# Liberating a people from authoritarian rule, Ain't War **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 10, 2003, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberating-a-people-from-authoritarian-rule-aint-war/167741 "2003-04-10T08:00:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberating-a-people-from-authoritarian-rule-aint-war/167741/21 "2003-04-11T16:20:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sivispacem \* > However, I’m still somewhat sticking by ancient wars that were clearly two whole, sovereign nation states engaged in conflict – but just because I’m stubborn. So Julius Caesar attacking the Gauls wasn’t a war? And what is this “whole” country business? What do you call what took place in Vietnam? ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberating-a-people-from-authoritarian-rule-aint-war/167741/22 "2003-04-11T16:44:16Z")
An earlier example: 1979 France invadign and freeing its former colony Central Africa of its stark raving mad emperor Bocassa. 2000 The UN trying to end “civil war” and famine in Ethiopia? ---
**Author:** ![sivispacem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@sivispacem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sivispacem)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberating-a-people-from-authoritarian-rule-aint-war/167741/23 "2003-04-11T22:26:56Z")
Urban, in earlier posts I’ve been trying to clarify the point that never in the past has there been a “war” when two nation-states engage in conflict, and the military of one of them pretty much turns tail and runs, and the citizens of that same nation-state greet the “invading” troops with open arms and smiles. Later I refined that to recent history, for sake of arguement. Maastricht, I have no idea about the history of the '79 France invasion never heard of it honestly, but it could very well be this sort of phenomenon. The UN interdiction would, by name, not really be a war. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Calculus_of_Logic)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberating-a-people-from-authoritarian-rule-aint-war/167741/24 "2003-04-12T00:54:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > \*\*Crow much ? > > What a complete pile of steaming horse shit. > > As I said in another thread, sure, the victor gets to write history but isn’ t this a little too early ? > > The US invaded / liberated Iraq for the reason all countries fight wars of aggression; its own self interests – in this case the alleged and contrived threat from WMD (sic) and through which the US government manufactured a reason to invade another country and did it outside the UN. I don’t see how that is disputable. And I supported the action with my eyes wide open to those facts. > > But absolutely everything to do with humanitarian issues / ‘freedom’ / associated bullshit\*\* is an incidental by-product of the pursuit of the US national self interest. Period.\*\* > > Morality, my arse. \*\* I disagree with your statements for at least 2 reasons. [According to this survey](http://www.americans-world.org/digest/global_issues/human_rights/PromotingHR.cfm) 90% of American’s think defending human rights should play an important role in our foreign policy. I am assuming that 90% applies to politicians & military personnel too. So i fail to see how a policy that is supported by 90% of the population can never be carried out, ever. The Srebrenica massacre. In 1995 The Dutch government resigned after it found that it had failed to protect the lives of innocents during the Bosnian war. I fail to see how self interest caused them to give up power. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberating-a-people-from-authoritarian-rule-aint-war/167741.md?page=1)