[ammo1662]

No, issuing regulation against drugs on their own territory is not a "war".

But deploying Royal Navy to acquire foreign territory for trade is the "war".

[zozbot234]

> No, issuing regulation against drugs on their own territory is not a "war".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_drugs

[uncletaco]

I think he meant opium war in the same sense that Americans say war on drugs.

[fallingfrog]

I think you're right, but it's a perfect illustration of why we should definitely not be using "war" as a word for every task we undertake. Calling it a "war on drugs" is bad because it implies that we are attacking someone or something rather than looking at it as healing a nation from the harm caused by drugs, which even though it's just a difference of phrasing, lends itself to a more empathetic approach. Framing matters. Language matters. Nowadays every act of vandalism is "terrorism" and everything we do is a "war". But as you can never eliminate drugs or terror or vandalism or poverty completely, it's a war that can never be won, so it's dishonest both in terms of scope and in terms of how it frames possible action.

[_tik_]

I did not know Qing sent their Royal Navy to attack England. Can you provide any reference?

[throwbigdata]

England took Hong Kong.

[_tik_]

Ok, now I know. I assumed HK was a Qing territory annexed by England. Like Russia annexed Donbas