In a week in which former allies in a redividing globe separately commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war, the sense of a runaway descent towards a third world war draws ever closer.
The implosion of Pax Americana, the interconnectedness of conflicts, the new willingness to resort to unbridled state-sponsored violence and the irrelevance of the institutions of the rules-based order have all been on brutal display this week. From Kashmir to Khan Younis, Hodeidah, Port Sudan and Kursk, the only sound is of explosions, and the only lesson is that the old rules no longer apply.
Indeed Fiona Hill, the policy analyst and adviser to the UK government on its imminent strategic defence review, argues the third world war has already started, if only we would recognise it.
Is it really true that every eighty years or so humans have to immerse ourselves in this kind of behavior?
It seems so but it is a bit reductive. The uber wealthy have set the conditions for conflict based entirely upon greed. They profit from chaos and genocide and profit again in the rebuilding effort. Inequity has always been at the center of conflict.
Palestine has been in perpetual war for sovreignty since the end of WWII. So called third world countries always fight for scraps for the “developed” countries. Our relative peace has been at the expense of others.
Same as it ever was…
Yup. Even longer, actually: Timeline of intercommunal conflict in Mandatory Palestine
Eventually leading to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and ongoing conflict
Basically the violence has been constant, with occasional breaks to reload.
The Pax Americana is probably responsible for the relative stability of the '90s and '00s - there was still violence, car bombings and rocket attacks &etc, but not open warfare. That’s obviously ending now.
My guess is that the period without warfare allowed Palestine to develop some economic stability and power of its own, which Israel perceived as a long-term threat. Combine that fear with greed and expansionism and you get the current attempt to erase Palestine.
There was no period without warfare or economic stability in Palestine. Israel went to war in Gaza four times between the second intifada and 2023, in addition to the blockade that meant no serious economic development could happen. As for the West Bank, also since the second intifada it has been under an economic stranglehold by Israel, and settlements are only one step removed from the warfare you’re talking about. So… Yeah. Things were not getting better for Palestinians before October 7th as far as I’m aware.
I mean… there was time to build a bunch of modern residential buildings, hospitals and businesses (the things Israel is currently blowing up and bulldozing) and for people to live their lives without having to be armed 24/7. It literally has not been open warfare (at least for a little while), and yes there was some economic stability, enough for local Palestinian businesses to develop, for a semi-functional civilian government to form, and for civil services like hospitals and schools to be established. It hasn’t just been a warzone for 100 years.
I don’t know about the businesses, but as for everything else I’m pretty sure that stuff is built via humanitarian aid.
The last time there was open warfare was in 2021, and before that in 2014, 2012 and 2008, with each war causing widespread humanitarian and economic devastation worth billions of dollars.
All inherited from the pre-Hamas era. Until 2007 Gaza was governed like the West Bank is now as a result of the Oslo accords.
Mostly built by the international community or inherited from before 2007.
Yes, only for 25.
Smart people make things good, people forget what bad is, bad people take advantage of good people, bad people subjugate good people, good people do something smart, repeat.
This is how I learned to be selfish. I like helping others, but whenever I do, I find I’m not helping, but rather doing everything for everyone else. So now I’m selfish, and feel bad, until I remind myself why.
Well between 1 and 2 was only 24 years but yeah the once in a 100 year war is due soon.
I think WWI and WWII could be considered “World War Part 1” and " World War Part 2."
It seems so.
Once the last generation involved in the wars has (almost) completely died off, the men in charge of the world decide they must start a new global war to own more real estate.
/s if needed
Sarcasm? Reality.
the armed conflicts overlap since thousands of years. there hasn’t been a single peaceful day in recorded history. so it’s more like an ongoing thing.