The single most important task for the long-term survival of the human race is peacemaking. Regional wars involving nuclear powers are now raging in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Escalation risks are high and containment efforts are essential. The U.S. has a critical role to play in this work.
Gone are the days when regional wars threaten only those directly involved. Why? Because weapons of mass destruction are agnostic to national borders. Today’s nuclear weapons, for example, are 10 to 100 times more powerful than those dropped during our last World War. The use of even a few such weapons would impact our planet and all of its inhabitants.
Some in the media have raised concern about World War III. Could the seeds of such a conflict be sprouting now, they ask? I certainly hope not, as I cannot see humanity surviving such a war. Nuclear weapons are sure to be used. There are simply too many of them in the hands of such diverse actors – North Korea included – to avoid this outcome.
Peacemaking is job 1. Our respective futures depends on it.
Tom Meuser
Portland
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