MAJ Private RallyPoint Member 120714 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>As a preface, I understand this question could go in very many different directions! Part of the question is: Do we as a Nation fight for our freedom, or safety, or is there another reason? Another part of the question is: What are we personally here fighting for (within the Armed Services, not necessarily on the battlefield)? Are our collective and individual reasons aligned? Should they be, or does it not matter?<br /><br />Since those questions leave the field of discussion wide enough, a parameter is I'd like to keep this contemporary and non-historical -- I know why the military exists.<br /><br />Websters defines (abridged for brevity; see dictionary.reference.com for full definition):<br /><br />Freedom--1. the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint: He won his freedom after a retrial. 2. exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc. 3. the power to determine action without restraint. 4. political or national independence. 5. personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery: a slave who bought his freedom...<br /><br />Safety--1. the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss. 2. the quality of averting or not causing injury, danger, or loss. 3. a contrivance or device to prevent injury or avert danger. 4. Also called lock, safety catch, safety lock. a locking or cutoff device that prevents a gun from being fired accidentally. 5. the action of keeping safe... 2014-05-07T00:43:28-04:00 MAJ Private RallyPoint Member 120714

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>As a preface, I understand this question could go in very many different directions! Part of the question is: Do we as a Nation fight for our freedom, or safety, or is there another reason? Another part of the question is: What are we personally here fighting for (within the Armed Services, not necessarily on the battlefield)? Are our collective and individual reasons aligned? Should they be, or does it not matter?<br /><br />Since those questions leave the field of discussion wide enough, a parameter is I'd like to keep this contemporary and non-historical -- I know why the military exists.<br /><br />Websters defines (abridged for brevity; see dictionary.reference.com for full definition):<br /><br />Freedom--1. the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint: He won his freedom after a retrial. 2. exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc. 3. the power to determine action without restraint. 4. political or national independence. 5. personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery: a slave who bought his freedom...<br /><br />Safety--1. the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss. 2. the quality of averting or not causing injury, danger, or loss. 3. a contrivance or device to prevent injury or avert danger. 4. Also called lock, safety catch, safety lock. a locking or cutoff device that prevents a gun from being fired accidentally. 5. the action of keeping safe...

2014-05-07T00:43:28-04:00 2014-05-07T00:43:28-04:00 1LT Private RallyPoint Member 120723

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Sir,<br /><br />Without splitting hairs, I have to believe that we are fighting for both freedom and safety. The American public happily applauds that we are fighting for freedom; Freedom from the oppression of Islamic extremism and terrorism. In reality, I don't think the public cares what we are fighting for, so long as they FEEL safe. In that sense we are fighting for safety, and to build stand-off between our civilian counterparts and the horrors of war.

2014-05-07T01:17:45-04:00 2014-05-07T01:17:45-04:00 MAJ Private RallyPoint Member 121910

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Because we're told to?

2014-05-08T16:17:23-04:00 2014-05-08T16:17:23-04:00 SFC Michael Hasbun 121993

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>To enforce our foreign policy (and whatever secret squirrel operation is happening in the background we don't know about).

2014-05-08T17:27:13-04:00 2014-05-08T17:27:13-04:00 SFC Michael Hasbun 5133861

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>We are the enforcement arm of our foreign policy. We are the big stick our government uses to bend other nations to it&#39;s will.<br />Freedom and safety? nah. Canada and Mexico aren&#39;t exactly gearing up for an invasion.

2019-10-16T13:03:12-04:00 2019-10-16T13:03:12-04:00 2014-05-07T00:43:28-04:00