I see one man here that served in Vietnam. First, I must say "Welcome home, brother." I also spent my time in that hell hole.

Now, I must first ask how many here have actually seen war? Not on TV or in a book or in a video game. I mean to actually be there, watch your comrades in arms being blown apart, hold a friend close as he bleeds to death.

I have never, ever, met a person that saw war and thought it something good. Most don't even believe it was necessary, at least the last few we have been in. I know Vietnam was not.

So, yes, I strongly adhere to the notion of "thinking" before we allow some politician (of either party) lead us into the shedding of blood and the tragic loss of the lives of our young men and women.

I too am a JW and want to briefly outline some truths about this very big subject. It is true that God and his people from Abraham to the nation of Isreal fought sanguinary or human wars. Being a physical people who recieved the promise of the specal human "seed" as mentioned in Gen 3"15, the physical protection of those lines of descent through warfare usually with divine help was necessary. God's approval and help verified the necessity of these conflicts to preserve this geneology. When that human seed (Jesus Christ) that was to provide the ransom appeared and died faithfully, and after estabilishing a new congregation of people with a new covenant, which superceding the Hebrew Law Covenant, these wars were no longer necessary to physically protect a physical nation and seed.
The book of Daniel and other prophets describe the conflicts and succession of world powers down to the last days. These were not approved by the creator who retains His universal soviergnty but showed his control over all things human down through the ages. Sometimes he prophecied and fullfilled the actions of worldly nations like Babylon when he called for the destruction of unfaithfull Isreal in the seventh centrury BCE.
In the first century and now, Jesus taught Christians to be no part of the world and to "put down the sward," What the nations and other factions do today in conducting and promoting conflicts and wars only provides more evidence that Jehovah's universal soveirgnty as expressed through his Messianic Kingdom is close to taking action for the ending of man's dominance and self government and the saving of peace loving people everywhere on earth. That he will do soon with a war to end all wars at Harmagedon using his angelic forces to take back that complete soviergnty once and for all.
That's a war we can appreciate which will bring lasting peace forever. See the book "What Does The Bible Really Teaches" by Jehovah's Witnesses for answers and scriptures to these and other questions. I hope this helps and promote further investigation by interested people who want to know God's thinking on these dificult subjects. DM

"When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to hate war. War Settles nothing."-DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER...
I fought in just a war as IKE speaks about, VIETNAM. I was not drafted but served 4 years and received a Bronze Star. Anyone who has not seen and been a part of a fire fight or other battle, please (as McLintock says) 'think things trough and know your history". The domino theory, the Gulf of Tonkin (lie), and other history truths will show that 'preventive' wars should be fought by those that want them. Give them swords to walk into battle and cut each other to pieces.
"Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die."-HERBERT HOOVER...

AGAIN, AS MCLINTOCK SAYS, THINK -- And with the words of a man who fought in WWII and gave his all for his country - read this and think!!! """People who have not been horrified by war to a sufficient extent . . . War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige as the warrior does today.""" -JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY