Blame Hamas for attacking Israel, but wars do not happen in isolation. Look at Ukraine.
As we can see in Ukraine and now the Middle East, wars of aggression, acts of genocide, tyranny and terrorist atrocities do not happen in isolation.
From the seeds of a strong-arm regime in Germany, sprouted with virulent antisemitism, came the continentwide extermination of Jews. The shadows of the Holocaust loom large, with contemporary Western society constructed upon the principle of "never again." Yet, disturbingly, echoes of the past resurface as Jewish populations face vile antisemitism in Europe and America, and calls for "peace" mask veiled justifications for Hamas' heinous acts, which, at their core, revel in cruelty and degradation.
The Soviet Union's oppressive legacy endures. Bosnian genocide, Yugoslav wars, poverty, oligarchism, Russian invasions of Chechnya, Georgia, Ukraine – all of these didn’t happen out of nowhere. Countless individuals, particularly in Eastern Europe and notably Ukraine, grapple with fractured family histories and tales of ancestors deported, killed or incarcerated. Such generational trauma requires immense time and understanding to be fully addressed and healed.
The Syrian war, with its novel brand of horror, did not emerge spontaneously. The alliance between Hezbollah, a notorious Lebanese terrorist entity, and Russia, which at that point was a widely accepted partner of the free world, started in 2015 in Syria and has not stopped.
Now, the repercussions of every past atrocity reverberate globally. The same culprits, repeatedly emboldened, perpetrate murder, torture and degradation as the world seeks reassurance and the illusion of peace.
Terrorists find allies in Iran and Russia
Hamas, responsible for the deaths of entire Israeli families, finds camaraderie in Moscow. Syria's Assad regime deploys chemical warfare on its populace, bolstered by Hezbollah and Russia. Hezbollah launches assaults on Israel, underpinned by its intricate ties with Iran, Syria and Russia.
Russia's savage invasion of Ukraine persists, with Iranians providing applause and weaponry. African nations are inundated with propaganda, giving a stage to ruthless Russian mercenaries – while China quietly acquires the continent piece by piece. And China's menacing stance toward Taiwan, combined with its support for Russia's aggression toward Ukraine, signals a broader threat to the free world.
This vicious cycle offers no genuine peace.
Ukraine working to document war crimes: Ukrainians need America's help to hold Russian war criminals accountable for atrocities
Regrettably, the free world isn't merely an idle observer. Much of the technology utilized by Russia and terrorist factions originates in the West.
Billions in humanitarian aid have flowed into Gaza, only to line the pockets of Hamas leaders living lavishly in Qatar or to finance militants who funnel these funds into weapon smuggling. European aid items, including water pipes, have been repurposed by Hamas to fashion missiles aimed at Israel.
Microelectronics are incorporated into missiles that wreak havoc upon civilians in Ukraine and anywhere else terrorists enact their terror. Despite bans, embargoes and sanctions on international companies, Russia continues to utilize Western tools to manufacture advanced weaponry – the very same machines that still benefit from maintenance by their manufacturers, such as German-Japanese DMG Mori or American Haas Automation.
China, Iran, Russia waging covert war against the free world
Why do these companies persist in servicing equipment instrumental in aiding a nation led by an accused war criminal to produce arms? Greed appears to be the likeliest culprit. Such convenient "ignorance" of the end-users (Russian arms manufacturers) does not make an excuse for silent war crimes enablers.
To those who argue that Europe or the United States should abstain from intervening in distant conflicts, a sobering reality check is due: Their involvement is already apparent, just not in a way most of the people imagine. This is evidenced by the surging exports to nations that orbit Russia – for instance, German exports to Kyrgyzstan soared by 949% last year, according to a Reuters analysis, with a significant proportion finding its way to Russia.
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Moreover, the inability to curtail purchases of Russian resources, such as the U.S. acquisition of uranium from Rosatom, effectively bankrolls the adversary's military operations.
Concurrently, China capitalizes on its position as the manufacturing hub for Western tech, striving to replicate and pilfer Western innovations.
Stop following China. United Nations is ruled by 'we the peoples,' not authoritarian regimes.
The sobering truth is that countries such as China, Iran, Belarus and Russia are already waging a covert war against the free world, and it's high time the latter acknowledged this reality and stopped fighting against itself.
True global tranquility remains elusive until the world recognizes that witnessing brutality is never a standalone event. The civilizational war has started, and it’s time for all to choose their allegiance.
Anastasiia Marushevska, co-founder of the Ukrainian nonprofit PR Army of communication experts, is editor-in-chief at Ukraїner International and a lecturer at the Projector Institute.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel-Hamas, Ukraine wars don't just happen. Look at Russia, China
