Transthought

Negotiate to Find Peace

One should talk to one's enemies. President Bush should talk to Syria, Iran, North Korea, and whoever else proffers themselves as an enemy to the state. Negtiation is always preferable to warfare, I would think.

Military might hardly ever settles anything. It creates more hatred, enmity and bad feelings and makes matters worse. Negotiation is preferable; it allows for compromise, concession, reduction of pride, and agreement to live together. Those goals seem more desirable than the destruction of property and people.

The interesting question among others is why do we have enemies to begin with? Why does anyone feel that we are a threat or that we are bad guys? Wht is it in human nature that causes some people to hate others? Why can't we live together in peace? Huge questions these, with answers difficult to find. Indianapolis has had thirteen murders in the past week. What provokes one to murder? I have had many confrontations that have angered me, upset me, or otherwise made me feel abused, but none has ever suggested to me that I should murder, kill, the perpetrator of those actions. Murder and warfare are in the same camp. They both arise out of irrational attitudes that need to be restrained somehow. Talking through a disagreement is always better than fisticuffs or killing.

So here we are with our President refusing to talk to Syria, let alone Iran. And the killing goes on. Maybe the talking will lead to nothing, but at least the effort was there, the sensitivity that this killing business is out of line. It would be a step in the right direction to have negotiations with the party you think is your enemy. You might even find some common ground, some procedures you can both subscribe to. Wouldn't that be better than what is happening now? Or is oil so important that we need to blast away to prove how strong we are? War is mainly over economic power in any case. Who controls what resources? That is the issue. We want land, we want oil, we want power, we want control. If one is in control, then one has to be on guard, and that need -- to control -- is dangerous. The more one has, the more protection is required. It is a vicious cycle.

So negotiate, don't bomb. I'm not sure the Sixties slogan is appropriate here -- make love, not war -- but make anything practically other than war, and you will find that we can all be together on this planet and make it a peaceful world to inhabit.

Wayne's Words for August 8, 2006

posted by Wayne Olson @ 1:15 PM