War Confined?

By Rhiannonw

Mon, 04 Apr 2022
  • 808 reads
6 comments
 

If there were no bombs or dynamite,
no nukes or WMDs
men still would war, dispute and fight,
but maybe more confined
to battlefields –
no missiles flattening families at home,
attacks on all and anyone,
but armies ‘out of town’ would meet
to fatally settle victory and defeat.

[IP: think of the possible consequences if something could be uninvented]

 

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Comments

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hello Rhiannon, you are absolutely right; even if we got rid of all weapons of mass destruction, people would still fight, even though combats could be contained.
Why can't we find a more sensible solution?  Why can't conflicts be settled with a game of chess, for instance?

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

That is an interesting idea, Luigi, I suppose the next step after looking at confining the settlement at least to armies, so good to avoid bloodshed.

But until all hearts are changed, it would not be accepted, and there wouldn't be the trust of the adversary. It did seem to me in the light of atrocities we see, hear of, it was worth thinking back to warfare before such weapons, and how it was necessarily at least more contained. But it makes us long for a world freed of all foolish hatred and bloodshed. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by marandina on

There simply has to be an alternative to armed conflict these days. I don't think many in either Ukraine or Russia could believe that we would still see the application of war in the 21st century.

For what it's worth, I think Chess is also a variation of war or at least that's what it was when it was invented.

Enjoyed your poem and thoughts. Paul

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Paul. At least chess isn't so likely to lead to escalating bloodshed, but games of skill can get very intense! Oh, for the time when weapons decomissioned to make peaceful tools., but that involves entrusting disputes to a truly higher power, or at least coming to agreements to differ but live at peace. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Turlough on

You are absolutely right Rhiannon. There are no good wars but the wars that we have are getting worse (except if you happen to be an arms manufacturer). It seems that these days a warmonger can destroy a city from the comfort of his own living room. 

I can't imagine that things will improve during what remains of my lifetime. It's so depressing.

Turlough

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks for the read and comment. I suppose the hope has been that fear of reprisal inhibits some actions, but that cannot  be assumed.
Jesus said there would be wars and rumours of wars always 'til he come. And disasters. Mankind's hearts have the tendency. He also asked if, when he comes, he will find faith on the earth. He does restrain much, and we can pray, but complete betterment and full justice won't happen til he comes to renew, and clear. Rhiannon