What are we fighting for: freedom or safety (or something else)?

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 May 2014 00:43:28 -0400

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?

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.

Websters defines (abridged for brevity; see dictionary.reference.com for full definition):

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...

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...

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made May 7 at 2014 1:17 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 May 2014 01:17:45 -0400

Sir,

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.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2014 4:17 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 May 2014 16:17:23 -0400

Because we're told to?

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 8 at 2014 5:27 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Thu, 08 May 2014 17:27:13 -0400

To enforce our foreign policy (and whatever secret squirrel operation is happening in the background we don't know about).

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Oct 16 at 2019 1:03 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 13:03:12 -0400

We are the enforcement arm of our foreign policy. We are the big stick our government uses to bend other nations to it's will.
Freedom and safety? nah. Canada and Mexico aren't exactly gearing up for an invasion.