What are armies for? protection or 2 wage war?

Dragoner

The main purpose of an army is to enforce your nation's will upon a disobedient subject nation who have failed to carry out the tasks you assigned to them or who have refused to sign a trade agreement which allows your nation to take 90% of the profit - well, lets say a 90% + share in the enterprise and profitablity of the subject nation in question.

In exchange for your nations magnanimity, you will come to the immediate defence [by force of arms] should any hostile nation or rogue state declare their intention to so much as spit in their direction.

suzy c

armies are there so that you have something to attach your handies too!!!!
Sorry, i have been around too many 9 year old's recently..

mustardcharlie

Armed Forces (mustn't forget the Navy and Air Force) are there to kill people who disagree with their government's philosophy. Once upon a time, a country did need a army for defence Not any ore..

Part Time Cynic

There's answer 3 of course. They are an economic necessity. Take out the defense industry and there will be HUGE unemployment queue's :-)

silverfoxcb7

armies are formed to force the will of a goverment on their own people or others that need to "see the way"

W W D

They are indeed. The real world isn't a ball game, and the best defense is a good offense. Potential enemies are less likely to attack you if they know you're going to kill them.

John B

Yes to both questions.

latj

The Army follows orders of its Commander In Chief (Pres Bush). They do protect the country in time of war. BUT..they also do peacekeeping missions, disaster and aid relief, and do their MOS (military occupational specialty) that keeps us always prepared and willing to fight in time of need. Without an Army we wouldn't have our freedoms and ways of life here in the good ole USA. Heck, without an Army this might not even be the USA, who knows what it would be called.

Woppa TRFC

Reason 1) Protection of your country
Reason 2) Deterrent of somebody elses armies
Reason 3) A means of forcing political will
Reason 4) Peacekepers in times of emergency (riots)
Reason 5) To deliver aid/manpower to times of crisis
Reason 6) To cover lazy firemen (UK) who's chances of having to work a full week rather than 50% are threatened so they all can't have second jobs.

Is it Friday yet??

It all depends but I would say both........

billy d

Armies are the instruments of policy, made by kings, presidents, dictators etc.

Depending on the motives of the policy makers Armies can be used to protect a country or to wage war for other reasons.

B.Kevorkian

The ability to do the latter has always been needed to achieve the former.

Paul

we no longer have a "common defense", we now have a common offense

LAVADOG

Purpose of the Army

Organize, equip, and train forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained combat operations on land

~Intex

Protection, Disaster Relief and Repairs and Peace Keeping operations.

Not all of their uses involve combat, and its the goverment who wages wars.

spareo1

They are created as a last resort in defense, not as disposable commodities in a giant game of Monopoly.

hannibal61577

Both for protection and to exert or try to exert a country's will upon others. The Armies that we had in Europe in both world wars were waging war, not so much protecting the US, but it was something that needed to be done.

desertviking_00

Both. However, in this war, everyone is on the "front lines". If you see something, say something.

scorch_22

Waging war... if armies were for protection only armies wouldn't be needed, because there would be no threat from another army, if they were purely defensive.

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