The last few days have seen tensions over Iran take a sharp turn for the worse. Some feel that the US and Israel should combine to strike at Iranian nuclear facilities. This is reminiscent of those who encouraged NATO to hit Syria a few weeks ago.
Other countries that take an anti-Western stance, like North Korea, have also faced similar threats before. Even with bigger countries like China and Russia, elements in the US have also clamored for an attack to eliminate their nuclear power once and for all.
It seems that Cold War victories entrenched a “bomb first, ask questions later” attitude to international problem-solving for the Allies.
There used to be a major worry about Iran’s retaliatory ability. This seems to be dwindling.
The public impulse to attack Iran is gaining traction among US and Israeli policymakers. Listening to the public is vital, but there are other factors that make the Western attitude to war both frivolous and reckless.
The financial crisis is showing cracks in the Western lifestyle, making people anxious and irritable. History teaches us that war can quickly raise its ugly head at such times. There are always those who think wars can be a catalyst to move past a crisis.
While the US and other Western countries are struggling economically, their military power reigns supreme. This contrast is inevitably tempting in their strategic thinking but would have a profoundly negative impact on world peace.
War has not plagued most developed countries at home for over half a century. And attacking Iran would not yield victims on their own territories.
The definition of war has changed for the Western bloc. Small casualties suffered in recent wars has led to a more muted anti-war sentiment in the West than the furor seen during the Vietnam War.
Many people say that the democratic system is most effective in preventing wars. But the US has taken part in many conflicts since the Cold War ended. Its excuse to pursue justice only holds up through the prism of American values. The root cause of endless wars is that they are regarded by the US as the quickest way to achieve its interests. US democracy has not become a device to stop wars.
Emerging countries are busy with economic development. No big power among them seeks war. Military rhetoric is usually heard from Western mouths. Where will the next war happen? War first exists in the minds of those obsessed with military might. If war is treated as a tool to solve problems, new excuses for it can easily be found.
Whatever its aims, war wreaks disaster and engenders the human catastrophe. This fact should not be ignored by Western powers simply because it will take place overseas. Humanitarian concerns should transcend all boundaries.
