Sunday Food for Thought

The reality of modern warfare is that the whole enterprise has become almost like a computer game. The ever-increasing sophistication of weaponry has outrun the imaginative capacity of the average lay person. Their destructive capacity is so astonishing that whatever arguments there may be in favour of war, they must be vastly inferior to those against. We could almost be forgiven for feeling nostalgia for the way in which battles were fought in ancient times. At least then people fought one another face to face. There was no denying the suffering involved. And, in those days, it was usual for rulers to lead their troops in battle. If the ruler was killed, that was usually the end of the matter. But as technology improved, the generals began to stay farther behind. Today they can be thousands of miles away in their bunkers underground. In view of this, I could almost see developing a 'smart' bullet that could seek out those who decided on wars in the first place. This would seem to me more fair, and on these grounds, I would welcome a weapon that eliminated the decision-makers while leaving the innocent unharmed.
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We each have a role to play in creating a climate for genuine peace. When, as individuals, we disarm ourselves internally - through countering our negative thoughts and emotions and cultivating positive qualities - we create the conditions for external disarmament. Indeed, genuine, lasting world peace will only be possible as a result of us each making an effort internally. Afflictive emotion is the oxygen of conflict.

- HH The Dalai Lama
Ancient Wisdom, Modern World; Ethics For the New Millenium (1999)