Sara Khan (9) | STAFF REPORTER
Due to recent events, more and more conversations have been conducted over rules of war and what is acceptable in international conflict. Using the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as an example, we can see that citizens of a country are not always in full agreement with the decisions of those in power. People are often drafted for war for a cause they don’t believe in, because of the choices of their superiors. Citizens are often put in harm’s way for arguments they had no part in, which drives one to ask the question: should tension between governments lead to actions that may harm citizens?
The obvious answer to such a question is no. Why would anyone want innocent people to suffer for things out of their control? However, the reason that this still happens is that it is seen as the most efficient way to cripple the opposing nation. The loss of precious civilian lives is seen as calamitous to the common people, such as ourselves. The effect is the same towards people in power – to some extent. The sad reality is that authority figures can often easily justify the deaths of commoners, much as one might justify the loss of pawns on a chessboard. Thousands have died in the Russia vs Ukraine war, but that is evidently not the main concern of the Russian leaders.
How else, then, could a government be influenced to change positions? Money is necessary to sustain all military operations, so attempting to limit their resources is often effective. This can be accomplished through sanctions. If other nations agree to stop trading with the country in question, it could cause great economic strain and force the country to halt their controversial actions. This of course can be detrimental to other governments, but sacrifices must be made no matter what the course of action is. Making the affair public information can also cause the decision to be held in contempt by the rest of the world, which can often make governments reconsider their actions. Russian media is heavily propagandized and controlled by the government, which is why there is not as much rebellion as might be expected. Full awareness of the situation is crucial, because it can motivate citizens to raise their voices about their beliefs. In the words of Margaret Mead, “All social change comes from the passion of individuals.”
War is a messy matter, and we have a long way to go to find peaceful, practical solutions for all conflicts. Removing unnecessary violence from the equation, however, is a huge step in the right direction. Through a variety of strategies, it may be possible to drastically decrease the amount of casualties from international conflicts.
