Terrence Mwedzi
One of my favourite British philosophers, Bertrand Russell, once said: “The tragedy of the Middle East is that the human race has not yet learnt to settle its disputes – except by war.”
Russell, who was not only a philosopher but also a mathematician, writer, and peace activist, was considered one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. He strongly believed that war brings suffering, destruction, and long-term instability, especially to ordinary people.
Today, his words still feel relevant. The Middle East continues to experience cycles of violence and political tension. Over the past few days, we have once again witnessed deadly coordinated attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran.
Such actions raise serious concerns about further escalation and the possibility of a wider regional conflict.
Dialogue, diplomacy, and mutual understanding are the only true paths to stability.
Russell believed that lasting peace cannot be achieved through bombs and military power alone. Instead, he argued that dialogue, diplomacy, and mutual understanding are the only true paths to stability.
As the situation unfolds, his warning reminds us that unless humanity learns to resolve disputes without war, the same tragedies may continue to repeat themselves over and over again.
The ongoing war in the Middle East is, in my view, a clear sign that the U.S. and Israel are behaving like mad dogs, and their goal of overthrowing the Iranian government within the shortest period of time has quickly turned into a strategic nightmare.
In my view, the renewed joint attack on the state of Iran has pushed the entire region to the verge of collapse, and innocent civilians are the ones who will bear the brunt of these senseless wars. We expect America and Israel to return to their senses rather than poking their noses into other people’s affairs.
After the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump seems to think he has the capacity to police the world and force every nation to bow down before him. The situation worsened after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on February 28.
Instead, the conflict is grinding on at unexpected and frightening levels.
He was one of the most respected political figures and religious leaders in the Islamic Republic.
The US may have expected the Iranian regime to surrender after its Supreme Leader was killed, but that did not happen.
Instead, the conflict is grinding on at unexpected and frightening levels. I personally believe that Iran is a sovereign state with the right to self-defense, just like any other country. In that sense, it sees itself as defending its sovereignty – which is permitted under the international law.
For now, Iran is behaving like a wounded dog in the corner—very unpredictable and dangerous—fighting for survival.
In contrast – according to numerous news sources such as Al Jazeera and CGTN, the civilian death toll has surpassed 1 000 in Tehran in less than seven days, which is truly tragic.
In contrast, I do not expect such actions from a nation that always portrays itself as the policeman of the world, yet leads in bombing and killing women and children for what many see as an imperial agenda aimed at controlling Iran’s natural resources and forcing the country to bow to its demands in the name of democracy.
For years, Iran has resisted full alignment with Western geopolitical influence.
Dragging everyone into war is not a sign of genius or humanity but of stupidity
Dragging everyone into war is not a sign of genius or humanity but of stupidity. In a civilised world we should not support any leader who believes warmongering is the right path. At the end of the day, it is ordinary people who bear the greatest suffering from these senseless conflicts. Let us think about humanity. Let us not bury our humanity—my heart is truly bleeding.
The co-ordinated US–Israeli airstrikes on Iran must stop immediately. This war has already pushed global fuel prices upward, and it will affect everyone, especially here in Africa. Much of our oil imports come from the Middle East, which means we are directly affected by this conflict.
I urge global leaders to sober up and come up with lasting solutions so that this ongoing conflict can end – immediately.
As Africa, we have a lot to learn from this ongoing conflict. Allowing foreign military bases on our soil carries significant risks. According to numerous reports, the US has a military presence in countries such as Somalia, Cameroon, Libya, and Chad, among others.
This poses security risks not only to those countries but to the entire African continent. We do not need foreign military bases and assets on our continent.
In recent days Iran has claimed the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. This is a major blow to countries like those in Africa – because it is one of the most crucial oil routes in the world. It is estimated that about 20% of global oil passes through it.
Our fragile economies
Honestly our fragile economies could be severely hurt. Citizens will be badly affected because we rely heavily on imported fuel.
Furthermore African leaders should understand that modern wars are not fought only with weapons. They are also fought through economic pressure, sanctions, cyber warfare, strategic alliances, and control of resources.
If our leaders do not understand these dynamics Africa will continue to suffer. The continent needs its own solutions aligned with our core values. We must reduce dependence and produce more of what we need ourselves.
Honestly Africa sits on vast reserves of oil, natural gas, and many other resources, yet we rush to the Middle East and Europe to buy things that we should be producing here at home.
In conclusion the wars in the Middle East should be an eye-opener for all of us.
Terrence Mwedzi is a writer currently based in South Africa. He writes to the Digital Sunday Express in his personal capacity. He can be contacted at +27 61 137 0088.
