The period of peace following the end of World War II is still far too short, compared to the Pax Romana.
By
A TOMY TRINUGROHO
·3 minutes read
Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP
This Nov. 29, 2017 file image provided by the North Korean government shows what it calls the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, launching at an undisclosed location in North Korea. The Korean-language logo on the image reads "KCNA", the abbreviation for the Korean Central News Agency. The Japanese Cabinet approved a plan on Dec. 19 to purchase a land-based missile combat system from the US to step up its missile defense capability amid the escalating threat from North Korea. The decision would allow the Defense Ministry to buy a set of two Aegis Ashore systems to add to Japan’s current two-step missile defense consisting of Patriot batteries and Aegis-equipped destroyers. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image, which cannot be verified.
Since the last big war to affect the entire world ended in 1939-1945, the world has not seen another great armed conflict that involves many countries at once. Seventy-two years has passed since World War II ended. This period of “world peace” has lasted significantly longer than the 20-year interlude between World War I (1914-1918) and World War II.
In Roman history, there was a famous period of peace known as Pax Romana. Spanning from the era of Emperor Augustus to that of Marcus Aurelius, this period lasted more than 200 years (27 BC-180 AD).
Wars have still happened during the post-WWII peace period. The Korean War, the Vietnam War, a number of civil wars in African nations and the ongoing war in Yemen serve to remind us that peace is truly priceless. These wars are proof that peace must be fought for, and not simply defended.
Efforts at preserving peace seem relevant in 2017, as the world is becoming increasingly concerned about North Korea’s numerous nuclear and ballistic missile tests. Pyongyang launched intercontinental missiles over Japan and dropped them into the ocean. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un insisted that the action was a response to the joint military training conducted by South Korea, the US and Japan.
The international community appears to have rejected North Korea’s reasons. Sanctions were imposed. China, Russia and other countries imposed sanctions in hopes of weakening the North Korean regime and discouraging it from conducting further weapons tests.
The dynamics on the Korean Peninsula may seem to be more heated than it actually is, because of the insults traded between Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump. Trump called Kim “short and fat”; Kim called Trump “a dotard”.
No previous US presidents have ever issued such recognition, despite a US bylaw mandating the White House to do so.
In his decision to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement, Trump is decidedly different from his predecessors. This month, he sparked the international community’s anger by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. No previous US presidents have ever issued such recognition, despite a US bylaw mandating the White House to do so. Consequently, Palestine no longer sees the US as a worthy mediator in their peace talks with Israel for a two-state solution.
Apart from Palestinian sovereignty, another Middle East problem that must be urgently addressed is the war in Yemen. While the Islamic State has been defeated, Yemeni lives continue to be lost as millions of its people starve as a consequence of Saudi Arabia’s war against the Houthi militias.
Anti-immigrant
The phenomenon of Trump’s rise to power, with his anti-immigration policy, is similar to what is happening across Europe. On the continent where two world wars were waged, politics are increasingly leaning to the right. Political parties with anti-immigration platforms are gaining popularity. The situation is apparently a “response” to the massive influx of immigrants in 2015. These immigrants are deemed a threat to European traditional values.
As a result, for the first time in half a century, a far-right political party succeeded in gaining seats in the German parliament. A far-right party controls the government in Austria. Suddenly, the anti-Muslim issue has become a popular sales pitch among politicians.
Far-right politics in Europe has reemerged concurrently with Russia’s efforts to spread its influence on the continent. Political shifts are clearly taking place in Europe as, in the Far East, China is becoming bolder in showing its teeth, especially regarding the South China Sea.
In such a disheartening time, we need to remain optimistic. The period of peace following the end of WWII is still far too short, compared to the Pax Romana.
