When great evils occur, traumatizing those who live through them, there is no law that requires one to perpetrate more evil in return. There is a law however, the law of tragedy, which paves the path of doomed civilizations—civilizations which fail to find a human solution to an otherwise pre-determined fate. That solution—that idea—is what must urgently be discovered if the world is to survive.
Currently, the prospect is grim. Military deployments in and around Israel-Palestine are increasing. The State Department announced that an Ohio-class submarine is joining Central Command, and it is likely already headed to the Persian Gulf—along with its 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Iran, Jordan, Turkiye, and virtually every other nation in the region has warned the United States not to further endanger an escalation, calls which have so far gone unheeded.
In the conflict itself, it is increasingly looking like an ethnic cleansing is in the works. Israel continues to ramp up its operations against largely civilian targets without the slightest sign of stopping, while encouraging civilians to flee into Egypt. Netanyahu has now admitted that Israel will not be leaving Gaza after the war, but plans to stay there “indefinitely.” One cabinet minister even had the nerve to suggest dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza, as “one option” worth considering. Will there be any people left in Gaza after this is over, or is the peace which Israel is seeking the “peace of the grave?”
At the same time the U.S. is turning a blind eye. Administration representatives continue to dance around the most basic questions of a ceasefire so that humanitarian aid can be delivered, and hypocritically skirt the truth about the disproportionate killing of civilians compared to Hamas combatants. Instead, the deployment of more and more military might to the region, while Secretary of State Blinken and others run PR campaigns to diffuse the growing outcries, is merely giving Israel the message: You’re clear to proceed, no questions asked.
Are these the vaunted “Western democratic values” which are so famously behind today’s “free” world? The mask has entirely fallen off.
Clearly, this strategy is not working—people are asking questions and demanding answers. A movement is growing, as can be seen in protests and other actions breaking out around the world, including within the U.S. and Europe. It is even reported that there is growing turmoil within governing institutions themselves, such as the State Department, where a memo has been leaked which strongly condemns the blind condoning of Israel’s violations of international law. The tension is likely far higher than is being reported, and will only continue the more this goes on.
Nonetheless, the obvious question is: Why is this being allowed to happen? And why, with such horrific acts being perpetrated, is no one doing something to stop it? In such a situation, what does one do when all avenues seem closed off, and most leadership seems morally dead?
As the emotions swell up, stop and consider: It’s easy to get angry; it’s easy to stomp your foot and chant slogans. It’s easy, because it’s been planned out for you to react in that way—it’s easy because it’s tragic.
What’s not easy is to change; what’s not easy is to think—but that’s the only way out of today’s crisis. In fact, that’s the only true source of power in the universe: To think, and to harness the ability to cause others to think.
Take the beautiful metaphor which is now taking place in Afghanistan. A three-day conference is underway titled: “Creating the Afghan Economic Miracle,” which has brought together a team of experts with the mission of creating “a comprehensive plan for the economic reconstruction of the entire country.” Discussions and presentations have been held on this topic, including transportation, energy, modern agriculture, credit and finance, and more. One participant reported that there is tremendous optimism among the attendees, and pride that this conference is Afghan-financed, Afghan-controlled, and for the benefit of Afghanistan. He emphasized that this is a country which has seen half a century of wars—and colonialism for even longer —and which is now deciding to take its future into its own hands. It is deciding to break out of the tragedy.
What will happen in Afghanistan remains to be seen. But take it as a metaphor, where, despite everything that has been done to it, a different path has been taken. If this nation can chart a path to a more prosperous future, then what part of the world couldn’t do the same?
In discussion with associates today, Helga Zepp-LaRouche emphasized that if the world survives the current crisis and doesn’t go into World War III, then the West will have lost all credibility because of what it is allowing to happen to Gaza. Therefore people should take courage that this decision by the leadership of Afghanistan points the direction which more nations could take as this oligarchical system collapses around us. The situation can break at any moment as more of this credibility is lost, and we should mobilize everybody for peace and a new order amongst the sovereign nations of the world.
So don’t get distraught, and don’t become apathetic. Dedicate yourself to creating the sort of good which must be brought into the world to ensure that this evil never happens again.
