CAUSES OF WARS

by David Nuttle

To stop war it is necessary to know why wars start. Armed conflicts are caused by a mix of political, economic, ideological, & security factors driven by ambition, biases, and a degree of strategic calculations by leaders with or without population support. The major causes are:

a) Border disputes b) Succession of leaders c) Independence.

d) Religious differences e) Ideological competition f) Self-defense

g) Leader ambition h) Problem distraction i) Anger venting

j) Revenge/ retaliation k) No commitment to peace l) Inflated ego

In theory, the United Nations was created to help resolve most of these issues causing two states to be on the brink of armed conflict. However, the U. N. has flaws making it too often

ineffective in resolving such disputes. The major players can veto a proposed solution, and most members are developing nations with a number of their own problems. Terrorism is a

major cause of armed conflicts & it is being employed by groups seeking global domination

such as ISIS, the Islamic Wahhabi, & PRC (China). Iran is a significant promoter of armed conflicts using proxy terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. A horrific desire by Iran to destroy Israel and Putin's desire to expand Russian territory are causes of current armed conflicts,

Wars started in ancient times such as the Roman wars to expand territory. The great war based on religious conflict was the Crusades, America had the Revolutionary War to gain freedom from Britain. World War I was said to be the "war-to-end-all-wars" but that did not happen. World War II was fought to end expansionist goals of Hitler's Germany and similar goals by Japan. In Vietnam, the U. S. converted a Viet civil war into an armed conflict as an extension of the "Cold War." The war on Iraq was based on a false claim that Iraq had some weapons of mass destruction they planned to use against the U. S. In Afghanistan, the U. S. fought the Pakistan-supported Taliban terrorists into a costly failed attempt to convert a tribal society, ruled by regional drug lords, into a working democracy.

I was working in Egypt at the time of the 6-Day War between Israel and Egypt. President Sadat of Egypt privately admitted the purpose of that war was to let the Egyptians vent anger

against Isreal. He believed such venting was needed before the Egyptians would make any peace agreement with Israel. This was an unusual war!!

Many Americans have a direct connection to a war or have a relative in at least one war. I have links to several wars. One of my very early ancestors was Bucki, the War Chief of the Germanic Cherusci Tribe that defeated the Roman Arny. Another was Balwin II, of France, who led the second Crusade. Gen. George Washington is a relative, so I indirectly have his connection to our Revolutionary War. I had a grandfather, Pleas Ball, who served in World War I. During World War II, my Great Uncle, Gen. George Marshall, was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. At his request, my father, Charles, with good help from 60 German POWS and me, trained groups of 300 mules to serve as pack-mules for our Army in Europe. An Uncle, George BalI, was a Marine who fought in WW II. I served in Vietnam and then completed national security surveys in Iraq and Afghanistan prior to the U. S. wars in those two nations. Wars have some direct or indirect impact on most of us and the cause of each war always seems to be very well justified at the time.

A new and creative solution to stopping armed conflicts and future wars is needed!!