The first started almost two years ago when Russia attacked Ukraine with a threat to destroy the country and annihilate the entire population. The destruction of infrastructure, loss of lives and inhumanity inflicted on the people is unfathomable. Fortunately, the country took up arms and responded to the attack – but were coerced to stay within Ukrainian boundaries as a condition of support by European and the United States aid.
The second started just weeks ago when the military wing of Hamas attacked Israel causing infrastructure damage and cruel and inhuman atrocities to people in Israel, not to diminish the tragedy, but for comparison, on a much smaller scale than what has been inflicted on Ukraine.
Israel immediately took up arms and in a brief time significantly destroyed over sixty percent of Gaza’s infrastructure with death rates in increasing numbers. They also cut of all supplies into Gaza, including food, fuel, medical supplies, basically denying the population any means of living. Palestinians for the most part are unable and ill equipped to fight back, even within in their own boundaries.
Both conflicts are beyond belief in a modern supposedly civilized world with institutions and organization in place to curtail such activities and atrocities. It is untenable this could happen with the available technology and means to see and appreciate what is happening across the world.
I am fascinated at the gross distortions and controversial approaches in both wars. The disparity of the responses is inconceivable and unbelievable. The misinterpretation of, and lack of application of “the rules of war” speak to the gross ignorance and neglect of any moral basis of life and living.
The lack of any moral foundation of humanness is perhaps the reality of a world in crisis, and where power over is the only basis for being.
Morally, I neither condone the cruelty of Hamas nor of Russia. The lack of any moral basis for their atrocities and the gross injustices on people that they tortured, murdered and destroyed is evident for all to see. But the overall reaction by most governments who responded are, as well, lack any moral basis and are reprehensible by their decisions.
In Ukraine support came with a price, and the cost has been high, in that they were confined to protecting themselves within their own boundaries. Russia, in turn, has incessantly bombed Ukrainians, continually destroying cities and killing innocent men, women and children. Millions have been displaced to other countries who fortunately accommodated them. The Russians have invaded wherever they could, causing atrocities beyond mention and deaths without hesitation, despite the so-called rules of war.
The fact that in this war that a condition of support Ukraine couldn’t attack their aggressor inside their boundaries is beyond precedent in human history. As a result, they didn’t have access to long distant armaments. So much destruction, loss of life and displacement has resulted.
Yet in Israel, they have been given a free hand to destroy their aggressors, Hamas, in all of Gaza, the country they control. The Israelis bomb, destroy, starve and kill at will the Palestinians who are in capable to fight back, hide, relocate or escape.
In fact, Israel has been given complete support and unequivocable commitments, along with the promise of military support to annihilate this entire population in order to destroy their real enemy, Hamas. In Gaza, innocent men women and children are displaced within in their own confines, and either killed, bombed, or starved to death.
Both wars are travesties of justice, void of any meaningful legal basis and reflect upon the whole world, especially those countries who consider themselves developed. At some point the countries supporting either side in these conflicts need to step back, realize the imminent possibility of the destruction of all of humanity and the world, as a whole, if this is allowed to continue.
In so many ways we stand at the precipice of global destruction and the extinction of life on this planet – and for what?
At some point there has to be the realization that war is not caused by majority of the population anywhere, it is being propagated by morally deficient leaders whose only aim is power and control; no matter the cost in lives, nature and life itself.
There are leaders still in existence in the world who aspire to see a morally responsible world and have concern and respect human life and environmental rehabilitation but struggle to contain the destruction that is happening.
As I have said many times, they need people support on a global basis. We see this growing in some countries as mostly young people rebel, protest and demand better from their governments and leaders.
The value of free thought, reflection, and context is invaluable to a world in turmoil. The moral basis of life and living has to be respected for fear that we destroy the whole of humanity. That is what is at risk in the world today which is ruled by so many with only power as their aim.
Written by William (Bill) Pardy
October 13th, 2023
