War is not the Answer

In the ever-changing world that we live in, it is necessary to be conscious and aware of the world. This is because the only voice that can dissuade governments to take actions that put the security of the state in danger is the voice and wisdom of the people. Two conflicts have taken place in Middle Eastern countries in the 21st Century that highlight the danger of ignorance in policy-making. In Iraq, a US-led coalition overthrew the Baathist government of Saddam Hussein, whose alleged development of weapons of mass destruction was used as the primary excuse to invade Iraq. When weapons of mass destruction were not found, as the war took on a more dangerous tone and radicalized insurgents started attacking US positions, the success and logic of the operation was brought into question.

Another recent example is Syria where sectarian and jihadist rebels have been waging war on the government of Bashar Al-Assad. The US has been funding this war as a "fight for freedom and democracy," but the results have been the opposite. Radicalism and terror have risen as the war has claimed more lives. Terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda have expanded their influence and power through affiliates such as Al-Nusra Front and Islamic Front. A new terrorist "state" has arisen out of the carnage-the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has seized swathes of land across these nations through the sheer use of mass murder, kidnappings and coercion. In short, the efforts of the United States, as big or small as they may have been, have done nothing but bring death and destruction to the region.

But how do these events, taking place thousands of miles away in a faraway and distant land, affect the American population, including young Americans? The answer is simple: war is not good for anyone. With every conflict that emerges in the Middle East and the more reckless American action becomes in the area, the more blame the people of this region assign on the Americans for their misfortune and plight. The more that anti-US rhetoric heats up in these areas, the easier it is for extremist terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS to create trouble and brew hatred in these areas. In order to avoid further conflicts in the Middle East that threaten US interests in the region, it is necessary to use pragmatism. This calls for the US supporting existing state structures that keep their many hostile ethnic and religious groups from fighting each other and submerging the country to sectarian war, rather than supporting extremist terrorist groups who aim to overthrow order and establish religious societies that drive countries to chaos and destruction.

As for ordinary young Americans, they can help by simply being more aware of the world they live in and what actions their government takes abroad. Doing this would lead to smarter American actions.