“If we don’t end war, war will end us.”
Thus spoke H.G. Wells many decades ago, and yet, humanity hasn’t learnt the lessons despite the multitudes of wars they’ve waged and the death and destruction that has followed. Heavy words to begin an article, eh? Nevertheless, they ring true, especially in an environment where everybody from their uncle to their dog is demanding that two Nuclear-armed countries go to war. What they don’t realize, is that the price of war is paid in blood – the blood of soldiers doing their duty, the blood of civilians, innocent and unknowing, and the blood of children, who lose their innocence and their childhoods, and often, even their lives.
It is a game played with the life of innocents. After all, no one has terrorist stamped on their heads. They hide among innocents, often using them as human shields. And in no world is it right to kill an innocent to get to a guilty person.
Why then is the media of both countries clamouring for war? It is easy to understand why the people want war. Most don’t know better. Many are lost in the wave of emotions – after all, India did lose it’s soldiers to a violent terror attack in Uri. Emotions are high. Logic doesn’t come into the equation. But it is the job of the media to curb the bloodlust, not fan the flames of war. It is their duty to make sure calmer heads prevail. Calling for war from the safety of the studio is easy. But it is the soldier on the border who dies. It is a mother who loses her son, a wife who loses her husband, and children who will never see their fathers again. That, is the real cost of war.
Behind that, calling for Nuclear war on social media under false bravado is easy. But entire cities will turn to dust and rubble if Nukes are fired. There will be no winners, only survivors. As the great Albert Einstein said, “I dont know what weapons will be used to fight World War 3, but I know which will be used in World War 4: Sticks and Stones.”
Humanity will be the greatest losers if there is a Nuclear war, and we will go back to the dark ages, with anarchy and death on the lose. Such is the scary conclusion that Nuclear war will bring.
Of course, India needs to keep its soldiers safe and bring down terrorists. But covert operations behind enemy lines are smarter than an all out war to satisfy people. After all, secrecy is the best option to keep our forces and our nation safe from retaliation.
Remember, the cost of war is not just a broken economy. It is broken families and broken bodies, lying dead and lost from home and hearth.
