"War - what is it good for?"

 

"My vote for Gaza is to leave it just as it is. Why? To a testament of what war looks like. What happens when terrorists sneak over a border and massacre innocent citizens and then take some hostages. What was the cost of that attack? Israel killed thousands of Gazans and then leveled their city."

Today, we seem to have a shortage of peacemakers, while we have an overabundance of war hawks. Even though President Trump has proctored some peace agreements around the globe, the two big ones are not yet settled. Fighting goes on, killing goes on, the destruction of homes and businesses goes on. But when it is all said and done, and the killing finally stops in Gaza and Ukraine - then what? What is the aftermath?

Ukraine is bad enough, but every time I see a picture of Gaza it almost takes my breath away. I am reminded of that old war saying - "We will pound them into dust." That is exactly what most of Gaza is like right now - dust. Nary a building can be seen for miles. But this is where people lived. Lots of people. When the fighting does stop, and the last bullet has been fired, then what? Where do the past residents go to live?

To rebuild Gaza, to rebuild Ukraine, it would take a Marshal Plan on steroids to make it happen. Lots of money from lots of places for a lot of time. In the meantime, where do the residence go to live? Where do the utilities come from? The food? Transportation? Anything? No, the aftermath of war is always messy. Gaza is going to be a dangerous place for years to come. Unexploded mines, unexploded ordnance, you name it. And all it would take is one rocket aimed towards Israel by some Hamas leftover, and it would be game on all over again. 

Some might ask if either of these wars were preventable. The answer is absolutely yes. But who would have been the arbitrator to keep them from starting? Or at least nipping them in the bud? The UN? Please - don't tickle my funny bone. Even after Donald Trump told the UN just how worthless they are, they just blew it off and went back to contemplating climate change. As far as being real change agents or peace merchants - they really suck.

My vote for Gaza is to leave it just as it is. Why? To a testament of what war looks like. What happens when terrorists sneak over a border and massacre innocent citizens and then take some hostages. What was the cost of that attack? Israel killed thousands of Gazans and then leveled their city. Could it have been worse for Gaza? Absolutely. If Trump had not talked Netanyahu off the ledge and let Israel exact an even stronger revenge.

The 1970 song War by Edwin Starr has some of the following lyrics:

War, huh, yeah

What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing, uhh  

If we asked the people of Ukraine or Gaza, what is war good for, my guess is their answer would parrot this song - absolutely nothing.