A deterrent? Of itself?
As conveyed in the original text:
September 11 was a major military intelligence failure and tragedy. Military, in conjunction with other administrative agencies, failed to thwart the attacks. Recall the attack on Pearl Harbor and countless other historical events around the world.
Modern warfare consists largely of cyber-warfare and is less pronounced to the general public. Military is heavily involved in cybersecurity and operations involving cyberattacks themselves. Cyberattacks obviously remain prevalent, one could even argue they are exacerbated by the military complex itself which carries the capacity to conduct such activity. In many cases enemies are manufactured.
As Sculptor indicates above and as Butler implies with his earlier material military will provoke other nations which subsequently strike in retaliation.
One must remain critical and consider certain circumstances when evaluating these topics. Military, the Military Industrial Complex is a business. A product. A brand. Individuals make livings from their efforts in the ranks and also from weapons contracts. They are essentially selling a product. The system could easily claim it thwarted some attempted attack to bolster its position and peddle the product.
The human species possesses a brain and mind of great ability and great significance. Exercising the brain through focused study and contemplation, discussion and argumentation as facilitated here can grow and strengthen the human brain. This activity strengthens the higher brain providing it more power and control over the lower brain. It strengthens and increases connections and coordination of higher brain capacities with lower brain capacities increasing higher cognitive influence allowing better discernment and enhanced approaches to life. Personally I’d prefer to do so naturally, voluntarily, organically, not with a Neuralink chip inserted into my brain.
As expressed in an earlier thread:
Philosophical discourse has practical application. Humanity has developed the internet. The internet is a remarkable tool. Sadly it is used primarily for amusement and entertainment rather than communication and growth. The internet should be used to communicate with other nations, with each other, to dissolve conflict and difference, to improve the global community and gradually dissolve military so energy and resources may be allocated to more productive things.
This is a conscious effort to stimulate cognitive activity in order to advance the species to accomplish these goals.