As we are witnessing escalations around the globe, I have seen how it is the powerless people--people without money and/or connections that are the most affected by wars.
It is the same story everywhere, and it doesn't change whether you are talking about a war in distant history or a modern 20th century conflict. The poor people get slaughtered, their fields get destroyed, their daughters and wives get abducted, and their belongings are snatched from them. Powerful people, on the other hand, have a very different fate. Although they also suffer casualties, the effects are much less predictable and depend on their proximity to power, wealth, and of course, just plain luck.
No wonder people cling to power and wealth so much. These are the only two things that save them, or at least have the potential to do so, in such uncertain times.
Look at what is happening in Palestine. Are the rich Palestinians suffering? Are the rich Israelis suffering?
The influence of power and wealth even affects how much we care about a conflict. How many of us care about what is happening in Yemen, or South Sudan? How many people can even locate these countries on the map?
Wars, at the end of the day, are immensely destructive. I hope we all can learn to live in peace.
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