Peace needs us to act when we must

Four years ago the world watched as Syria was taken up in the Arab Spring/Occupy movements. Sadly the demonstrations were also when Syria began its slide into civil war. Everyone hoped there would be a calming point. Again it was with a sad heart we watched the chaos grow. As the chaos grew we fought about who should be at the peace talks, who should lead Syria, what countries have a legitimate reason to be involved and what strategy is best to solve the chaos. Then a three year old child washed up on a beach. Let this war be a turning point for all of us on how to deal with the chaos of war. Today the world is scrambling for a solution to the refugee problem. From now on we must understand to get such issues dealt with before hand. This would be our risk management teams focus of work. As for the Russia and RUSA standoff, this should have ended twenty years ago. However there are still some that need to have the cold war rage on. The standoff between these two is causing more civilian deaths, more refugees and more destruction. In many reports we hear how this war was caused by Assad. Well in truth there was another major player in the chaos and that partner is the Islamic State. They took advantage of a tenuous situation and helped make it worse. In absolute truth the entire world helped the Arab spring demonstration get out of hand. From the supply of weapons, equipment then coupled with a do nothing of serious impact ideology Syrian society was left to ravages of war. Four years ago we knew what could take place and we did nothing. Today we are now experiencing what was warned by many. What is so frustrating is that the media are telling us we had no idea this was going to happen or we have no idea how this war got to this point. The exact same thing is taking place in Libya. We knew what was going to happen and no one cared to take the advice of the experts. Now we have to work ten times as hard, a hundred times as long and suffer a thousand times more tragedy in both countries/regions. These are the impacts of chaos. If we do not have the courage to do what is necessary we can expect to endure the chaos of war in Syria and Libya for decades to come. From this moment on you can stop crying about how sad it is to experience the loss of life as three year children wash up on beaches. You can stop crying because now you know that we could have stopped both Syria and Libya from this hell. We did nothing when we should have. Why we did nothing was due to fear and intolerance. That is the impact of chaos. We get caught up in rhetoric. By the time we regain some sense of order we become perplexed as to the complexity of relationship building, peace talks and how to fight a war without actually physically fighting. We are well past the point of not engaging in a physical fight. Boots on the ground will be a cornerstone of ending the chaos in Syria as well as Libya. Who is strong enough to stand up for that duty?

Management of peace (savagery)

During the past four years we have witnessed the collapse of Syria. Sadly this was a situation that could have been avoided if we (the world leaders) had acted with peaceful respect. That was not the case and now we must endure the pain of war. Equally as disheartening as the loss of life is the sudden loss of memory the entire world has concerning how we got to this point. Both Russia and RUSA have countered each others peace plans. Such action has stalled any hope of a quick solution to the war. Added to the stalling of action was the and still is the finger pointing of who to blame for the chaos. To be very blunt, the government of Syria was partly to blame for the civil war. At least half the blame goes to the parties such as Islamic State and those that provided the weapons to wage civil war to the rebel groups. Even though the past can not be change and such finger pointing accomplishes nothing, we must acknowledge that the government of Syria was not the only factor in destabilizing the country. Where do we go from here? The game plan that needs to be used is the exact game plan that Islamic State used to destabilize the country. This game plan is the book known as the Management of Savagery. There is no time line, no set course of action, no clear operative measurable goals and clearly there is no one chain of command. We use that management system for peace instead of chaos. For that to happen we will need both Russia and the RUSA to put aside the childish rhetoric and start working together. Next we need a strong international support network to encircle the area. From there we have to be completely resolved in this war. The Islamic State as we all should understand now, is very far from what Islam stands for. This war in Syria has very little to do with religion and everything to do with power being grabbed by a group of lost souls. Will the world have enough courage to pull together? With the recent escalation of Russia there seems to be a greater hope of a quicker end. If we can get past some of the finger pointing and second guessing we may see a major shift in the world of peace.

