Words B4 War

Thankfully, there is hopeful news to solving the Syrian crisis.  War drums are morphing into words, phone calls, person to person diplomacy, and the clicking of characters on paper spelling out specifics. It appears that Syrian leadership will accept the Russian proposal to hand over Syrian gas WMD to an international body like the United Nations, thereby averting a military strike. It appears.  Let us hope appearance leads to resolution.

Interestingly, this surprising development occurred after Sec. of State John Kerry made a comment that a way through the crisis could be just what is happening.  The remark at a news conference was more of a hope than a proposal. Or was it?  President Obama and President Putin had discussed the possibility at the recent G-20 Conference in St. Petersburg.  Whatever the truth, the important fact will be the end result: no military strike and the elimination of poison gas as a tool of war during this sectarian conflict.

Hence, the importance of keeping doors open, of continuing the struggle to find solutions as impossible as they may seem, of restraining the use of military action until all else fails, and then perhaps second guessing oneself and deciding to not strike.  But KEEP TALKING, KEEP BEING CREATIVE, KEEP DOORS OPEN.

This is a key component of NONVIOLENCE.  Let words, nonviolent intentions, struggling creativity, quest for peace, and personal relationships lead the way.  I am reminded of stories during union negotiations with CEOs.  Sometimes they had stayed in the room until there was a solution.  Also, there is an island in Scotland called the Island of Reconciliation, where clan leaders and individuals would go to work out their differences and not leave until resolution.

Yes, the threat of force by the "mightiest military in the world" may have nudged Assad towards this apparent solution.  Yet, what also helped was the strong voice of the American people and other nations to hold back.  People and nations spoke their opposition.  Words again.  Words replaced war.

Words and nonviolence go together because together there is action.  Here are some more W-NV actions for resolutions:

MORE NATIONS OPENING THEIR BORDERS FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES UNTIL THE

          CIVIL WAR IS CONCLUDED

TRANSPARENCY IN EXPOSING THE WARS REALITY SO THE WORLD KNOWS THE

          TRUTH WITHIN THE CONFLICT

THE WORLD COURT DECLARING ASSAD A WAR CRIMINAL AND BRINGING HIM

          TO THE COURT OF JUSTICE

AFFIRMATION OF UNITED NATIONS PROTOCOL AGAINST POISON GAS

APPEALING TO UNITED ARAB LEAGUE FOR RESPONSE

STATEMENTS BY THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, NATIONAL COUNCIL

          OF CHURCHES, ELCA, AND ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES, AS WELL AS

          ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP IN OPPOSITION TO POISON GAS AND THE WAR

STATEMENTS BY NATO

STATEMENTS BY ISRAEL

IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS

CONTINUED UNITED NATIONS INVOLVEMENT

CONTINUED EFFORT TO BRING ALL SIDES TOGETHER FOR A DIPLOMATIC

         SOLUTION

COMMITMENT OF THE SYRIAN PEOPLE TO NONVIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS

         FOR PEACE

Multiple nonviolent options exist for conflict resolution.  Words B4 War.  Come to think of it, Jesus used words and nonviolent action transform the world!  Is there a lesson here?

Peace!