Billions of people around the world, including citizens in countries whose government leaders have thought it fit to launch this Israel/US–Iran war, believe that this insane conflict should be stopped immediately. It is now obvious that people worldwide are convinced that this war was launched by the warlords without any particular or immediate provocation. The warlords seem to believe they have the military and financial power to defeat and control the country they despise. While global opinion strongly favors the immediate cessation of hostilities, the warlords appear to have other priorities and, in the process, treat world opinion with contempt.
In less than a week of war, enormous damage has been inflicted on energy installations vital to the world economy and sustenance. Several structures have been destroyed by bombing, countless lives have been lost, and widespread fear has been imposed on people for no fault of theirs. It is particularly tragic that an Iranian ship in international waters in the Indian Ocean was torpedoed, killing more than 80 people in mid-sea, illustrating the lengths to which the warlords will go, unmindful of the consequences for global order.
The warlords are assessing their success by counting the number of people killed and the infrastructure destroyed. In doing so, they have shown no concern for the enormity of the damage caused. They seem to believe that their goals must be achieved at any cost, viewing human suffering, disruption of trade, and the global economy as inconsequential.
The million-dollar question now is how to stop this insane war and who can stop it, particularly when the warlords appear determined to pursue their objectives.
World War II occurred due to Hitler’s attitudes and priorities, which seem similar to those of the warlords who have now launched this conflict. At that time, several countries joined forces to oppose Hitler and brought him down to save the world from his atrocities. In the present-day scenario, such a possibility seems unlikely, as the warlords appear too powerful due to their military strength and financial resources.
Against injustice, violence, and war, there exists an inherent force of peace capable of restoring sanity and world order. The moral and ethical strength of this force has yet to be fully recognized, appreciated, and strengthened. In the past, great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and a few others relied on this force of peace to fight injustice and overcome brutality. While their success was limited in scope, they demonstrated the enormous potential of peace to transform the world.
The ongoing US/Israel–Iran war calls for fully realizing and utilizing the ethical and moral power of this force of peace, which can help stop this conflict and assert its authority over the warlords.
What is immediately required is for peace-loving, concerned, and discerning people around the world to start protesting against the ongoing war, peacefully and demonstratively. This must occur in all countries, which will make the warlords realize their limitations and force them to halt the atrocities. Some pessimists may view this reliance on the force of peace as utopian or wishful thinking. However, with faith, goodwill, and determination, the force of peace can achieve its objectives—perhaps sooner rather than later. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. have shown the way.
The responsibility now clearly lies with the United Nations Secretary-General, who should issue a worldwide call for people’s movements to strengthen the force of peace and stop this war. The UN has become largely ineffective, and its Secretary-General appears helpless in the face of the US/Israel–Iran conflict. However, if he rises to the occasion and leverages the UN’s global reach to mobilize this force of peace, a new and positive trend could emerge—one that sets a precedent for future world order.
The United Nations must play a pivotal role in promoting and accelerating the global climate necessary to harness the force of peace, fulfilling its mission of ensuring world peace and harmony.
