War Without End
In response to War vs. Peace
By Adrienne Amos
War is inevitable and necessary for the world as we know it. It’s a cleansing process for the human race. Few want it (or so they say), but the alternative in most cases is a life under tyranny lived in constant fear. That is often a case the will of a few forced onto the many.
History repeatedly shows us the need for war. Extended peace lulls people into a false sense of security–to the point where it becomes easy for radical minorities to push their agendas on the masses.
In the entire history of our planet there has never been world-wide peace. Somewhere in the world there are people disagreeing to the point of fighting for their opinions and beliefs every moment of every day.
In our own country there are constant wars between neighbors, gangs, and supposedly peace-loving individuals. The riots in our cities in the 60’s were proof. The drive-by shootings splashed across our media daily also attest to that fact. School shootings and the tragedy in Iowa just before Christmas demonstrate again that war is always with us. For those that say these are examples of crime and not war, I submit that crime is war on the law-abiding citizens of the world.
Peace is a lovely goal, but until mankind changes on a deeper level—a change of heart, mind, and spirit—there can be no true peace in our world. Technology has made it that we can no longer ignore hostilities in far away lands. Nuclear weapons make even the most distant despot a threat to us all.
Of course, diplomacy is a valuable tool that must be used, but Teddy Roosevelt said it best when he said, “Walk softly and carry a big stick.” Every parent knows that you can talk until you’re blue in the face, but if you aren’t willing to back it up with action you’re wasting your time. And every parent also knows there are times when preemptive action is needed for the ultimate survival of all.
No one wants to lose a loved one. Unfortunately in war many die. We must mourn such deaths and question why, but at the same time we must honor their sacrifice and unite, so that sacrifice will not be in vain.
Photograph by Jayel Aheram. Some rights reserved.
The rightness or wrongness of any war will be forever debated. There are those who still say the American Revolution was wrong. Here at home there are those that say the American Civil War was unnecessary, as the south was already moving away from slavery and it would have been eliminated with diplomacy if given the opportunity. Many will also tell you that the real reason for that war was not the issue of slavery, but a conflict between states’ rights and the Federal Government. The reasons for war are never simple, nor are they always easily explained.
It’s my opinion that the one thing we must be dedicated to before we go to war is winning. No matter how long it takes, if we don’t emerge the clear winner then all the time, money, and sacrifice has been wasted. We cannot allow our goal to be diluted or compromised. “Back room” deals cannot be tolerated. It happened in World War I, so World War II became inevitable. It happened in World War II and led us into Korea and Vietnam—neither of which we were allowed to win, so we will have to deal with them again someday. In the meantime, they have not been held accountable for the lives of our POW/MIA soldiers, which in itself is criminal!
War is not always fought with armed soldiers. Diplomacy is a war of words complicated by different ideologies and goals. Peace on Earth is tentative at best. A prime example occurs when a peaceful community is torn apart by one person’s act of aggression, like my community. My neighbors came home on Christmas Eve to find an armed robber in their home. He escaped and the peace of three neighborhoods is now disturbed by the possibility of his return.
Peace is what we all strive for and desire, but war is a necessary part of our lives—and will be until the whole world changes.