Unity for a Syrain Peace

Doing what is right in hopes of solving middle east conflicts has been amplified this past week due to the refugee deaths. The popular question of how to solve the conflict coupled with finger pointing to heave blame on who started the conflict are fueling a wider circle of chaos. The only reality that needs to be noted is that the Syrian conflict was mishandled by everyone except Islamic State. How we got to this point is only valuable information if you are going to seek an unbiased view. Furthermore, solving the conflict will need an equally unbiased view of the current situation and future possibilities. To encourage such a state we must lean on the cliché – politics makes strange bedfellows. In such circumstances as Syria, we have Hobbes state of nature taking place. Life really is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short for every person trying to survive in Syria. On the global scale we have Russia and RUSA at odds with how to solve the conflict. This global conflict only makes matters worse. At this very moment we have a responsibility to protect both the individual that is currently living in the middle east and the entire world at the same time. There can be no doubt of the importance of the Syrian conflict if it spreads. We have allowed it to spread far enough due to mismanagement, old childish global squabbles and ignorance of peaceful tactics. Countries that deem themselves too small to have an impact are vital to the solution. Having such countries at the table can speak as a collective. This was known as smart power or soft power during the 1990’s. Regional powers and of course the United Nations are vital to the process. There must be a singular global tactic taken because without out a singular front we are all in danger of failing. Sadly there will be the questions of motives as to why any country will become involved. Even more disappointing is that some will be motivated by selfish ideology. Even though such a reality is going to happen we must take the steps with a questioning heart. Rest assured that setbacks will take place for the simple reason that we are dealing with people. That is how we got into this mess in the first place. One of the first steps to take is the letting go of who is to sit at the table for peace talks. Assad is the leader of Syria. Whether we like it or not that is the reality. Assad must be voted out, not assassinated or forced out by other similar external means. The Syrian people must have every opportunity to speak their collective mind to vote for or against Assad. In truth we must all realize that the people will vote against Assad. Even Assad must understand that by now. The complete collapse happened with him in power so why would anyone (even himself) want to have him return. Until the vote can take place we must include Assad in the peace negotiations. Those that will not allow him to be apart of the process have little to no understanding of a peaceful transition. In such cases you have to engage with the people that are there. You have to engage with the people that made the mess and the people that are working to clean up the mess. Furthermore, you have to respect internal constitutional laws. Respecting the internal laws will allow for the continuity of culture, provide a framework of succession and give the people a chance to progress under familiar circumstances. Of course this progress is done so under tight security provided by the agreed international methods – whatever they are to be. Knowing that talking, dwelling over the past mistakes is of little help, peace processes are more difficult to manage and endure than chaotic wars as Syria is. The reason that peace is more difficult to manage is that each of us has to let go of the emotional satisfaction of quick redemption. Case in point Iraq invasion of 2003 was an emotional response. That response has provided us with the chaos we are currently in now. Had the world taken the difficult path of peace then -?????

Canada in the World

Being Canadian, it has been very embarrassing to see the current Prime Minister (stephen harper) work to destroy any credibility we had on the international stage. At a time when the world needs a solid peacemaker, Canada has been able to foster such supports. With our the current Prime Minister that ability is non-existent. For example, our own military reported the dangers of entering in the Libyan conflict. The report made note of the possibility that Libya would fall into a failed state unless a strong ground force was provided. Despite this forewarning, Canada bombed Libya and chaos ensued. The same situation has taken place in regards to Syria, Ukraine and Egypt. Canada is a small country yet the actions and credibility Canada has been known for carried a great amount of respect. Sadly we will never know what could have been if Canada was more engaged in peace processes and negotiations instead of being an antagonist. The world of diplomacy is a delicate balance which the Syrian conflict exemplifies. The Syrian war has no one side that can be supported fully other than to support peace. Syria is such a mess that often opponents are actually being supported by enemies. This situation is best defined by the actions and relationships of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is one of the largest supports of ISIS. Canada is one of the largest suppliers of military hardware to Saudi Arabia. Canada is just beginning its involvement in Syria which means we will be fighting a enemy that is supported indirectly by us. If that is not bad enough, a similar situation has taken place in Libya and Ukraine. All I can hope for is that someday Canada regains its reputation on the international stage as peace makers. Under the current Prime Minister that hope is dead.

