Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
The world utmost so called preacher of democracy ‘United States of America’ declared ‘War on Terror’ after alleged attacks on world trade center in New york, popular as 9/11 attacks. So far, war on terror has cost at least 801,000 lives (the figures might be higher) and $6.4 trillion to the world, as it was stated in a recent report published by Cost of War Project at Brown University.
By way of this is just one recent study on ‘war on terror’, there are bundles of other studies mounting the same voice to the world that war has given nothing else but countless destruction to not just the place where the actual war is taking place but the region and beyond. As today’s world witnessing death and destruction all over the globe, particularly in the Muslim world or those opposing US i.e. Venezuela, Cuba and other States. We start from the Muslim world, start mapping from Europe to Asia and Africa. One only sees, Middle East in turmoil, where mostly the US is backing one party and opposing the other even though the destruction continues. Although, the same group they support is seen to be opposed in other place i.e. Al-Qaida, just look into Afghanistan and Syria to understand. And then turns to Afghanistan from where this whole myth began. Also, in Somalia and other African countries, it is minerals or influence, the root cause for US intervention that causes destruction. This greed never stops and the world continues to burn where those who raise voice disappear in shadows and thus the issue becomes voiceless then the truth stays in shadows.
The US machinery is running with nothing but others resources, for which they do their best to suppress any and all who comes in their way. Sure, but how can one do this, well surely they can, by using the biggest gathering place, United Nations. This is the place which the US uses the most in this regard. As if one recalls the war on Iraq, it was validated from this very place, though one also needs to remember, Tony Blair who declared that Iraq had no such weapons and apologized on his actions but apologies can’t bring back the innocent people who have lost their lives in this stupid war. It was such acts that put UN body on question as lately many States Heads raise questions on the very purpose of United Nations body, which was never to approve wars or appreciate such acts but instead to oppose and stop it by force if necessary and with the support of all members equally.
The world has also seen the video clip of Hillary Clinton after the death of Qaddafi, her reaction was vicious as she was saying (we came, we saw, he died) in laughing mood. There are countless examples but one wonders, will the world ever get up to face any who do such acts for riches, when there are other alternatives.
To this uncertainty, US intervened in Hong Kong which is China’s internal matter as before the occupied it and made it their colony and were ruling it then in late 90s, it was handed over to China. Though, it’s a fact that there are those in Hong Kong who accept/cherish the fact that they are part of China’s political system and some doesn’t but this is the same everywhere, as we can see protests in France, in Britain, in Spain, even in US at self, shows that people in those countries are not satisfied with the governing system.
Such, protests doesn’t mean that the whole population is against or opposes one’s political system. Though, if they are or were in majority then there are peaceful alternatives to disputes which they can always embrace. But if one country intervenes in other’s affairs then it is certain that things will get messy. Reality is that not a single country accepts other’s nose in their internal matters. At this very moment the world can’t afford more wars instead it is crucial for the Citizens-of-the-Globe to prosper together.
Why the world can’t afford more wars because starting one is easy but the aftermath, the psychological and physical pain remains forever, in not just those under suppression but also the suppressors. As some say “the wars don’t end when soldiers come home”. The problem remains drastic as the physical pain is bearable but psychological is worst.
Though, the US alone spends in trillions over these unending wars, no matter how much they gain but those fighting the war for them i.e. the soldiers or mercenaries have to return and when they do, they live on streets and face nightmares for the rest of their lives, or they just die at combat at the place they were installed as weapons. The immediate cost of war is nothing compare to the future long term cost which they don’t see and remains expose to.
In the war on terror alone, the civilian deaths toll reached to more than 3 million or nearly 42% of the total figure as stated in the mentioned study. Though, this report does not include indirect deaths. While, the report also states that this war cost 6.4 trillion dollars with which they could have feed the hungry homeless Americans, improved schools, confronted global warming, and improved transportation infrastructure and on humanitarian grounds have helped developing countries. This would be humanistic approach rather if continue on the path of destruction then one could say this wildness can do no good but can vanish Homo sapiens, the wisest. It should be noted that the mentioned cost could be way more as the report said that the budgetary costs of the post-9/11 wars contain: less transparency in reporting costs among most major agencies.-The author is a staff member of The Daily Mail
