WHY IS WAR?

This entry was a second prize winner in the contest.

WHY IS WAR?

         Why is war indeed! That's a question worth pondering. Here are my views, and at times I may be repetitious and contradicting just as war is. I believe no one has a down-pat answer to the titled question and it seems war will always be a threat on this earth. That’s why we strive to foil the plans of others who use terrorist tactics to create havoc and fear in others. We war for power and we fight to preserve the peace.

         We survived two world wars and other upheavals like the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf Persian wars in the last century, and now we have the impending war with Iraq in the middle east. It's a sad thing that is happening, and once again we pray for the safety of our loved ones in the military service who face the evils of war. War is with us once again.

         War is as old as the living creatures that have roamed on earth from the very beginning. Animals and prehistoric man fought for the same reasons that are set down in this article, but in a more ancient way. They fought for their mere existence, and they quarreled using physical force or they ran away from anything that they made contact with. They used their bare hands, their teeth, and the very stones from the ground.

         It started with Cain and Abel in biblical times and continued on throughout the ages as recorded in the history books. This same war is prevalent in our present day and nothing really has changed in modern civilization, except for the deadly weapons that have been invented along the way.

         There are those who will go to war to protect the peace and the security of their country. This is a noble thing if they have the means and power to fight back. By the same token we sometimes intervene by giving a helping hand to an oppressed country that is helpless in defending its own land. How can we stand by and do nothing while a menacing power attempts to trample through other countries to gain access to their resources and possessions?

         We go to war and fight for freedom and peace that will enable us to ensure that our future generations may never have to live under the forced rule of another country or power. As humans, we are envious of the power of others. Because of our indifferences, we sometimes even declare war among ourselves, which makes civil strife all too common. Still others will war to prevent that from happening, and we go on and on.

         As long as we humans dwell upon this earth, there will always be a war of sorts. It has become complicated and critical no matter what the issues. We will never again see war fought as it has been throughout the years. Hand to hand combat is a thing of the past. The Atomic Bomb had conveyed that message. The horror of its devastating impact on Hiroshima is forever etched in our minds. Mankind has advanced further into nuclear power and chemical warfare with missiles that can zero in on their targets at the push of a button and it's possible that one day these very same weapons will be the downfall of humanity on earth.

         There is so much suffering in this world through poverty and starvation. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could devote our efforts to alleviate all that suffering without going to war? I believe that someday it will be possible, but not in our lifetime nor anywhere near in the future.

         There are so many ways to explain “Why Is War”. There will always be the ‘why’. One thing for sure, there will always be the struggle to keep the peace on earth whether it is through armed conflict or through spiritual guidance and the power of prayer or whatever our beliefs. There is always hope that one day there will be lasting peace, which will ensure the comfort and posterity of all the inhabitants of this world. That’s why we will not stand idly by while another country tries to threaten that peace and harmony.

         In essence, war will always be a thorn in our sides. In the lull of peacetime, it will still be in the back of our minds. It will surface again and again, because of our need to protect and preserve what is absolutely precious to us. Still others, unfortunately, seek means through warfare for power and complete control over all. I believe these closing words painfully answer the question of Why Is War?

         Instead of war, we should concentrate our efforts in fighting the things that are threatening our very existence on this earth like disease and bacteria, our growing sun, the ozone layer, and the air that we breathe. That’s the war that we should be fighting. There will be a time where we will have to colonize elsewhere in the upper atmosphere and leave this dying earth. We’re in peril right now, but unfortunately we are still warring with one another. Hopefully, one day we will see the light and war will be no more.