Hell and Peace

Loudly chanting slogans of death, destruction along with the burning of flags and effigies are images of what hell is like. The screaming and gnashing of teeth, beating the war drums, using violence as a deterrent, supressing others to impose ideology/will are all experiences we have to look forward to in hell. In hell we will be the suppressed, we will be the screamers and gnashers of teeth. Our focus will be upon each other yet blindly and ultimately the focus is truly upon our own selves. This is the truth and reality of hell. Throughout the years of my work in peacebuilding the wisdom which has constantly come to light is that every protest a person makes, every change a person asks for is a reality which they themselves seek to change within their own mind/world. Such actions are quite masochistic and it is a form of self-acknowledgement to our problems. Sadly it is one of the most ignored symptoms/cries for peace each of us engage in. For example, compare what ISIS members scream and gnash their teeth about to their own actions? You can go down the list of every person, organization and country. Quickly it becomes obvious their actions relate to the subject of their screams and teeth gnashing. It truly is insane. This very moment in which each of us experiences/acts in this manner is living in hell. Understanding our own mind is paramount to peace. Take notice of the changes you most ask for. Take great comfort in the source of your anger. Such is your personal ISIS guide to peace. Difficult as it may be to acknowledge these cries for change, the effort to actually make the change is often the stopping point. Thus begins the cycle of screaming and gnashing of teeth. We lash out in anger to ease the pain of suffering our own minds endure. Eventually, the screaming and gnashing will turn to action if not understood and dealt with. The path to peace is evolution of mind. The evolution takes time and courage. How much of these elements is unknown until the change has completed. At the end is complete awareness of everything. Until then change is our life, anger a useful guide and our choice to embrace both will determine how peaceful each of us are.

Governing peace in your community

The past year we have witnessed the brutality of ISIS, Iran breaking down barriers, Cold War tactics ramp up and a number of other incidents which make the entire world unsure. How we got to this point is a very important path to know and understand. Of course each of us will have a different interpretation of that path. Furthermore, each of us will have a different view of how to deal with the realities of today. Lets take the Israeli/Palestine situation as an example. Israel backs up its actions by stating the need for security. This security is due to the constant call for Israeli demise by some neighbouring countries and regional organizations. This leads to Israel overtly working to accomplish a similar task in the name of security. Such a situation is not sustainable for peace and Israel is screaming foul as Iran negotiates a nuclear deal. To be completely honest and fair neither side of any recent conflict have acted with honour or with a peaceful mindset. Sadly, the goal which is sought is often good governance and a peaceful society. Regretfully, no one can point a finger at anyone because most countries have committed and are committing acts which destroy peace. The same goes for the many organizations which seek to bring structure, order and peace. A glaring example is of ISIS acting in a completely hypocritical manner. To keep a positive mindset though is of great need. These are difficult times and with that comes great opportunity to change. The positives are the many individuals working in their communities to have peace, despite the chaos of war surrounding them. The people ensuring hospitals, schools, local markets and basic services are supplied. There are people working to build communities which focus on a supportive, inclusive and accepting ideology. Some of these people are profiled in the following website: http://www.peacedirect.org/us/peacebuilders/ It is these people that provides and environment for peace to grow. From there the governing of the wider society can also grow.

Global debt management

With the Greece situation taking center stage the last year or so, you think that the world has never been through such an ordeal before. In fact there are always countries at the brink of collapse and the impact just as great. Argentina is one example of economic collapse which causes global unrest. However the question remains, how to stop or slow down the collapse? As always the advice is to not panic. Sadly that is what takes place because the doomsday thoughts take over. To manage such panic rests with the negotiation tactics of the lenders, supporters and the borrowers. The advice on how to manage the debt pay back is to not air the dirty laundry in public at all. Next is to take the long term view of repayment. Meeting the fixed payment amount should not be the focus. The focus should be making as much a payment as possible at each target date. Most economist would quickly point out that such a plan would only create a never ending cycle of missed payments. Furthermore there is the issue of interest payment. The money is leant out in order for the lender to make money. Now this is where arguments often diverge on two paths. One being economic and the other being social. What is the main focus in global debt servicing? Is it to secure economics or is it to secure society? There can only be one top priority. It should be no surprise that society is the main focus in this short essay. In this focus the debt repayment schedule is hinged upon the borrower making as much payment as possible. The negotiations should be able to monitor and understand the moving dollar amount well before the due date. This keeps the security of the economy going. In such a situation it is absolutely necessary to not panic, worry or openly fight about the repayment schedule. Each due date a payment is made then, future due dates and amounts are adjusted accordingly. Such ideology of flexibility is often met with the phrase – you have no idea what you are talking about. For those that say that, they are often more interested in the making money, interest payment, in short greed. The civil unrest is of secondary concern. The flexible approach would save us from the talk of the European Union breaking up. It would save the banks from closing and save the ripples of panic attacks. All of these are the social impacts we are enduring right now due to a focus on economics not society.