Last week I spoke about my hopes that 2020 would bring us all clear vision when it comes to choosing our leaders.
Hours later, to further illustrate my point, the internet was speculating about a possible third world war.
It followed America’s drone strike on a very popular Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, while he was in Iraq.
There’s been talk of Iranian retaliation, while Iraq now wants to expel the American troops stationed there.
Not to be outdone, Donald Trump has in turn promised to retaliate in various ways, including further sanctions on Iraq, which happens to be an ally of America.
That’s no surprise of course, because Trump has proven that he doesn’t care for treaties, agreements and allies negotiated by his predecessors, even if it means global catastrophe, or another deadly conflict.
In fact, a war is the one thing that could potentially rescue Trump from the mess he finds himself in at the moment.
He has a trial looming, following his impeachment, and as previous beleaguered American presidents have shown, diverting public attention with a war is the best way to dig yourself out of trouble and boost your opinion polls.
It does underline the view that America is a warmongering nation, always ready to beat any other state into submission through threats of military or economic actions.
Trump also has a purely transactional world view, which he continues to prove over and over again.
One of the threats he levelled against Iraq last week, was that they would be made to repay the cost of the military training base that America has there.
At no point does he address the Iraqi or Iranian lives that would be affected or lost through his actions.
He cares only about the money first, and even the American fatalities a distant second.
MASSIVE BACKLASH: Donald Trump. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP.
Soleimani and his right-hand man were killed in a precision drone strike, for which America has become well known.
The question is, if the US is able to pinpoint someone’s exact location with such accuracy that they can target him from miles away, then why does it have to lead to his death or risk to civilians?
Why can a nation that is so technologically advanced, not use that same capability to arrest the person instead?
In 2020, is a human life still as worthless to leaders like Trump, as it was in 1920?
And considering that Soleimani was on the soil of an ally, I’m sure with enough effort and willpower, they could’ve gotten to him and done that other crime they are famous for, extraordinary rendition.
Instead Trump opted to risk major conflict, put a target on his other allies (nearby Israel), inflict collateral damage and execute human beings, without trial.
But while war is good for business, the world has become a much smarter place.
People are no longer as easily misled as they were before.
So Trump will feel a massive backlash, especially from parents reluctant to willingly send their children into certain trauma and possible death, simply to satisfy his bloodlust and selfish agenda.
Which brings me to a point I made on this page a few years ago.
I suggested that wars would immediately become a thing of the past if leaders were required to draft their own children first.
If Donald Jnr, Eric, Barron, Tiffany and Ivanka were given weapons and put on the frontline to face the first enemy fire, then Trump would think twice. All leaders would!
This is not the world we want to live in any more.
Disconnected leaders with archaic world views, personal agendas that do not serve the masses and who do not work towards global peace, will become part of humanity’s ugly past.
There is a growing groundswell towards prosperity for all.
And if not prosperity, then definitely towards at least having the right to life and living in peace.
Trump has already admitted that wars (like the one he is threatening to start) are almost never about democracy and human rights and almost always about access to resources, like oil.
But, as we develop new technologies, we will erase the need for things like oil.
And people like Trump!