The effects of War

The world faces many challenges today. One of these challenges is the armed conflict that exists between nation-states. Wars have been, and still are a desirable instrument used by nation-states to further their self-interests.

Wars have left the world with some horrific facts. Just in the twentieth century, almost three-hundred million people died because of wars. Although the human cost of wars is much more saddening, the economic cost of wars has its own sway. The military budget for all the nation-states in the world is about $1 trillion/year. The United States alone spends $over 500 billion$ per year. The United States spends all this money not only for defense purposes, but also economic purposes. United States is the largest exporter of military weapons in the world. The revenue generated by this industry is astronomical. Nation-states also have a political motive when exporting/importing weapons. Military represents a country's image. For example, if Country A has fifty times more weapons as Country B does, it is most likely to be true that Country A will have more influence in the world then will Country B. Some even say that the amount United States spends annually on arms is the cost of unipolarity in the world today. The cost of conduct for wars also includes the damages it causes, such as destruction of a nation-states national infrastructure. These damages are just incalculable. Some nation-states are still recovering from the aftermaths of World War I and World War II. The Iraq War caused so many deaths and almost put U.S. in depression. It had such a negative impact on the economy. Its 2011 now and the job market is still on a low.