Communications

A major deterrent to war is communications. It is vital that people be able to communicate with each other quickly, effectively, and frequently.

Greater communications capabilities tend to lead to greater exchanges of information, values, cultural activities, and economic opportunities.
Where communications facilities are most extensive, wars are least frequent.

It is precisely the communications links which authoritarian governments try to limit and sever whenever they seek to perpetrate massive acts of oppression.

Another major deterrent to war has been knowledge.
Surveillance satellites monitor the disposition of ground forces, the disposition of missile systems, the disposition of nuclear and chemical weapons, and the communications of all nations of the Earth.
Although there are obvious disadvantages to liberty and significant corruption has been uncovered in these monitoring operations, it is also clearly the case that major military initiatives are not possible without telegraphing the circumstances to the international community.

A third significant deterrent to war is opportunity.
When opportunities seem limited, it is often considered necessary or appropriate to take from someone else, from some other land or country the resources and opportunities which are needed.
Limited access to opportunities figure prominently in disputes over land, such as the Israeli-Palestinian situation.

Limited access to vital resources such as oil figure prominently in disputes such as the Persian Gulf War, the Iran-Iraq War, and numerous other military conflicts throughout history.

Space affords access to limitless resources.
There is more than enough for everyone. Realizing the extent of the resources available "out there" should, eventually, reduce the use of naked aggression in pursuit of terrestrial resources.




Liberally taken by "Indomitus"