Altruism benefits no one
Reader comment on item: War as Social Work?

Submitted by Maryallene Otis (United States), May 7, 2003 at 18:41

This is an impressive article. Dr. Pipes is absolutely right. A country's primary goal in any military action should be its own security as long as it is a relatively free country that respects the individual rights of its citizens. Any benefits to those outside that country are not a bad thing, but in no way should be the focus of a war. Just like an individual, the United States has a moral right to defend itself, including via pre-emptive strikes. This would only change if the United States became a totaliarian regime, at which point a freer country would have the right, but not the obligation, to liberate our citizens and destroy our weapons.

For more on this issue, see the works of Ayn Rand.

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