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The council for foreign relations specifies 25 ongoing or potential conflict areas the world over. As Nations there are more involved in conflicts, what with the USA, UK, NATO, Iran and such involved is some of these conflicts directly, though not within their respective boundaries. The reasons for these conflicts vary though those involved in the direct conflicts willingly are less than .5% of the population in the conflict areas and the 80%% casualties are form the 99.5% who do not want these conflicts. Of these 25 odd conflicts two are big enough to affect the world as a whole while others are either localized or dormant. The two major wars draining the world economy are the Russia-Ukraine and Isarel-Hamas wars.
In the third voting in the security council calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, Russia voted for the resolution. It signals that while Gaza is a humanitarian crisis, its own aggression against Ukraine to annex territory is par for the course. The Arabs see Israel as an aggressor in Gaza while embracing Russia. A true multipolar world with a new attitude “only that matter what matters to me”; votes in the UN is a sham like the UN itself.
The only path to end the war is to bring Russia and Ukarine, and nobody else, on to the negotiating table. Telling is as it is, the rest of the world including the USA are incapable of finding any solutions.
The Ukraine War
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its third year and there is little sign the conflict will conclude soon, with Russian President Vladimir Putin recently suggesting the war will only end ‘when we achieve our goals.’ Estimates of those killed in the conflict have been hard to
substantiate, with neither side reveling its losses. U.S. officials said in August that Ukraine and Russia’s total deaths and injuries had neared 500,000.
The Russians have done what they had to do; taken land; they just have to sit tight and defend; a less costly war for them. Ukraine will require massive support for NATO countries to counter attack to regain territory. That is an impossible task, more so, considering that the appetite, notwithstanding the rhetoric, for NATO countries to spend on the war is
naturally reducing.
The Israel-Hamas war
As complicated the stake holders have let the situation in the Levant develop, no single action can bring peace to the Middle East. I wonder why the international media is not hounding the handlers of these terrorists (militants?) to stop sponsoring their activities. The genesis of the problem is with countries like Iran etc. Israel also needs to accommodate the Palestinians in the scheme of their plans.
In any circumstance further killing of humans should be avoided by all. There surely is no gainsaying this whatsoever. So, should Israel act responsibly and call its troops back to the barracks and send an olive branch to the terrorist group HAMAS? Is that not asking for too much? If it is done this once, what is the guarantee that terrorist acts will not repeat? Then what?
The first action is for the Arab Nations and others to call the terrorists and militants as such unequivocally, loudly, clearly and repeatedly, paving the way for lifting Israel’s blockade of Gaza and release of all hostages.
Secondly all Arab Nations and others, should withdraw the direct support afforded to the militants/terrorists.
Thirdly Israel should call back its troops.
Fourthly a UN (oh yes, who else, alas!) led delegation, consisting of all stakeholders, besides Israel and Palestine, should start negotiations for an independent sovereign Palestinian state, with defined borders. Maybe the status of 1948 could be a start point.
In the present state vested interests will continue to exploit Israel and the Palestinians.
Every Nation in the world, yes, every Nation, will only act in its own interest, may it be India, Iran, USA, Arab states, China, Russia etc. The negotiations here will be between more than just two Nations…. Therein lies the paradox.
Yet, this is the only path to peace. All else is drama.
The effect of conflicts on world economy
Usually there are no winners in a conflict as there can never be an absolute victory for anyone in a war in the wake of the widespread destruction and deprivation caused by it. Wars also destroy properties and render many destitute. Yet economic sanctions imposed by the developed world on some warring countries affect the whole world. Economic sanctions are defined as the withdrawal of customary trade and financial relations for foreign- and security-policy purposes.
Tail piece: Sanctions are often poorly conceived and rarely successful in changing a target’s conduct but collateral damage in trade to unrelated Nations is immense. The contradictions are stark.
Tailpiece: Arms manufacturers and dealers benefit for wars and conflicts. Among the sufferers are those in conflict zones who do not want the conflict and the world at large whose economy gets hurt.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.