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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:01:09 AM EDT
[#1]
Ah, the age old question: Can we ever hope for peace in our lifetime?
Might as well actuallyu say: Can we ever hope for human nature to change? Dear OP. God bless you for your hopeful and uncynical mind. I wouldn't want to disillusion you, but no, we cannot realistically expect peace in our lifetimes. Based on our past track record, peace has and always will be a temporary state of being in flux with conflict over resources. To think that any one person or coalition of persons can effect peace is folly. On the other hand, you do what you can. You look out for your own the best you can without causing harm to others, and you go out of your way to be the best human being you can. It's all you can do, and sometimes, you can effect change for the better on your scale. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:01:35 AM EDT
[#2]
The road to peace is war.
There will never be peace. Mankind will always not get along. All we can do is the best we can do. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:03:12 AM EDT
[#3]
Quoted:
If wishes were horses, we'd all be eating steak... Hope, by itself, is a waste of time and energy. You cannot Hope something into existance. You must DO. As a single person, you may not be able to do much, but by getting your message out, and inspiring others to act with you, we CAN put in motion a plan to bring peace, even if by violence. Mmmmmmmmmmmm horse steak...... huh? |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:04:22 AM EDT
[#4]
We have always been at war with Eastasia.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:05:27 AM EDT
[#5]
Quoted:
There will never be peace. Ever. Yep, war is a part of the Human condition. While a lot of the wars that were possible back when the world was small (no internet or TV) won't be possible for governments to force on their people, there will always be wars. IMO, we aren't done in the middle east, and China/India are going to jockey for position in the future. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:06:03 AM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
Only the dead have seen the end of war. What I came in here to type. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:12:04 AM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
Quoted:
No. I believe in all of recorded human history the amount of years "peace has reigned"- meaning no major insurgencies, uprisings, wars, etc- is measured in something like 24 years or so. This comes from my fuzzy memory of an excellent college class I took years ago on world history and conflict. I doubt that metric. Pick a year and somebody can probably find a war or skirmish somewhere. The real question is what is world wide peace? That really needs to be defined first- if that means not a single person being killed by another person anywhere in the world other then accidently then no freaking way. If its No Wars being defined as X country attacking X country with X killed/wounded/etc then that is something else. You see the problem. Anyway- The historian Will Durant is a high side person- in Lessons Of History he puts forth 268 years of NO war in the last 3500 years or so of recorded history (note- WAR). Others have identified upwards of 500 years of "peace" but donot specify or have the pedigree of durant. Gary C Burger puts forth 300 years of peace with 200 of that being attributed to ancient Rome whose military might kept the peace IN ROME duringt he height of their power so this may not count as other wars/conflicts were going on outside of Pax Romana. Burger also holds forth that since 650 BC there have been almost 1700 "arms races" in which 16 did not eventually lead to war (in these 16 one side eventually collapsed economically). Cursory searches on the Internet has the lowest figure at 26 days of worldwide peace (not defined) since the start of recorded human history. A quote from the Stratgey Page of December 23, 2003 in an article written by Austin Bay (emphasis mine): "Several historical studies have attempted to determine how many years of peace have occurred in humankind's 5,000 years of recorded history. "The results vary from a few hundred to a few dozen years of peace," says James Dunnigan, military historian and editor of www.StrategyPage.com. "But these exercises always depend on how one defines peace. I would say there have been no years in man's recorded history where there has been no war."" So you can quite correctly argue that metric as can I - it comes down to again to the question of what is meant by "peace". In the same article above they note at the time that 80 -110 armed conflicts were recorded with the number varying on how a "conflict" is defined (and such definition did not take into account such mundane things as rapes, murders, and so on- do they count against "peace"?) |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:15:09 AM EDT
[#8]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Considering that 1)99% of armed conflict happening anywhere in the world at any time was started and perpetuated by Islam, and 2) most countries don't have the balls to call this war what it really is, much less burn a fucking Q'ueeran and stand up to their bullshit simply by excersising their right to free speech, the answer is no, we will never see peace in our lifetime. Nor will our grandchildren. Islam also stole my truck, caused my wife to cheat on me, and kicked my dog....  I thought you were back in school? |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:19:31 AM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
I'm 25 years old so I still have a few years to go. We've had some scary moments over the last century and into this one and we are only 10 years in! As a species we've really done some horrific things to each other. And over the stupidest sh*t. Religion, Politics, Race the list goes on and on.
