Which country has initiated more wars of aggression, Russia or the United States?
It's difficult to definitively say which country, Russia or the United States, has initiated more wars of aggression. Both have engaged in military actions that could be considered aggressive in nature. However, Russia's record, particularly in the 21st century, includes more instances of invading and annexing territory, making it arguably the more aggressive in recent times. [1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5]
Here's a breakdown: [2, 2, 6, 6]
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Russia: Russia's recent actions include the annexation of Crimea (2014) and the invasion of Ukraine (2022), both of which are considered aggressive and violate international law. [2, 2, 3, 6, 6, 7, 8]
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United States: The US has also engaged in military interventions, such as the Vietnam War and the Iraq War. However, these actions were often framed as countering perceived threats or protecting national interests, rather than outright aggression. [9, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]
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Definition of "aggression": Aggression is a complex term, and there's no universal consensus on what constitutes an act of aggression. Some argue that invading a sovereign nation is always an act of aggression, while others may focus on the intent and justification behind the actions. [3, 3, 16, 17]
Examples of Russia's actions: [1, 1]
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Russo-Georgian War (2008): Russia's military intervention in Georgia, which resulted in the occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, is widely seen as an act of aggression. [1, 1, 18, 19]
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First and Second Chechen Wars (1990s): Russia's wars against Chechen separatists, though framed as internal conflicts, involved significant military deployments and are considered aggressive by some. [1, 1, 20]
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Russo-Ukrainian War (2014-present): Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea and the invasion in 2022, is widely condemned as aggression. [1, 2, 2, 3, 21, 22, 23]
Examples of US actions: [9, 9]
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Vietnam War (1950s-1970s): The US involvement in Vietnam, while framed as a way to contain communism, resulted in a protracted and devastating war.
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Iraq War (2003): The US-led invasion of Iraq, based on the claim of weapons of mass destruction, is seen by many as an act of aggression and a violation of international law.
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Intervention in North Russia (1918-1919): The US and other Allied forces intervened in the Russian Civil War, with the stated goal of supporting the White Army against the Bolsheviks. [9, 9, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29]
Generative AI is experimental.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_invasion
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Ukrainian_War
[3] https://www.britannica.com/event/2022-Russian-invasion-of-Ukraine
[4] https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=834947
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93United_States_relations
[7] https://academic.oup.com/jcsl/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jcsl/kraf007/8107870
[9] https://armyhistory.org/the-american-intervention-in-north-russia-1918-1919/
[10] https://study.com/academy/lesson/rebellions-uprisings-other-types-of-armed-conflicts.html
[12] https://merip.org/1984/07/us-ready-to-intervene-in-gulf-war/
[13] https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/us-wwii/a/japanese-internment
[14] https://www.britannica.com/topic/aggression
[15] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00396338.2003.9687572
[17] https://www.lsd.law/define/direct-aggression
[19] https://gfsis.org/en/on-nato-russia-and-pat-buchanan-2/
[20] https://www.hnn.us/article/30203
[21] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_irredentism
[22] https://www.walkfree.org/global-slavery-index/findings/global-findings/
[23] https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1892577928342372412
[24] https://goopenusvi.vide.vi/courseware/lesson/121/student/?section=10
[26] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_United_States_foreign_policy
[27] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_and_the_Russian_Revolution
[28] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_involvement_in_regime_change
[29] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_relations_(1919%E2%80%931939)
