imagine living through a war. a pretty long war, lets say one of the longest conventional wars of the 20th century. for 8 years. maybe the first 8 years of your life. maybe your early adolescence, or late teens or young adulthood. you get the picture. now imagine the war ends, ok great, cool, life goes on i guess? economy sucks, post-war reconstruction, etc. and hey remember that country that funded and armed your country’s adversary during the war? yeah, that one. they noticed how your economy isnt doing so hot and decided to help you out with some sanctions. pretty cool, right? i guess it beats bombs. nothing like good old long slow economic warfare. at least its not the bombs. maybe you go to university, get a job. depending on how wealthy you are maybe some people you know leave. depending on how wealthy (and lucky) they are maybe they go to germany or the UK or the US, more likely turkiye or the philippines, maybe a gulf country. probably at least one. more likely you and your friends and loved ones are too poor or cant get a visa or both. but hey at least that war stuff is- hm? oh, yeah that country from before, they just invaded your neighbor. maybe you meet someone, hit it off. hang on, sorry, they just invaded your other neighbor. yes the same one they funded and armed. and hey why is everyone leaving. maybe you get married to that person from earlier. and maybe israel just invaded lebanon again. what? oh yeah
ok but none of those countries are here. and the war is over. sure, they keep saying theyre gonna invade you any day now. but theyve been saying that since the war ended! and it hasnt happened yet… and hey why is everyone so jaded. you cant trust anyone around here anymore. maybe something else will happen. you have kids (in this economy?) oh hey remember your other neighbor? no no, not an invasion, just a civil war. make that tw- three. yeah, i get it i see the pattern too, but thats different. you already had your war. thats in the past. plus you have bills to pay and mouths to feed. by the way theres a gaza war. no not that one. no not that one. no not that one.
no, look, its shouldnt have called it a war its actually a genocide.
people like you, kids like yours. you remember those missiles dont you? your kids dont. but they could. and wouldnt that be awful. you had almost forgotten the smell. you had almost let your guard down, sure not fully down, but the body adapts right? an object in motion stays in motion? but wouldnt it be awful if it happened here again. just awful.
