Everyday Canvas

Can We Avoid Wars?

Prompt: War
What do you think about wars? Is a war ever justified? Has there ever been a successful war? Can a war save or spend innocent lives?

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At the moment, our world is teetering at the edge with several conflicts going on, on top of what's happening in the Middle East and Ukraine. "Why the aggression, in any shape or form, of one group of people against another?" I ask, especially because wars have a tendency like cancer to grow and involve more and more of us. I fear the end solution when this cancer metastasizes.

War is never a preferred solution although it sometimes seems as if it is justified. Those who deem it justified push the idea of self-defense and humanitarian intervention. The idea of self-defense is enshrined in international law and is accepted as a legitimate reason for war. But is it really?

Sometimes, war happens as if it is humanitarian intervention, especially when genocide or ethnic cleansing takes place. It may have proven true at the end of World War II, but this is still a contentious justification, and it raises questions about the motives and consequences of such interventions, be it by several certain nations coming together.

The way I see it, no lives are really saved by war, except more lives are lost, and it doesn't matter which side, right or wrong as what's right or wrong is an iffy concept, depending on who you talk to.

Yet, very rarely and possibly when all else has failed, after assessing the moral and ethical considerations, war can be deemed as a last resort, but even then, the expected benefits must outweigh the expected harm. Even this is an iffy solution, because in this day and age with the masses of weaponry and technology that can harm the entire planet, even a justified war is dangerous for the existence of humankind.

Then how can we avoid the wars? I'd say, to begin with, let's not side with or defend any country that starts the idea. Instead, we can bolster the economic ties between all nations as economic interdependence can act as a good deterrent to war. This interdependence for economy and peace can urge the countries to resolve disputes through negotiation rather than confrontation, and it can help encourage the freedoms of the masses so that one group of people does not enslave another group.

Other means could be extensive cultural exchanges and education, especially promoted in schools, could invest in the acceptance and understanding of alien groups, nations, and countries of the younger generations. This was being done at one time or another, but at times, either funds become lacking or the interest wanes and this type of education becomes an on-and-off thing.

The best way to avoid a war, I believe, is diplomacy and successes in conflict resolution, mediation, and international organizations that push forward international agreements and treaties, such as arms control (btw, good luck with that one!), non-proliferation pacts, and fair trade agreements. These can be incentives for peaceful coexistence of the people of the earth and they can promote cooperation and avoidance of wars.

To wrap up the idea of a warless planet, it is important for nations to continuously work together to find common ground and strive for peaceful resolutions to disputes without taking sides, and ultimately making our world a safer and more stable place.


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