Is the war merely a playground for the powerful?

THE impact of war is never confined solely to the battlefield.

The sound of artillery crosses borders, the devastation caused by missiles cripple economies, fuel shortages drive up food prices, and ultimately, the burden falls upon ordinary people across the globe.

Recent tit-for-tat attacks in the Middle East have once again brought this harsh reality to the fore.

Most concerning of all, the impact of this conflict is already extending beyond the borders of the warring nations to affect the broader global economy.

Instability in vital maritime routes, such as the Strait of Hormuz, creates uncertainty regarding fuel supplies.

Rising oil prices have repercussions across the transport, power, industrial, and agricultural sectors.

They drive up the costs of fertilizer production, irrigation, and the operation of agricultural machinery, while also pushing up the cost of transporting food.

In other words, the heat of hunger is felt far beyond the places where the fires of war are burning.

This raises the question: is the world solely dependent on the decisions of the powerful? Why should billions of people, in a world inhabited by over 8.4 billion, repeatedly bear the consequences of decisions in the making of which they had no part?

The answer is not simple. A combination of international politics, military might, economic interests, and geopolitical rivalry has created a global order in which the voices of ordinary people often fail to reach the corridors of power.

Decisions to wage war are made in the name of national security, sanctions are imposed to exert economic pressure, and the safety of vital maritime routes is jeopardized for the sake of strategic advantage.

However, when the impact of these decisions is reflected in the market, the disparity between the rich and the poor becomes even more pronounced.

While the affluent can manage the additional expenses, for the low-income population, cutting back on spending often means skipping a meal.

Therefore, the solution to this crisis does not lie merely in more weapons, more sanctions, or a greater show of force.

What is needed restraint, diplomacy, and genuine respect for international law.

We need a global order in which the security rationale of any state is not placed above the lives of unarmed civilians.

The world is not the private playground of any superpower. Although decisions to wage war are made within a few centres of power, the resulting tears are shed everywhere.

The powerful must remember that a nation might achieve temporary strategic success by winning a war, but no victory is truly a victory if it comes at the cost of the defeat of humanity.