2023-03-01
It is about time humanity abandoned the habit of choosing war as a solution to disputes, and gave peace a chance!
By Beverley Dight, Green Issue Co-editor
I was very pleased when Caroline Kennedy became the new US Ambassador to Australia, as her father, John Kennedy, was very interested in peace at one stage of his presidency. I wrote to her, promoting peace and cooperation with China.
Here is what I said:
“WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA! I am delighted you are our new Ambassador. I love these words of your father: "Let us strive to build peace, a desire for peace, a willingness to work for peace, in the hearts and minds of all our people".
Peace needs to be a constant refrain in our hearts, so it will be our first impulse when we are confronted with a dispute or problem within, or between countries.
In his international bestselling book, "An Appeal to the World" the Dalai Lama pleaded with humanity that "we must learn that we are all brothers and sisters. The last century was the century of violence. This twenty first century should be the century of dialogue."
"The idea that problems can be solved with violence and weapons is a disastrous delusion. With rare exceptions, violence always leads to more violence. In our interconnected world, war is an anachronism that contradicts reason and ethics."
I appeal to all current warring parties: “Don't arm yourselves! Disarm! And to all people 'overcome hatred and prejudice with understanding, cooperation and tolerance!' I am deeply convinced that most human conflicts can be resolved through sincere dialogue."
Voltaire wisely advised us to "forgive each other's folly." America's folly is its determination to retain world dominance. As a result it is attempting to contain and weaken Russia and China.
CODEPINK, the US peace organization, has reported on its website, that in late March Ukrainian and Russian negotiators came to an agreement to end the war. Sadly for the people of Ukraine, Boris Johnson and US Defense Secretary Austin came to Ukraine and dissuaded President Zelensky from proceeding with the peace plan.
Defense Secretary Austin informed Zelensky that the United States and NATO were now committed to using the war to "weaken" Russia.
For a long time the most-read article in the Australian online newsletter "Pearls and Irritations" was "Strategists admit the West is goading China into war" ‒ over Taiwan.
The article discloses a bipartisan plan by the United States to goad China into "firing the first bullet". China will then be portrayed as the bully the rest of the world must unite against.
Sadly, without interference from the West, there is every likelihood there would be a peaceful resolution to the Taiwan issue, which is the stated aim of the Chinese Government. President Xi Jinping has offered Taiwan the "one country two systems" policy adopted by Hong Kong.
It would be in the best interests of the United States to graciously accept the inevitable, that the world is becoming multipolar, instead of attempting to retain world dominance by weakening perceived threats to its position.
IMAGINE what the United States and China could accomplish if they cooperated with each other to make the world a better and more peaceful place.
AUKUS could become CHAUKUS, and the Quad could become the Cinq, as together we create a global family, where people everywhere find solutions to the great crises of our times.
While working together there would come the realization that we are all basically the same, with the same longings, same sorrows, same joy. And with that realization, in time, peace at last will prevail in the world. Let us make this earth a paradise, a place in which we all delight!
To friendship between all people and all countries."
The information I mentioned is on the website of CODEPINK in an article "Peace Talks Essential as War Rages on in Ukraine" by Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J.B. Davies. Medea Benjamin is the co-founder of CODEPINK.
Another CODEPINK article "The USA Caused the War in Ukraine and only the USA can end it" by Bryan Davies, further states 'US politicians have repeatedly made it clear in interviews and press conferences that their stated purpose for dragging this war on indefinitely is that they are determined to weaken Russia by any means possible. Davies considers that "we must understand the historical and geopolitical context to know which forces are at play so we can chart a realistic pathway to peace."
“They are determined to let Ukrainians fight to the very last Ukrainian and for the country to be totally devastated."
It would be worthwhile reading this article. Davies details the history of the invasion which shows that the account given by the mainstream news is misleading. He states that "we are led to believe this invasion was unprovoked, unpredictable and a story of a rogue authoritarian state preying on a weaker, open, democratic state." Davies describes the part played by the US, NATO, the Kyiv Government and Neo-Nazis into bringing about and continuing the war, which actually started 14 years ago.
Here is some more information from the article "Strategists Admit the West is Goading China into War" which is of great concern to Australians.
"The United States is diligently working with Australia and the UK to goad China into what they hope will be a limited war over Taiwan. To prepare for this the partnership in the scheme are teaming up. Rather like the "Coalition of the Willing" in the Iraq War, the US is preparing for another misadventure, this time through a coalition of the coerced. The Western media is playing a key role in this process."
"Why are the Western powers doing this? They certainly want to destabilize China and set the government's development and positioning in the world back a few decades.
But that's part of a larger goal. They feel the need to do this primarily because the Western powers have recognized that Asia will soon be the centre of global economic power. This means time is running out to ensure that Asia is dominated and controlled by America and its allies on the other side of the world instead of by Asians themselves, working together as neighbours.
The war or 'coming conflict' with China has been discussed in multiple forums and publications, not least of which is a new book by Elbridge Colby, one of the architects of the US National Defense Strategy. It argues that escalating Taiwan tensions into a conflict gives America a chance of winning, unlike a Cold War arms race.
Deaths of Taiwan citizens would be a public relations win for the US side. American hawks put huge sums of time and money into financing dissent in Asia.
"The frightening thing is that the present attempt to goad China into war has bipartisan appeal."
The many great challenges we are all facing, like climate change, may have a silver lining. We are being forced to come together. We can't solve them alone. Only united will we succeed in doing so.
As this process of coming together to solve our common problems increases, trust and understanding between countries is likely to develop, which will help to bring peace to our warring world.
America will hopefully realize that we all benefit when we work with each other, rather than against each other. And that it may not only survive in a multipolar world but actually thrive.
I envisage that eventually countries will live alongside each other in peace and harmony, sharing in friendship the bounty of the earth.
We must learn to live together as brothers,
or perish together as fools.
Martin Luther King
Header photo: Peace dove in grey and black. Credit: Asurnipal CC
[Opinions expressed are those of the author and not official policy of Greens WA]