Do you think we'll ever see any kind of peace in our lifetime? Regional or otherwise?
no anyone who thinks otherwise hasnt looked in a history book, or considered what "peace" means. skipping the historical nature of mans strife for a moment, consider this; peace is simply the time in between open conflicts - in this time groups seek to change and improve things and inevitably disagree on how to acheive that, and ultimately the next cycle of open conflict occurs. its all perfectly normal and natural, and much is gained by it. To some degree peace and progress are diametrically opposed. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:28:02 AM EDT
[#10]
Quoted: The next fifty years will be more dangerous than the last. I believe that this is absolutely correct. It won't be long, us older folks will be damn near nostalgic for the Cold War years. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:30:36 AM EDT
[#11]
Yes.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 9:34:23 AM EDT
[#12]
As long as there is money to be made off war there will never be peace.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:16:43 AM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
Man is inherently evil and has a destructive nature. What a pitiful view of the human species. Man is not inherently evil because we have free-will. And what does it mean to be "evil"? It means to be anti-life, specifically anti-human life. We are conditioned to be anti-life by the morality of the day –– through either faith or force. By claiming that man is evil by his very nature, you are simply giving up. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:21:38 AM EDT
[#14]
People are too fucked up for there to ever be true peace.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:24:37 AM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
There will never be peace. Ever. This. As long as there's more than one person on earth, they will try to kill each other. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:32:00 AM EDT
[#16]
Quoted: Quoted: There will never be peace. Ever. This. As long as there's more than one person on earth, they will try to kill each other. Someone once said something to the effect that... The first time primitive men hunkered down around the first camp fire... there was someone... who felt more comfortable by themselves, alone in the dark. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:41:37 AM EDT
[#17]
Asking this question, expecting a serious answer, is evidence of the typical naivete possessed by the OP's age group.
Life is conflict. In both the human and natural worlds. Death is built into the system. The best way to preserve local peace is to have the biggest stick, and the skill and will to use if needed. Strength is the ultimate deterrent. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:42:47 AM EDT
[#18]
In order to have peace in the future everyone will have to surrender to every demand of the leftists and also convert to islam. Also the socialists and Muslims will have to get along. I will not be forced to live under socialism or total control by a religion.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:45:01 AM EDT
[#19]
Quoted: In order to have peace in the future everyone will have to surrender to every demand of the leftists and also convert to islam. Also the socialists and Muslims will have to get along. I will not be forced to live under socialism or total control by a religion. Gimme a fucking break... Muslims can't agree on Islam. Can Arfcom please stop using Obama and Islam as the fucking be-all-end-all of Boogeymen. It's getting fucking boring.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:51:31 AM EDT
[#20]
The world is governed by the aggressive use of force. I forget who first said that, but it's totally correct. Unless you're expecting a fundamental change in how the world works, and how humans behave in the next 50 years, I'd start hoping for a more achievable goal, like winged, flying pigs.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:53:37 AM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
In order to have peace in the future everyone will have to surrender to every demand of the leftists and also convert to islam. Also the socialists and Muslims will have to get along. I will not be forced to live under socialism or total control by a religion. Muslims have been killing each other for years, both for religious reasons (think Catholics vs Protestants) and secular reasons. Everyone converting to one religion or ideology doesn't grant peace, it just changes what we fight over. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 10:57:26 AM EDT
[#22]
We will have peace within your lifetime. My predictions:
1. More than 2 billion people will die first, within 9 years 2. Arfcom members will kill a few more, less than 1 year later. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 11:02:06 AM EDT
[#23]
Peace is just a word that means you're waiting to get attacked. It is a pipe dream of the foolish.
