Michelle Mucker

Question: Do you think that military use of computer games increases or decreases the likelihood of armed conflict?


I highly doubt that the military use of computer games increases the likelihood of armed conflict. Armed conflict stems from political disagreements, clashes in theological/social/economic values, desire of wealth and power, and intent to maintain wealth and power.
America's Army is a great research tool, amazing propaganda and one of the most creative advertising ploys ever.
The game reaches the young, male population and does so effectively. Out of abundance and convenience, this new generation is bored, lazy, and completely uninterested, always looking for "the next best thing." Advances in technology have greatly influenced the mindset of "newer is better" and these youth are idly waiting to be entertained in a way that only comes from authentic experiences.
War happens. It's been happening since the advent of creation (or evolution if you so prefer) and it will continue to happen as long as there are humans on this earth. As long as there exists a population with great resources, there will exist a great army behind this population. Or the population will lose its resource.
In present war-times, there exists a real, proven threat to American freedom and quality of life, ("pin-pointing" that threat is impossible and as we have seen in history "sending a message" works!) and those in power are doing what they can to maintain these freedoms and qualities of life that at present, do not exist elsewhere. Any great nation will receive great threat.Thus any great nation will have a great Army whose missions and procedures will never be fully understood by the public civilian population, considerably less so for those in opposition to military presence/use.
I applaud the Army for stirring such an interest in today's youth and combating the negative, anti-American (and often anti-war) masses and media who only complain but never actually do anything positive to change the system.