A Time for War

 The world I have lived in all my life have been in a state of war. I can't remember a time when war was nor going. For me the first memories where those of Viet Nam. Then there was Bosnia, the Irish Republican Army, Grenada, and several other skirmishes. The Israeli's and the Palestinians have been at war my whole life.

 After 911 there was a constant war against terror in places like Afghanistan, Kuwait and Iraq have led to our military forces fighting overseas in three major military operations. Iran and Syria have been involved in civil war for years, as well as many countries in Africa like Somalia, Libya, and Yemen. Of course, you don't hear much about the African wars since we are talking about black people in a place that really doesn't view them important. Fortunately, there are still some humanitarian people here in America. 

Now after we have redrawn for our twenty-year unsuccessful war in Afghanistan, and on the heels of a worldwide pandemic, Russia has decided to invade its neighboring country of Ukraine, in an effort to take over the country and expand their territory. This is the vision of their leader Vladimir Putin to revive the USSR and their previous glory days. This could mean war in Europe again similar to World War II. These soviets do not play by any civilized rules of war and are just going in with brute force against both military and civilians to get what they want.   

Ukraine established a democracy after the USSR broke apart and has leaned towards the west in ideology and also wanted to be a part of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This has spooked Putin, the Russian autocrat who has established himself as leader for life, who fears being surrounded to the west and has vowed to destroy democracy. With nuclear power in the background, he knows that the US and the EU will not risk bringing troops in to fight against him.

While I only feel the effect of this war economically right now there is much more pin to come for the world in which we live in. I cannot see the future, but I feel for the Ukrainian people and all they are going through now and will have to endure. I can only go about my day-to-day life, giving thanks for the blessing I enjoy here in a country that is definitely flawed, but still one of the best places to live in the world. Is there ever a time for war? No, but it appears there is always a war where humans are involved.