5 day forecast
The world's future depends on a lasting peace
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While the world breathes a collective sigh of relief that Israel and the Palestinians have come to an agreement for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip conflict, it is only a matter of time before this same scenario is played out again. Each time the stakes get higher that eventually a nuclear weapon will be involved.
Regardless of who has it, the entire world is at risk. It has long since spilled over onto every continent and almost every country in the world. The brutal truth is that atrocities have been committed on both sides of this conflict and no one's hands are clean.
Time is running short while they resolve their differences the old-fashioned way, relentlessly fighting and killing until the last man is left standing. The world's survival depends upon the emergence of a leader who has the courage and steely resolve to broker a peace based on the premise that every human being of every race, religion, nationality and creed has an equally compelling right to exist, all human life is valuable and all killing is horrific regardless of who is doing it or how many are dying.
We were recently reminded yet again that nature's destructive ferocity never discriminates. Sadly humans do, and for no other reason than it's part of their history. But we will have no future unless we can relinquish the past with all of its baggage. Otherwise we're doomed to reliving a more technologically superior but just as deadly version of mutually assured destruction.
PEGGY HOCKSWENDER
Swissvale
First Published November 26, 2012 12:00 am
