blowing in the wind

How many roads must a man walk down

Before you call him a man?

1. The brothers

In Israel and Gaza, leaders on both sides continue a cycle of violence that devastates families, destroys homes, and leaves deep, festering wounds that will scar generations. It's been almost a year since the devastating event occurred in Israel where Palestinian militants massacred over 1,100 individuals, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 people hostage. This incident has left Israelis deeply affected until today. They're traumatized and their feeling of safety completely shattered. The lack of trust towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prior to the attack has only intensified following his government's inability to avert the tragedy. 

In return, Israeli operations in Gaza have caused extensive devastation, resulting in over 20,000 Palestinian casualties. Massive bombs, some weighing 2,000 pounds, have been used in densely populated areas, displacing over 85% of Gaza's population. Concerns about public order collapse, famine, and disease outbreaks are rising. Many Palestinians seek refuge in makeshift camps along the Egyptian border. Israeli officials deny allegations of a policy to expel Palestinians.

Palestinians fleeing north Gaza move southward as Israeli tanks roll deeper into the enclave, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in the central Gaza Strip, November 10, 2023. REUTERS / Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Meanwhile, Ukraine has been bracing for one harsh winter after another. Russian missile attacks are expected to disrupt heating and cause urban evacuations. The top military leader in Kyiv hinted at a deadlock, drawing criticism from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Supplies of ammunition and personnel are dwindling. Tensions between Ukrainian and Western authorities are becoming more apparent. Despite hopes for a strong counteroffensive, Kyiv has postponed informing the Ukrainian public about the prolonged struggle ahead.

Negotiations with the Kremlin seem unlikely to provide a solution. Setting aside the grim history of Moscow acquiring land through force, neither side is willing to make concessions. While Russian officials claim willingness to engage in talks, both unofficial channels to Moscow and public statements from the Kremlin indicate a persistence in their original objectives since the start of the full-scale war. Their goal is not only territorial expansion, but also the surrender and submission of Ukraine along with its demilitarization under a compliant government.

Ukrainian service members from a first presidential brigade Bureviy (Hurricane) of the National Guard of Ukraine fire a mortar during an exercise, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, Ukraine November 8, 2023. REUTERS / Vladyslav Musiienko

2. The neighbours

After last year's tensions, Taiwan and China has both been participated in the military force competition between them two. Taiwan conducted live-fire drills in response to China's military pressure, launching surface-to-air missiles at Jiupeng Military Base. The tension stems from China's claim over Taiwan and its disapproval of President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing sees as a separatist. Taipei has bolstered its defense with a focus on missile capabilities, including U.S.-made Patriot PAC II and Standard missiles.

About 3000 km away, an insurgent attack drove the army out of parts of Myanmar's northeast, posing a challenge to the ruling junta. Throughout 2023, resistance groups from anti-coup protests carried out surprise attacks across the country. The military responded with airstrikes and artillery, targeting civilians. Violence spread to low-lying regions, with the military focusing on the Bamar majority.

China is involved in combating online scams in the Mekong region. Beijing supported the Brotherhood Alliance in capturing a border area to close scam operations, posing challenges for Myanmar's air force. Chinese President Xi Jinping is upset about the military's power grab in 2021 in Myanmar, leading to disruptions in Chinese projects. China is unlikely to back a rebellion and might boost support for the regime if it falters.

Volunteer members of Karenni insurgent forces walk in Moe Bye in Kayah State, Myanmar November 12, 2023. REUTERS / Stringer

The diplomatic failure to stop things from falling apart revealed not just the destructive power of those who are leading the nations, but also the profound emptiness at the core of their existence. As conflicts raged across the globe, it became heartbreakingly clear that the people in power, who orchestrated these crises, were beyond ruthless. They are, in many ways, deeply tragic figures. Trapped by the very systems they perpetuate, their lives seem to be consumed by the pursuit of dominance, leaving no room for the simple joys of living. I can't help but wonder if they’re happy. The irony is that these leaders, who hold so much sway over the lives of others, seem to have lost touch with the very essence of what it means to live.

How many roads must a man walk down

Before you can call him a man?

The person who wrote this beautiful song, Bob Dylan, is no supreme leader, but his words echo like a haunting refrain for those who wield power with such carelessness. These leaders have walked countless roads, roads paved with political ambition, military might, and ruthless conquest. But do these paths lead them to any true fulfillment, or are they merely walking in circles, entangled in an endless pursuit that leads nowhere? They chase validation through their conquests, but when will they become the kind of people worthy of respect, not for their power, but for their value? In their relentless pursuit of control, have they become lost? Have they become those wandering souls who have forgotten what it means to cheerfully live a life?

Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly

Before they're forever banned?

I lately have the habit of turning on Dylan’s song after watching the news. His question cuts through the noise and chaos of war, piercing the heart of the matter. How many more times must the bombs fall, must the rockets fly, before those in power understand the senselessness of it all? Each explosion shatters not just buildings, but lives, the main component to form any organization for them to lead. As if they live in a world where conflict is constant, and every decision is a move in a deadly game. It's almost like their obsession with power blinds their vision to the possibility of peace, of love, of a life without fear. They give no damn about the laughter of the children fleeing from wars, the warmth of their home, or the simple joy of a quiet morning, the things are lost to them, sacrificed on the altar of the "big guy's ambition". But what if it is their own children to suffer from a similar condition? Have they ever thought the war they're incubating will affect their loved ones too?

Yes, and how many years must a mountain exist

Before it is washed to the sea?

How many years can some people exist

Before they're allowed to be free?

Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head

And pretend that he just doesn't see?

3. The controversy

People hold a sign as they gather to show their support to Burkina Faso’s new military leader Ibrahim Traore and demand the departure of the French ambassador at the Place de la Nation in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso January 20, 2023. REUTERS / Vincent Bado

In 2023, the military in Niger overthrew Mohamed Bazoum, a reformist president with close ties to the West, solidifying military control over the Sahel region following coups in Mali and Burkina Faso. The current leaders have pledged to reduce the violence plaguing rural areas, but instead of introducing new ideas, they are focusing on the same unsuccessful military strategies, despite changing foreign alliances and acquiring new weaponry. These series of coups mark a new phase in a crisis that began in 2012 when Tuareg rebels, along with jihadists linked to al-Qaeda, took control of northern Mali. Subsequently, the jihadists turned against their former allies, holding the region for nearly a year until being pushed back by a coalition led by France. In 2015, various armed factions from northern Mali, comprising rebels and pro-government forces, signed a peace deal with Bamako. This agreement aimed at decentralizing power, fostering development in the north, and integrating some armed groups into the national military.

Meanwhile, Haitian citizens are counting on the foreign forces expected to arrive early in 2024 to address the highly violent gangs that have caused significant damage to the country in recent years. However, the Kenyan police tasked with leading this upcoming mission face a daunting challenge in combating well-armed groups in densely populated slums, especially given the chaotic state of Haitian politics. Following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, gang-related violence in Haiti has surged. Criminal elements now dominate a large portion of the capital, Port-au-Prince, as well as regions to the north, notably the Artibonite Valley. Vicious territorial conflicts - with gangs battling each other and terrorizing civilians - have forced tens of thousands of people from their homes, with some finding shelter in makeshift displacement camps where they remain exposed to similar risks, including sexual violence. Approximately half of Haiti's population, around 5.2 million individuals, are in urgent need of life-saving assistance. The gangs' predatory behavior has only fueled further violence: vigilante groups like Bwa Kale, established in response to gang activities, have taken matters into their own hands by lynching hundreds of suspected gang members, yet this has not significantly reduced gang operations. Despite the lackluster track record of past international interventions, surveys indicate that Haitians, grappling with profound despair, are supportive of the impending arrival of foreign forces.

Yes, and how many times must a man look up

Before he can see the sky?

And how many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

I choose to believe that the leaders who wage these wars are not free themselves. I believe they are shackled by their need to control, to dominate, to win at all costs. They're playing a dangerous chess game that costs them their ability to be free, to laugh, to love, to truly live. They sit in their palaces, surrounded by wealth and power, yet they are poorer than the poorest among us. And though they may command armies, they are as trapped as those they oppress.

How many deaths will it take 'til he knows

That too many people have died?

The people of Ukraine, Israel, Haiti, Myanmar, and furthermore suffer daily, their lives torn apart by a war they did not choose, their freedom stolen by leaders who care more for territory than for the sanctity of their people. Is it so necessary to find out the strongest of all? Does the bureaucracy power span have to be great in order for life to be in order? Can't humanity goes on without determining the dom and the sub? Where did all these hatred among us come from?

The Beijing, Klemlin, and Washington people, if they only have one more day to live, are they gonna keep doing what they're doing? They spend their days in sterile rooms, surrounded by advisors, making decisions that lead to death and despair on the behalf of fighting for their country, but what if the aliens attack us tomorrow, will they be so focused on fighting each other like they are today? Then, what are we really fighting for? How many deaths will it take for them to realize the futility of their actions? How many lives must be lost before they understand that they are not just killing others, they are killing themselves?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind.