There's always a war going on, somewhere. It's never really stopped,
except perhaps for periods of deceptive lulls. The Napoleonic Wars inthe 19th century already claimed millions of civilian and military
lives. The 20th century was no exception: two world wars, the Korean
War, the Vietnam War, Palestine, the Iran-Iraq War, and the war in the
former Yugoslavia. Then in the 21st century, the wars in Chechnya, the
Georgian War, the Ukrainian War, and the Congo. Forgive me if I'm
forgetting current or past conflicts. A sad observation. ---- The Myth
of the Rights of War and Clean Warfare ---- One of the first treaties
regulating warfare was the Hague Treaty of 1899, concerning the
prohibition of chemical weapons. Less than 15 years after this treaty,
it was not respected. Poison gas was used in almost every armies in
Europe during World War I.
After May 8, 1945, the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials aimed to try the
accused and define crimes against humanity and genocide.
It is clear that crimes against humanity and genocide continued after
World War II, and that few of the instigators and criminals were ever
brought to justice. Treaties and laws never prevent the commission of
crimes. We are still seeing this today.
UN?
The UN, heir to the League of Nations (L.N.). This UN was established on
October 24, 1945. After the trauma of World War II, a war that also
ushered in the era of nuclear weapons, this organization sought to
prevent wars, legislate, and be organized as an assembly of nations.
With a very disappointing result. Certainly, interposition forces
composed of peacekeepers like UNIFIL in Lebanon prevent nothing. Just as
during the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia-Herzegovina, peacekeepers were
nearby.
The veto power of five states acting according to their own interests
blocks peace initiatives.
Criminals against humanity, perpetrators of genocide, will never be
tried because they are leaders of powerful states benefiting from the
support of other equally powerful states. This macabre hypocrisy is
fully embraced by states. People in power support each other. In state
language, this is called diplomacy, or realpolitik.
Wars and Their Impacts
First and foremost, the impact is hundreds of millions, perhaps even a
billion, if we add up the victims of past wars. Among them, civilian
victims of besieged cities were left to the slaughter when they fell or
surrendered.
Deaths and deaths from famine, due to the disruption of food supplies.
All capitalist states (there are hardly any non-capitalist states left,
or those claiming to be, because one cannot exist without capitalist
trade, in the current political system), all states are swallowing up
unimaginable sums of money to manufacture, develop, and purchase
weapons. This money, this energy spent maintaining and equipping armies
is a pure waste for humanity. Civil engineering, medical engineering,
scientific engineering, etc., if they could benefit from this entire
system working for death, destruction, submission, and domination, many
of the ills afflicting women and men would disappear very quickly.
War, an inevitability? Yes and no
Yes, because states have adopted laws obliging their populations to
fight in the army. Very harsh laws, sometimes including the death
penalty. Insubordination and desertion are severely punished. Moreover,
emergency laws are often passed very quickly upon entering war, aimed at
strengthening the military's powers to control, coerce, and dominate
civilian populations. Currently, Russian and Ukrainian rebels are not
even recognized as political refugees in France, and are therefore
sometimes expelled from French territory.
Wars are launched only by state leaders, because they know full well
that if they were to submit their decisions to a popular vote, the
results would certainly not prove them right. The population is
presented with a fait accompli.
In August 1914, despite propaganda portraying a false popular and
patriotic spirit, all these men went to war resigned and constrained by
military laws. It is through this system of constraints that states sent
millions of men to their deaths. I pity the poor brainless souls who are
overjoyed at the thought of either going to war within an army or
remaining outside of it; they rush toward death, believing they will
become glorious, dead, that's more certain, highly disabled, and equally
highly likely being treated for post-traumatic stress. War is neither an
adventure nor a glory; it is death at every moment.
No, war is not inevitable. It will be so as long as there are states,
heads of state. If we don't get rid of this organization of societies,
states, and wars, there will continue to be wars.
The dismantling of borders and free movement across the entire planet
will prevent this unhealthy feeling of patriotism; encounters will allow
us to realize that we are identical in our desires for peace and
well-being. Disarmament and the destruction of all weapons are essential.
The establishment of a society that cares about life and nature, a
society forever freed from all hierarchy, a society where everyone
participates in shared and/or individual projects.
Fight all ideologies that advocate war, educate for peace and
problem-solving without resorting to violence, but rather through dialogue.
There are no half-measures; only nonviolence and peace are the solution.
Reclaim our destiny, our destinies, and stop waiting forever for
something from governments; they are incapable of it. Together, we will
no longer be pawns or puppets sent to war to kill other humans who, like
us, are sent to the slaughterhouse for the sole benefit of states and
governments.
Let us be optimistic; the time will come when humans will have had
enough of being governed.
Frédéric Clère
Paris Commune Group.
https://monde-libertaire.fr/?articlen=8266
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