Sic vis pacem para bellum |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 11:04:18 AM EDT
[#24]
Peace is a pipe dream, PERIOD let it go
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Posted: 9/15/2010 11:06:50 AM EDT
[#25]
Quoted:
Peace is a pipe dream, PERIOD let it go Hmph. Another nattering nabob of negativity. Do your part for world peace - click here.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 11:20:25 AM EDT
[#26]
Quoted:
I'm 25 years old so I still have a few years to go. We've had some scary moments over the last century and into this one and we are only 10 years in! As a species we've really done some horrific things to each other. And over the stupidest sh*t. Religion, Politics, Race the list goes on and on.
Do you think we'll ever see any kind of peace in our lifetime? Regional or otherwise?
There has never, ever been "world peace". It only exists in the vacant minds of beauty pageant contestants. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 12:04:08 PM EDT
[#27]
Quoted: I'm 25 years old so I still have a few years to go. We've had some scary moments over the last century and into this one and we are only 10 years in! As a species we've really done some horrific things to each other. And over the stupidest sh*t. Religion, Politics, Race the list goes on and on. Do you think we'll ever see any kind of peace in our lifetime? Regional or otherwise? No. Peace is a pre-lude to war. All the touchy-feely types love to harp on about how mankind should be sophisticated enough to avoid war. The bulk of humanity however is more than willing to murder the next guy to gain one inch of ground or one cent of wealth. Someone will always be in power, weapons and warfare decide who that someone is. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 12:13:08 PM EDT
[#28]
Perhaps if all of humanity were united in war against something else, there could be peace.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 12:24:00 PM EDT
[#29]
Peace will never exist because peace is a form of a utopian society and utopian societies don't and will not exist, there is always a flaw. whenever someone is happy there is always going to be someone that is unhappy, everyone has an opinion or belief that will conflict with other peoples opinions and beliefs.
I came to the conclusion that maybe an individual can have peace with themselves, but otherwise no. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 4:11:45 PM EDT
[#30]
Quoted:
Peace is over-rated anyway. W-A-A-A-Y over-rated by the left. Citizens living under many oppressive governments have had peace. Cuba or North Korea haven't gone to war with anyone in decades. Even domesticated livestock have peace, courtesy of their keepers. MORE PEACE isn't what the world really needs - It's MORE LIBERTY. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 4:52:55 PM EDT
[#31]
Quoted:
I'm 25 years old so I still have a few years to go. We've had some scary moments over the last century and into this one and we are only 10 years in! As a species we've really done some horrific things to each other. And over the stupidest sh*t. Religion, Politics, Race the list goes on and on.
Do you think we'll ever see any kind of peace in our lifetime? Regional or otherwise?
 are you serious? This is mankind we are talking about.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 4:59:37 PM EDT
[#32]
Quoted: There will never be peace. Ever. Everybody better get their head around that. There has never been peace before either, ever. Lets just try to keep it off of our soil and far from home. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 5:00:43 PM EDT
[#33]
Quoted:
There will never be peace. Ever. This. Every generation since the 1800's has "fought a war so their children didn't have to." Ya know what,.... my father, grandfather, great grand father, great great gandfather have ALL fought in wars and every generation of my family has fought on this soil since the French-Indian Wars....... So no. There will never be peace. Teach your kids to shoot. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 5:01:35 PM EDT
[#34]
Quoted:
The next fifty years will be more dangerous than the last. WMD proliferation, frozen conflicts, and the slow retreat of the existing Levianthan. Only a Euro is stupid enough to believe that soft power means shit. I was about to edit my post to state that. The worst is yet to come. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 5:03:49 PM EDT
[#35]
War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner.
Name one society where the warrior is not a noble profession. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 5:05:57 PM EDT
[#36]
Quoted:
This.
There will never be peace. Ever. It will require violence to prevent greater violence. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 5:13:04 PM EDT
[#37]
I've thought about this before. I am only 22 so have pretty much grown up with us at war. I just don't see an end to this. I don't think the war on terror will ever stop. It is depressing to think about. I've been there and now my future children might have to. How many more lives and how many more freedoms will this cost us?
