Is Preparedness For War Essential For Preserving

Peace?
George Washington once said,

‘To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of

preserving peace’

In this 21st century peace, clearly, has emerged out as one of the
most wanted things. Every single person out in the world desire for
peace as it brings prosperity and stability. Be it about financial
stability, economic prosperity, regional happiness or an individual’s
thriving, nothing can be achieved without peace. America is a
financially prosperous rich county but the disharmony among the
people of different skins and religion make the country less peaceful.
The political instability, ignorant leaders, outside threats make the
majority of the Middle East not much serene. The never-ending
tensions between neighboring countries like India and Pakistan,
Pakistan and Afghanistan, India and China and North and South
Korea do not let the citizens live in peace.

The craving for peace is not new but it has always persisted. Human
history is full of wars. There was a time where there was no certain
ruling authority and people used to live in chaos. Somehow, with many
killings and bloodshed, that ignorant era passed. Then came a time
when monarchs used to have authority over everything and people
were considered no less than slaves. The injustice gave rise to many
revolutions and violent movements by protestors. With each passing
era, humans started becoming less ignorant and more mature. Now,
humans have entered the era where they are no weaker to be made
puppets. They are educated enough to know that the world’s stability
is linked to every state’s peace only.

About war, it is always said that ‘It is an inevitable thing’. In the

recent time, the world has become nothing but modern with people
becoming more informed and responsible citizen with the help of
mystic technology, but in terms of Wars and conflicts it is just like the
old one or can say more daring. And this is the irony of the current
world; people are more educated, satisfied and evolved than past but
a dangerous event like war still has a place in this modern world. For
instance, the Syrian War has now prolonged the atrocious World War
2. The Israel/Palestinian conflict is as long as their creations.
Pakistan/India has never gotten along well and Kashmir, even after
more than 70 years, remains disputed.

The difference between the past and current is only that a lot of
countries today possess nuclear powers to resist wars but the less
powerful remains the prey. India and Pakistan, the fuming neighbors
are always busy in the nasty war of words but it is highly unlikely for
them to go for an actual War. If there is some rest among these mad
enemies, it is due to their nuclear-armed possessions. No one of them
can think of entering a war as it would prove risky for not only one but
both sides. Both sides are fully prepared for the counter-attack and
hence there is little to none chance of War.

In the recent time, the world witnessed too much acrimony between
North Korea and America with both countries leaders threatening each
other of total destruction but the world knew that they were just words,
not actions. America is a strong nuclear power and, on the other side,
North Korea is capable of strong nuclear and missile programs- which
means that both countries are fully prepared for the event like War.
North Korea and the USA show the perfect example
of ‘Preparedness for War is essential for preserving Peace’.

Now if we take the example of Israel and Palestine, the scenario is

totally different. Israel is a powerful well-equipped nation with all the
modern gadgets and artilleries whereas Palestine is a weak state who
has no option but to become prey to the aggression of the potent state
like Israel. If only Palestine today had everything to match Israel,
Israel would have thought many times before waging a war on it.

Even history has shown us that the powerful states have always
managed to take advantage of weak nations either by seizing their
units or harming them e.g. America and Japan provide us with the
perfect example in this situation. America can never think of bombing
Hiroshima and Nagasaki again like it did in history because Japan is
not like before anymore. It has, if not more, become equally powerful
and developed.

The organization like UNO was specifically formed for the protection of
every state and to bring the world closer to each other. But what we
see today is different. Every nation has the right to speak of their
problems there but not every state has the power to implement their
desires. For instance, only five countries have the authority to reject or
accept any decision made in the Security Council. Why are the
conflicts of countries like Syria and Palestine not getting resolved?
Because every time a decision is to be made, these five countries
obstruct it for no reason and hence it fails. The sad part is that there,
in the UN too, is the absence of balance of power. It is better for weak
countries to not depend on any organization but make their selves
such resilient that other states think before plotting anything against
them.

No one knows the value of peace until and unless they have to
struggle for it. Never ever states like Syria, Palestine, Yemen or
other war-torn countries would have thought of time they are living in
today and hence never prepared for it. In the only way, the world could
have lived peacefully is if all countries were equal in every sense. As
soon as one country became dominant with powerful weapons and
utensils, other countries had to follow it. It’s not like you have to stay
violent all the time, it only means that you stay prepared for all kind of
eventualities. As there is this famous saying, ‘Hope for the Best,
Prepare for the Worst’.

Another message this phrase holds is that Balance of Power is

necessary to survive in today’s world. The world is a mess today; it’s
difficult for a weak nation to survive on this planet. All the nations are
required to be prepared for any kind of hostilities to preserve the
peace of their lands. Because, if one nation is prepared, the other
would think 100 times before harming them.