THE PROVOCATIVE NATURE OF CONFLICT

 

THE PROVOCATIVE NATURE OF CONFLICT

“History shows that a single person can change the course of history, for better or worse.”

I am going to start this article with several premises, three to be exact, and hopefully clarify the heading by the time I finish writing.  No, not to worry, it will be article length like all the others on my blog.

War is a net-negative undertaking.  The proof is in the historical pudding as it never changes anything and the only thing war leaves behind is a negative residue that consists of resentment and distrust, laying the foundation for future conflicts.

There is no such thing as a benevolent autocratic leadership because none will tolerate any kind of opposition. 

Only delusional, psychotic leaders believe that they can win a war where all others have failed.

Hate is the fodder that narrow minded people feast upon.

Leading the pack of grabbing international headlines is an America led by a president who is well on his way to go down in history as the worst of the worst.  America’s solo war efforts combine threats, coercion and unilateral actions that include indiscriminate bombing and killing.  Nonetheless it comes with a level of political impotency that puts all that military, superior weaponry to shame.  They are blundering all across the globe.  From trade to tariffs, sanctions and military strikes, all followed up by waffling, retractions and indecision.  Compare the movements to that of a weathervane and it explains US politics.  They have focused on targets that are small and lack the means to effectively fight back: shooting fish in a barrel.  Iran is a much bigger target and although militarily inferior and lacking real defensive and offensive capabilities, its size and numbers pose a serious threat because when it comes to boots on the ground America’s track record is abysmal.  Vietnam, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq; trillions spent and nothing gained.  Trying to zap civilian morale by bombing the crap out of cities and infrastructures doesn’t win over hearts.  Even the protest marches across the globe, pro and con, have come to a grinding halt.  There is an astounding disbelief across the divide.  Incredulity.  How can anyone support what is going on?  Where is the justification?

A staggering loss of life and horrendous, needless destruction.  There is no rhyme or reason.  Irresponsible, political stupidity has reached stupendous new heights.  And wagging the threat of that nuclear finger!  Around the world degrading nuclear stockpiles and bombs are deteriorating in bunkers and silos.  A nuclear nightmare waiting in the wings and we’re still arguing as to who is allowed to pursue nuclear capability and who is not.  That bird left the cage a long time ago.  Let’s take a look at all the nations that have nuclear weapons and then you decide who is in his right mind and who is not.

Enough nuclear bombs to blow the planet to smithereens many times over.

The USA and Russia have the most nuclear missiles and warheads between the two nations; 5459 and 5277 respectively.  Bear in mind that since the first nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki the lethality of these weapons has only increased.  China has 600, France 290, the UK 225, India 180, Pakistan 170, Israel 90 and North Korea 50.  Another six nations are host to nuclear missiles.  Italy 35, Turkey 20, Belgium 15, Germany 15, the Netherlands 15 and an unknown quantity in Belarus.  Ukraine used to have nuclear weapons on its soil but gave them up in exchange for independence from Russia.  Hmm . . . that is not working out too well is it?

Who can we trust?

If we look at political stability and trustworthiness alone, who of those nine nations would fit the bill?  The USA used to brag that only they could be trusted because they were the most politically responsible and stable nation.  A democracy, honest, trustworthy and reliable.   But, if the political scene changes dramatically as it has in the USA, what can we do about it?  And if we look at the behavior of the USA and Israel in regards to Iran, can anyone blame Iran for not pursuing nuclear capability?

The USA is blaming NATO for not stepping up to the plate after their unilateral decision to declare war on Iran has turned into a political and financial disaster.  NATO members are sitting on the fence because none of their members are itching to unleash World War III.  This is not a sign of weakness but of a deeper understanding of the ramifications of following a narcissistic psychopath who has been blundering his way across the globe since taking office.  And in his wake he is followed by Putin and Netanyahu. 

Am I hopeful?  No.  Historically appeasement is the process of delaying the inevitable.  The top three troublemakers are under the illusion of having the upper hand and are busy stirring the opportunity pot in the mistaken belief that they are a powerhouse and that they can win these localized wars.  What they’re hoping to gain is something that has me stumped and I am not alone in this.

The consequences these psychopaths would face if they were to stop their aggression.

None of them would be allowed to remain in office because the public backlash would be enormous, especially when they can no longer hide their incompetence and have to account for their actions.  The true nature of the conflicts they have unleashed would ride to the fore and it is not the loss of face that would concern them the most.  All of them would face impeachment, jail sentences or even death.

All of them are guilty of infecting the psychic of their nations with fear, anxiety, paranoia and needless fear mongering and repression.  Through their propaganda they have made the masses complicit and compliant in following their disastrous agenda and ludicrous scheming.  When a nation regains its moral compass, something that is absent in these characters, it will involve decades of addressing the wrongs once the true extent of what has been set in motion has gone through a process of national healing: To regain confidence and their standing in the international community, to accept past misdeeds and to move on without guilt, remorse and anxiety.

Mass psychosis and anxiety.

Friedrich Nietzsche referred to this as: Madness in the individual is rare, but quite common in the masses.

It is accomplished through propaganda, tribal indoctrination and manipulation.  Mass psychosis is the product of deliberately massaging the minds of a nation by a dubious leadership that preys on our weaknesses, pride and prejudices.  They know that we’re fractious and ornery by nature and that we’re easily taking in by their lies, distortions and distractions.  Bad leaders know that it is easy to set the masses ablaze and all of them are gambling on the notion that they can win where others in the past have not.  We’re talking massive egos.  Delusional, narcissistic and lacking any kind of moral compass.  It comes shining through in everything they do and brag about and their character traits are easy to identify once they’re out in the open and in power.  It is also a tad late by then.  Putin has his billion dollar hideaway and loves strutting through the doors of the Kremlin while crowds stand in attention on the side.  Netanyahu is caught up in a drama with little or no way out as he will face corruption charges if voted out of office.  And Donald.  Plans for a victory arch that will be bigger and grander than the one in Paris.  His billion dollar ballroom will be more impressive and gilded than the one in Versailles.  The wannabe emperor in the making.  Parades, pomp and pageantry and a few more golden statues, plastering his name on Federal buildings and institutions and of course, his images draped across the facades of government buildings.  His insecurity comes shining through in this outrageous display of his persona; a Fuhrer-like culture.  Always front and center, no matter how ludicrous the occasion.  Put a microphone in front of his face and one nonsensical phrase after the other spews forth from his lips.

None of these characters care about the damage they inflict or the casualties that are piling up.  Psychopaths have no soul.  They are incapable of feeling guilt or remorse.  Basically they are insane and they surround themselves with a dubious caliber of people who have been groomed and manipulated to follow suit.  A lot of them won’t sleep well at night if the nightmare starts to unravel.  Life is about choices, good ones and bad ones.  When you choose bad, you’re either all in, or all out.  We continue to seesaw between war and peace.  Anybody can start a war and history shows that none have ever produced a positive and lasting result.  Violence simply takes a break, waiting for our true nature to be provoked once more.

We’re always taking sides and therein lies the rub!

We’re easily provoked to enter into conflicts.  Good leaders bring out the best in us, bad ones bring out the worst.  Unfortunately the bad ones get the most attention.

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