War- Then and Now

 “There was never a good war or a bad peace”- Benjamin Franklin


On this 28th July we are observing the centenary year of nothing but the human eccentricity - World War I (1914-1918). A war, which united the world for mutual destruction. A war which crafted new forms of persecution of mankind by introducing lethal artillery and gamut of formidable weapons, which paved the way for homicide and genocide in subsequent wars  across the world. A war which plundered an unalloyed peace and misused the brave souls (soldiers) for its sickened purpose. But it could not make the concerned parties (Nations) feel ashamed of their lunatic deeds.

 Referring to some historic facts and figures of WWI- it started out of a less significant reason - the assassination of Archduke  Franz Ferdinand in Serbia, who was heir to the  Austro - Hungarian empire. This incident brought diplomatic crisis between two nations (Austria-Hungary and Serbia) and culminated into world war, which could have been restricted to a bloody conflict between two nations if it were not sponsored and fueled by other countries for their ulterior motives. For the first time, the world divided itself into two identities- central power (Germany, Austria- Hungary, Ottoman Empire) and Allies (Britain, France Russia, Italy, US and others). The immediate and long term aftermaths of this war were beyond any measure. Between 8.5 to 21 million soldiers lost their lives and 21 million more were wounded and some 37 million causalities were reported. And of-course no scale could measure the psychological and social impact of the outcome of this war. It cost approx. $186bn to perform this suicidal play.

Since then, hundred years have been passed , yet it is still a heavy irony that we as a community of different nations have comfortably placed ourselves in a positions to pass the hollow judgement on what had happened hundred years ago, without acknowledging the fact that we are no better than from that time, when it comes to prevail peace and mutual trust across the world. Today we don't use the term world war but it is being fought on different front, under different ideologies and for refined ulterior motives. This time the sophisticated form of science and economic tools are being used and bruised to prove worthless power. The saddest chapter of any conflict or war is that it refuses the aspiration and existence of those who never associate themselves to such atrocities. The most inflicted and wounded souls are small children and women, who pay irrevocable price of such deeds irrespective of consequences.

In current development, some 11,500 children have lost their lives in Syria's civil war, which is almost 10 % of total causality. This war is in its fourth year and has rendered millions of children and women to live with dire hunger and unending fear.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BMCpy_UeRYc#t=6). (please watch this video)

Recently the Iraq crises, Israel’s Ground Offense in Gaza strip (over 1000 causalities, many of them are children) and unending turmoil in Middle East are just the glimpse of bloodstained legacy we are trying to handover to our future generation.

In the subject of economics war is considered as most unproductive sector, yet most part of world’s economy and resources are still being directed towards this sector without any fail and sense of guilt. Gone are the days when war was the only scale to measure bravery, courage, vigor and patriotism.

 The time has come to tear off those pages from the book of history which uphold and hail the sins of war, because this time we cannot afford to let history repeat itself for any bad reason.