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Originally Posted by ziggytrix
So what is the goal of civilization? To progress the human species?
The American Heritage defines it as "An advanced state of intellectual, cultural, and material development in human society, marked by progress in the arts and sciences, the extensive use of record-keeping, including writing, and the appearance of complex political and social institutions."
What part of that requires a military buildup?
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Actually, when you look at most of the important advances in history (especially American history) scientific advances have been tied directly to military applications.
Space program: The German Vengance II rockets were the basis for shooting people into space.
Medicine: Gell pills were invented to get wounded soldiers to down their penicillin. The Civil War saw the greatest jumps in prosthetic technology until the use of robotics. The use of phosphorus and other incindiary chemicals during WWI led to the invention of skin grafts.
Internet: Product of DARPA, the R&D people for the Pentegon.
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Is it to defend civilization from those who prefer barbarism? Hardly. It is so that a group of jingoes can impose their view of civilization upon dissimilarly minded group of jingoes. And feel free to put the word "patriots" in place of whichever group with whom you sympathize.
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Did you know how Hellenistic culture spread through half the known world? A general spread it.
How did Rome unite the world and its cultures? Under the sword.
How did all those people learn to read one unified language(Islam) use Algebra, create art and literature and preserve Greak and Eastern culture while the barbarians you seem to underestimate were sacking and burn ing every damn thing in sight?
Do I have to tell you?
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Frankly, I'd welcome a one-world government that claimed to cherish the same values America claims to cherish.
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And how do you think that would come about? A big tea party and we ask real nice?
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The human species is very succeptible to power-madness. The militaries of the world are ultimately a symptom of this sickness. 
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Its both the symptom and the cure. Kind of like a vaccine.