By Graham Glover –
Are we on the brink of war?
Chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Cruise missiles fired in response. North Korea flexing its muscles. Carriers and submarines in route to the Pacific. China. Russia. Iran. And let’s not forget ISIS, Afghanistan, Iraq, and about a dozen or so other volatile regions of the world.
Are these the precursors to our next war? I have no idea.
It does seem that the calls to strike our enemies are growing. As we recall the 100th anniversary to the start of World War I, it certainly seems like the conditions are ripe for all hell to break loose. Is this what should happen? Does this need to happen? Is war where we must go? Again, I have no idea.
If war were to occur, I pray that it comes as a last resort. War might be necessary, but war is never good.
After 15+ years of continual conflict, many of us have become accustomed to war. The thought of war is never very far from us – even if less than 0.5% of our nation is serving in the military at any given time. As the lone superpower in the world, and the only real guardian of political liberty remaining, the 24/7 news cycle helps remind us about the growing number of tensions points around the globe that could erupt into armed conflict at any given moment. Conflicts that almost always presumes our involvement.
As we consider what may occur, what might be necessary, we must always remember that war is not good thing. War is not what we seek. Conflict is not our end-state. We seek freedom. We seek peace. And neither of these rejoice in war.
The desire to exert our might against those who wish us harm or who show harm to others will always be present. The voices of those that are eager for conflict will always be heard (even when they’re wrong). Such is the reality of the warmongers. But the voices of peace should be louder. The desire to temper our might and avoid the scourge of war should never be silenced. For freedom – the very thing we claim to champion, both at home and abroad – presumes a love of peace. And peace is always a good thing.
This desire for peace does not mitigate the reality that war, even if a last resort, might be necessary. No matter how hard we try or how much we wish otherwise, there have been and always will be tyrants that stand in stark opposition to freedom. Their love of evil and willingness to impose it on others is exactly why war may be necessary. Tyranny cannot – it must not – succeed. And if war is the only thing to stop it, the only thing to temper it, then war it must be.
War is nothing other than a tragic necessity. It’s something that is never good, but sometimes the only option remaining.
Pray for peace my friends. Prepare for war. For these are unpredictable times.
