Recipe For Peace

It makes no difference whether it’s Afghanistan or Pakistan; in the West, it seems that Alfred E. Neuman (What, me worry?) has long been in charge of the situation, mostly coming up with little more than rallying cries. And Germany is no exception. On the contrary, the leading German peace research institutions are concentrating this year on the question of how peace could be best achieved in such places. The answers will be required reading for politicians. Not because simple or perfect plans without consequences will be promised in every case, but probably because they may stumble upon alternative ways to escape dangerous dead ends like those in the Hindu Kush and elsewhere.

To handle these conflicts as we handle conventional wars, being fought by the dozens around the world, only tends to escalate the situation in such precarious areas. The devastating dominance of the military has had fatal consequences, and not only in George W. Bush’s absurd war on terror. Wars can no longer be won on the battlefield; troop surges don’t necessarily result in increased security – something the civilian population (especially in Afghanistan) has finally begun to learn.

The situation will remain hopeless, even after the escalation to large-scale military action, unless social programs benefiting the civilian population are developed and the people support reconstruction efforts for their own nation. It’s always harder and more expensive to end wars than it would be to politically nip their causes in the bud early on.