A random comment got me into an intense but brief conversation about the Russian-Ukraine war. I had commented that I couldn’t believe that in this day and age two countries were engaged in war for over one year and no resolution appears to be in sight.
A close family member responded with, “what else was Russia to do”?
I gave him an incredulous look and then ended the conversation before it could become a debate.
I know that the angle of our relative position distorts the lens through which we view things. In this case, a geographic angle was the reason for the distortion of our lens and our differing viewpoint.
However, I just cannot see how any of us can justify millions of deaths for ANY reason?
Obviously the Russia-Ukraine cold war isn’t new. It has been on since Ukraine became an independent country. But the fact that one country can invade another country and every other nation on earth becomes a standby audience is what’s beyond my understanding. Because to me “the fear of what could happen because country x is joining NATO” is a pathetic reason for a country to invade another.
But I don’t care about the politics or ideological viewpoints. Who cares who is right or wrong?
The only thing I care about and am sad about is the humanitarian crisis that this war has created.
Millions have been forced to leave everything behind and flee their homes to survive. Even if the war ends tomorrow, the widespread destruction and the trauma and psychological distress it has caused will impact generations to come in that region. Not to mention the downstream challenges the war is creating, such as the drain on resources for host countries due to the influx of refugees.
This loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and the ongoing threat of violence is what is incomprehensible to me and should be to everyone living in the free world. Because for those of us living in the free world, our freedom is as natural to us as breathing. And that’s why this ongoing war is simply incomprehensible.
I’ll leave you with to ponder upon: How is it that although the entire international community has condemned Russia’s actions and some have even imposed sanctions on Russia, no one has yet been able to HELP end the war? Weird isn’t it?
