My thanks to my opponent for accepting the debate.
I argue nations already 'tend to situations of minor perpetual war with one another,
Speaking softly, Knifing softly each other in the back. Cold Wars.
With 'freedom fighters, And terrorists. Proxies and allies of strategic interest.
Against drug lords, criminals, And warlords.
But more than that, The perpetuation of 'major wars has not left our 'species, I argue.
While many people may have 'mostly ceased their tribal conflicts, Such as Britain, Japan, America, China, Germany.
There are 'still too many 'differences between greater nations at large. 'Large conflicts 'will come again. Even were all the Earth to globalize, say I,
"The empire, Long divided, Must unite; long united, Must divide. Thus it has ever been"
- Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong
Many a nations economic stance on their militaries reflect this, And if we're shoveling so much of our money into our militaries, Perhaps that money should 'best serve a maximum purpose.
In Keynesian economics, broken windows and repair. In nature, fires that burn out overgrown forests, And regrow, decay, death, and rebirth.
So too military equipment breaks or is outdated, costing in it's replacement.
If it is to be burned through anyhow, maximum use, say I.
The most callous argument I give, Is on the topics of aggression and population.
There are many people in the world to day. One worries 'too many at times, I refer you to the Behavioral sink by ethologist John B. Calhoun
I 'argue that there are 'clear dangers to overpopulation. And now on the topic of aggression, Make the argument that many individuals are prone to aggression. That 'such 'lands many people in prison, Violent movements, And over the top politics.
Such willful antisocial behavior is better encouraged, directed, and regulated, 'And at times fallen 'away from the population.
Finally I come to preparedness, On how well, Military experience helps a military.
I argue that there is no substitute for experience.
Just as mannequins are no substitute for live tissue, Combat 'training while important, Is no substitute for battle experience.
"Responding to the PETA complaint, the UM veterinarian and director for laboratory animal medicine stated that ‘the work of the Survival Flight nurses required that such procedures were performed on living tissue’, and that there was no substitute for this type of training, claiming that both simulators and associated teaching aids simply weren’t adequate."
Mock practice cannot fully prepare a soldier for what he will learn in situational awareness, For his eye for terrain, The stress, Carefulness.
For a mock is just that, Mock, Partial, Incomplete.
Nor can the military 'institution, be but 'prone to rot, without attention, care, and upkeep.
Tools vital, in use, are cared for and looked after.
Ever in history one see's the use of observers in Wars.
One see's militaries enter conflicts with antiquated equipment and tactics, 'broken by new powers rising.
As a weeding process,
Military Boot Camp itself is a uncomfortable experience. In the USA anyway, Some people may claim that there's no getting out once you've signed up, But there is. It's a stress test, of who has the nature to obey, Who has the will to continue, The resilience.
Combat too, weeds people out, 'sooner rather than later.
That they may yet serve in capacities that best suit their abilities.
Even people honorably injured, Who lose eye, Leg, Or arm.
Have value, that too often militaries ignore,
There are 'many tasks that can be completed, That serve one's country, Or fit into military service, Even with disabilities.
Whether it's to deter the unprepared as a recruiter, As with the man in Starship Troopers.
Or to continue a job, One is still perfectly capable of preforming.
'Many a civilian contractor in the US military, previously served.
My round 1 summed up, I assert
1, War is inevitable.
2, War has economic value.
3, Population and Aggression needs an outlet.
4, There is no substitute for experience.
5, The losses acquired in war, Are of benefit or recoverable.
I'm open to it being about any effects, be they Military, Political, Economic, Moral, or Other.
The Black Forest in Germany, is somewhere I've often thought would be interesting to see.
Are we arguing only about keeping the quality of the army to a certain level? Or are we gonna treat this from all aspects. Political and economic. Or maybe moral?
Btw: Oregon is amazing!
Higher life expectancy too.
Certainly they are fine countries.
Varying in aspects of life's qualities that they excel in.
But still, I would choose America, for what it excels in, and I value, for me.
Japan and Switzerland have higher quality of life.
I hear it's a fine country,
Though I am fond of the redwoods of Oregon.
Switzerland is better to live in than USA.
And 'by that, their military suffered and rusted some.
'Had Germany invaded in WW2, as was considered, the Swiss would not have held out as 'well, as if they 'had minded war.
Switzerland wasnt at war for over 200 years.
'Would they?
Swiss Mercenaries have 'such a fame in history.
And if Japan had not 'cut themselves off from the world, during the Sakoku Era, but instead had kept their weapons 'relevant and honed,
The Black Ships of Admiral Perry, might not have laid before Japan such threat, as to force open their ports to trade.
Switzerland and Japan would disagree.