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Posted: 9/15/2010 5:28:03 PM EDT
[#38]
Quoted:
I'm 25 years old so I still have a few years to go. We've had some scary moments over the last century and into this one and we are only 10 years in! As a species we've really done some horrific things to each other. And over the stupidest sh*t. Religion, Politics, Race the list goes on and on.
Do you think we'll ever see any kind of peace in our lifetime? Regional or otherwise?
study history, any fucking history, what do you think???? |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 5:30:35 PM EDT
[#39]
Quoted:
There will be no peace in the far future, only war......... WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 5:32:28 PM EDT
[#40]
Only if there is some sort of "Star Trek" type reality with unlimited resources.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 6:17:16 PM EDT
[#41]
yes, yes it is..................next question.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 6:20:47 PM EDT
[#42]
Quoted:
Only the dead have seen the end of war. Truer words have never been spoken. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49zqB6qV7hI&feature=player_embedded I don't know how to embed videos. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 6:22:04 PM EDT
[#43]
Pray for peace.. prepare for war.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 6:27:25 PM EDT
[#44]
while peace is a noble goal, the closest we can hope for is quick relatively bloodless wars that scare others into not attacking us. true peace is not allowed by human nature. it would be awesome if we never had to kill another human being but alas, people will always need killing, and people who can kill will always kill those who cant. we have to work to keep the number of dead low. isolate, cutoff, blockade countries who would do us harm. attack those who a through c doesnt work against, and prevent the seriously insane from gaining more power and weapons.
theres a reason why jefferson said friends with all allies with none.  |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 6:42:33 PM EDT
[#45]
Read ''The Sling and the Stone'' by Colonel Thomas x. Hammes, USMC.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 7:10:19 PM EDT
[#46]
We'll have world peace when people as a whole scrounge up enough maturity to admit that they don't have a right to force their opinions on other people, and not a day sooner.
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Posted: 9/15/2010 7:26:55 PM EDT
[#47]
We're much more efficient killers now than in the recent past, but the more efficient we get the fewer the killings that get done (comparing numbers for conflicts starting in the beginning of the 20th Century and throughout till today). Maybe its some inverse proportional law or something... . On a completely different note, central planning in enlightened countries have killed more citizens of their countries during peace time than people that have died in all those same wars in the same time frame combined.
up is down, black is white, night is day |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 7:29:07 PM EDT
[#48]
Quoted:
We will have peace within your lifetime. My predictions: 1. More than 2 billion people will die first, within 9 years 2. Arfcom members will kill a few more, less than 1 year later. Does this involve a virus and some people turning into vampire zombie thingies? |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 7:59:07 PM EDT
[#49]
Quoted:
Quoted:
The next fifty years will be more dangerous than the last. I believe that this is absolutely correct. It won't be long, us older folks will be damn near nostalgic for the Cold War years. The strategic calculus was certainly simpler. The US hasn't even developed an adequate general strategy to describe the world, or our engagement with it, since 1991. |
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Posted: 9/15/2010 8:07:24 PM EDT
[#50]
Quoted:
Quoted:
In order to have peace in the future everyone will have to surrender to every demand of the leftists and also convert to islam. Also the socialists and Muslims will have to get along. I will not be forced to live under socialism or total control by a religion. Gimme a fucking break... Muslims can't agree on Islam. Can Arfcom please stop using Obama and Islam as the fucking be-all-end-all of Boogeymen. It's getting fucking boring. That poster is half-right, for probably the wrong reasons. You're right, too. Let me explain. A good chunk of the Muslim world does represent an arc of instability, stretching from the Pacific to the Med. Why? Because of all the major civilizations, only Islam is at war, as in kinetic no-shit shooting war with itself. The Muslim world is fighting through its own Reformation/30 Years War in the continuing wake of the Ottoman Succession. In addition, the Muslim world will be in conflict with its neighbors, not incidently because of its own internal contradictions and conflict. See also, Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom. So, while you're right is saying that even wholesale conversion to Islam wouldn't create world peace, the issues within political Islam itself are breeding the issues in current conflict. 
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