hurt?
"What about others? Many would argue that genocide is wrong, but would you go to war over it? Does it matter if it's happening to an ally? An enemy? Someone who you have no relationship with at all? What about if your country is suffering a depression and doesn't have the resources to go to war? What if you think you should go to war but your people don't agree? Does it matter if their disagreement is based in a prejudice of some kind? What if it's based on the argument that resources are better spent caring for the sick and poor within your country?
"As you can see, it's a complicated topic," Nathan said. "There is no way that it could be covered in a single class. For today let's limit ourselves to a discussion of those questions. Or, boiled down to a single one: When, as a leader, do you decide to go to war?
"Let's hear your thoughts."
[ooc: OCD is up!]
"Do you go to war to defend your people? What counts as defense? If you know of a threat do you strike first or do you wait until you're hit? Is it ethical to make the pain and death of your own people a touchstone? Are you serving your people well if you allow them to be hurt?
"What about others? Many would argue that genocide is wrong, but would you go to war over it? Does it matter if it's happening to an ally? An enemy? Someone who you have no relationship with at all? What about if your country is suffering a depression and doesn't have the resources to go to war? What if you think you should go to war but your people don't agree? Does it matter if their disagreement is based in a prejudice of some kind? What if it's based on the argument that resources are better spent caring for the sick and poor within your country?
"As you can see, it's a complicated topic," Nathan said. "There is no way that it could be covered in a single class. For today let's limit ourselves to a discussion of those questions. Or, boiled down to a single one: When, as a leader, do you decide to go to war?
"Let's hear your thoughts."
[ooc: OCD is up!]