assignment 9 - Lia Jacobs - war is a complex topic

I've never really known much about war. Most of my family has never actively served in the military for a variety of reasons, so no war has ever had a direct impact on my life. I'm sure the lack of an impact I've felt is partially due to my ignorance about wars in general. So, take my opinion lightly as I am not well-informed.
I think there is rarely a justifiable cause for war. As far as my understanding goes, most wars are caused by one group of people misunderstanding the actions, beliefs, etc. of another. It seems like there should be some alternative before trying to kill each other, especially when the fighting goes as far as attacks on innocent citizens rather than soldiers. Discussing matters between two conflicting sides can only be effective to an extent, but there should be a middle ground between discussion and war. There are instances, however, where it seems like war is the only option. Overall, I think the need for war and the ability to justify a war is purely based on circumstance. Every war is caused by differing, complex issues that can't all be grouped together in one broad statement that war should never happen. It's more of a case by case basis when determining if a war is warranted.