Preventive wars are a product of sick minds
The most subtle and sensitive human instinct is the preservation of their progeny, and to ensure a better tomorrow for them. Why is this basic truth ignored?
Decisions with far-reaching consequences come from leaders occupying top-level positions.
Wars, violence, fundamentalism, terrorism, climate change, water and air pollution-these threats to human existence on the planet Earth are obviously the consequence of what transpires in the minds of human beings. Decisions are made by the chosen representatives of the people, the leaders. At this stage of human history, nations are organically interconnected, and everyone, particularly the leaders, comprehends this reality. So why does the world inflict so much violence, hatred, destruction, and damage on itself?
The most subtle and sensitive human instinct is the preservation of their progeny, and to ensure a better tomorrow for them. Why is this basic truth ignored? Decisions with far-reaching consequences come from leaders occupying top-level positions. Something must be seriously missing in the civilisational advancements and progress of the human race. Power, it is universally acknowledged, corrupts. It often blinds some beyond repair. Does it offer any clue?
Clarity of objectives, coupled with compassion for all, forms the foundation of genuine leadership. This requires consistency, commitment, dexterity, and skill in envisioning goals, implementing them, and consistently evaluating the extent of the human good achieved. After WWII, people and nations realised that wars offer no pathways to peace. The associated human and material destruction impedes the civilisational march. Every initiative that attempts to give a dignified and humane life to every individual could be launched only when peace prevails, and a conducive environment offers undisturbed interactive opportunities, right from families to communities and nations. Every dignified interaction invariably brings forth positivity. Very often, it is the hegemonistic traits of human personality that overshadow facts and blur the impending negative consequences. Donald Trump, in fact, followed the footsteps of his predecessors who had contributed to the destruction of Vietnam, Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In most of the cases where the US intervened militarily, it had to beat an embarrassing retreat. Experts are convinced; the US is destined to meet the same fate in Iran!
It was in the second half of the 18th century when the well-known illustrious inventor Benjamin Franklin, in a very subtle and decent manner, stated: “I hope that mankind will at length, as they call themselves reasonable creatures, have reason and sense enough to settle their differences without cutting throats; for in my opinion there never was a good war, or a bad peace.” Franklin possessed not only an analytical mind augmented with a clear scientific temper but was also blessed with empathy and compassion. Amongst several of his inventions, the ‘lightning conductor’ must have saved numerous lives over the centuries and prevented destruction of human creations. He was also the President of the State of Pennsylvania. Maybe the successive US presidents after WWII never had the time and inclination to ponder over alternative strategies to ‘cutting throats’! Donald Trump, at the beginning of the second quarter of the 21st century, has not only unleashed war machinery against Iran but also unhesitatingly threatened to erase an entire civilisation from the surface of the earth! He went ahead further: he could do it in one night! Expectedly, he backed out. For peace negotiations, Trump had to rely on the host of Osama bin Laden. No other nations worth the name were ready to stand with the USA, which failed miserably in assessing the strength and morale of Iran before he launched his ill-fated misadventure as President. Has Donald Trump redefined the contours of political and democratic leadership? He has very clearly indicated how he would like to be eulogised by the people and remembered in history as a great peacemaker! He tried his best to fetch the Nobel Prize for Peace, enthusiastically proposed by another known peace-maker nation of present times, Pakistan. If one goes by the logic of the incumbent US President, Pakistan is going great guns to create global peace. Having placed himself in a very embarrassing situation, with no nations coming to join hands with him in the war, the only nation he could find dependable to create a face-saving pull-out situation was Pakistan!
Trump, probably not the United States, stands fully convinced of the doctrine that preventive war is the sole guarantee of creating a world of peace! His predecessors have adhered to it in several cases, of course unsuccessfully each time! The manner the US ran away from Afghanistan, leaving all of its armoury to be used by the warlords, who had earlier established their might as the nemesis of the American forces. Preventive wars are the brainchild of sick minds that are overpowered by hegemonistic traits in the belief that they, their race, and nation are different, distinct, and superior to every other human being around them! Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was the Supreme Commander of the Allied forces and became the President of the United States (1953-61), had very clearly indicated that the idea of preventive war was that of Hitler, and that he would not even listen to anyone seriously who came and talked of preventive wars. Trump has launched the present preventive war to bar Iran from producing nuclear weapons that could become a great danger to peace and security of the US! This brings forth another aspect that relates organically to the human capabilities of critical thinking, readiness to take a broader and comprehensive view of happenings around, envisioning the future, and never forgetting the interdependence of humanity.
Universalisation of elementary education and access to higher education on a broader basis were considered to be a great support to every human being in a world of peace, fraternity, and equality in democracies. This assumption dominated education policy formulations in countries that are still struggling to enhance their literacy rates and educational opportunities for their young people. The estimated literacy rates in Germany, Great Britain, and the United States were above 90 per cent even at the beginning of WWI, and obviously rose higher at the beginning of WWII. Why have the expansion of education and the great rise in literacy rates not created defence of peace amongst the literate and educated? To comprehend the anomaly, one would be greatly benefited by the wisdom of the great pacifist, Albert Einstein: “Our schoolbooks glorify war and conceal its horrors. They indoctrinate children with hatred. I would teach peace rather than war, love rather than hate.” He was convinced all along that it stood in the way of human progress.
Around the mid-half of the 20th century, democracy dawned upon numerous newly liberated countries and generated high hopes for the emergence of a world that would offer liberty, equality, and fraternity to one and all! Power would no longer remain the monopoly of dynastic and despotic leadership. One could say without any hesitation that it has not worked. The creation of the United Nations Organization (now UN) and its constituent bodies, like the UNSC, UNHRC, and UNESCO were expected to expedite the transition to a world that would offer equality, particularly to those discarded and humiliated socially, culturally, and economically anywhere on the globe. In their enthusiasm, nations missed one point: the imperialists had accepted their ouster to their homes only with grave anguish in their hearts. Their skills in machinations and manipulation had not deserted them. They initially created the veto power for four of themselves. When Trump attacks Iran, it is time to examine things on a much wider horizon: why is it so tough for the privileged ones to internalise and accept the basics of the ‘equality of all human beings’? This is the bigger issue before humanity than resolving the US-Israel-Iran war.
Wars, violence, fundamentalism, terrorism, climate change, water and air pollution-these threats to human existence on the planet Earth are obviously the consequence of what transpires in the minds of human beings
The author is an educationist, a Padma Shri awardee, and works in religious amity and social cohesion; Views presented are personal.
