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In a recent interview on CBC, Timothy Snyder, an historian at the University of Toronto, noted that the U.S. is in “a catastrophic self-destructive mode”. The war of aggression against Iran is the latest evidence of this since it is “wildly counter-productive”.
He also commented on PM Mark Carney’s initial support for the Iran War which Carney later retracted as it became more evident that this was a war of choice, rather than a war of necessity and would bring suffering upon many innocent people.
When asked about Alberta’s separatist movement Snyder said it is “eerily similar to the Donbas region in Ukraine where Russia’s full-scale invasion took place in 2022. He added: Alberta’s separatist movement needs to be taken seriously” even though no First Nations Indigenous are in support of it.
American corporations own over 70% of the oil in the Tar Sands with an estimated $50 billion going to U.S. investors annually. Alberta’s natural resources were recently valued at $860 billion, and such resources tend to provide enticements to American conservatives in the separatist movement. Similarly, in the Donbas region, resources are valued at $7.5 trillion making their development a major motive in the invasion of Ukraine.
Canada has had a strained relationship with the U.S. due to President Trump’s Intemperate remarks about making it the 51st state. As well as that, he has imposed onerous tariffs alienating many Canadians. His lack of understanding concerning the long history of Canada-U.S. relationship, coupled with his inconsiderate remarks, indicate that even his most cautious advisors are unable to curb his erratic behavior.
Trump is not unique. Humans can attain high levels of authority based on charisma rather than on competence. A century ago, the Harvard psychologist William James wrote about his admiration for octopuses and their “flexible intensity for life” and wished that humans too could learn such flexibility. Octopuses have 8 arms and 9 brains, giving them an uncanny ability to escape from traps, whereas humans, especially those in positions of power, tend to get caught in risky decision-making, often doubling down on their mistakes, and unable to escape escalating traps during conflicts. Therapists have used the phrase: “doing the same thing over and over again, while expecting different results, is a sure sign of serious addiction.”
Elites like to believe they are a privileged class, convincing themselves of the right to subjugate others, even succumbing to the belief that they are “divinely chosen”. When this is coupled with the delusion that “might makes right” it normalizes the cruelty of wars, especially air wars where pilots are unable or unwilling to see the results of their actions.
The genocide in Gaza has resulted in the death of 71,000 Palestinians, but “blowback” against perpetrators is inevitable. Israeli soldiers suffer from their complicity so that, according to their own sources, “Israel is experiencing a major mental health crisis among its soldiers, with a sharp rise in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), moral injury, and suicidal breakdowns. The Israel Defense Ministry has recorded a 40% increase in PTSD and expect 180% increase by 2028”.
In America we are seeing a country trapped by its addiction to war. Domination of others has made it habituated to having 800 U.S. bases spread throughout the world. Recently 16 of these bases have been rendered inoperable or unusable by Iran’s missiles in retaliation for the bombing of its hospitals, schools and bridges.
This current militancy is contrary to the U.N. model that the U.S., Canada and 48 other nations committed themselves to in 1948, soon after WWII. These ideals were powerfully expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with its 30 fundamental rights and freedoms. Though non-binding it inspired many international treaties such as rights against torture, and the protection of children, women and migrants.
Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay
If leaders are able to take upon themselves a degree of “flexible intensity” it is possible that events will change for the better and that harbingers of the future will provide positive changes to provide for a more harmonious future.
A sad commentary on current policies is that the U.S. has withdrawn from 31 of the most consequential UN organizations. This recent action has precipitated a decline in its influence over the developing world. Despite this, hundreds of peace groups express their humane concerns with on-going peaceful protests while also taking action against the punitive policies of deporting undocumented immigrants, many of whom are farm and health care workers innocent of any crime.
Perhaps new elections and a new government can halt the disastrous consequences that the Trump administration has initiated but more likely, later generations will see these decisions as a symptom of deeper maladies. For instance, the inequality gap has significantly widened, bringing to the fore an oligarchy leveraging its wealth by funding candidates for Congress whose views agree with their own.
Hugh J. Curran has been teaching in “Peace and Reconciliation Studies” at the University of Maine for the past 20 years
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