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War benefits nobody

War benefits nobody. War might have been useful centuries ago but in the 21st century there are no place for violent conflict. Neither war or the consequences are new.

If we do not abolish war on this earth, then surely one day war will abolish us from the earth

— Harry Truman, 1884-1972, American President [1945-1953]

War goes far back in history

In the Bible we read about numerous wars. With it comes the devastation, loss of human lives. Brutality, rape and torture. Misplaced hungry people. Destroyed homes. Livestock killed. Businesses destroyed. It seemed like it never really stopped although WW2 was until recently the last big war.

The ugly side of humankind – WW2

Anyone who has ever looked into the glazed eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield will think hard before starting a war – Otto von Bismarck, 1815-1898, German chancellor

Every war produces heroes as well as war criminals. WW2 was extremely brutal with more than 2 million Jews killed – simply for who they were. It’s been a long time since WW2 ended and over and over we heard leaders say: Never again.

War is back

They plunder, they slaughter, and they steal: this they falsely name Empire, and where they make a wasteland, they call it peace. — Tacitus, 55-120 AD, Roman historian

Nobody thought it possible, me included. How wrong we were. War is back in all ugliness. Brutal loss of lives and livelihood. Why and for what? What is the benefit of war?

War benefits nobody

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.— Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, German-Jewish physicist

The aftermath of WW2 and the slaughter of the Jews meant that Germany were shunned by the rest of the world for many years. Millions of people were killed and countries destroyed. It is a stark reminder of what the aftermath of the war in Ukraine will be. There are no place for war in the 21^st century.