‘In a world of danger and trial, peace is our deepest aspiration, and when peace comes we will gladly convert not our swords into plowshares, put our bombs into peaceful reactors, and our planes into space vessels. “Pursue peace,” the Bible tells us, and we shall pursue it with every effort and every energy that we possess. But it is an unfortunate fact that we can secure peace only by preparing for war.’ – J F Kennedy
For almost a year, I’ve had a newspaper article on my desk. In it, a journalist is interviewing the former SAS office, now Chief of the General Staff of the British army, General Sir Roy Walker, who is quoted as saying, ‘Be ready for war in three years’.
I found it chilling then and pertinent now. Two years to go… maybe.
The General wasn’t asking for more money or troops but the availability and supply of new technology, including AI, to frontline troops to improve data and communication. He foresaw that, ‘in the second half this decade, Russia, China and Iran could group to put the West under pressure and achieve their individual goals.’
The evidence this week, suggests they may not wait that long. As if our bombardment with news of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza weren’t enough, we’re now deluged with what’s going on between Israel and Iran, with the USA weighing in, putting us all on high alert.
Should we be digging our own bomb shelters, strapping on our tin hats and laying in supplies of fresh water, batteries and tins of spam and beans? I’m not sure, but I don’t think the world has been this dangerous for most of us outside Africa (where there are currently between 28 and 35 armed conflicts going on), for decades.
Do we take JFK’s advice to heart? After all, he also said that, ‘It is an unfortunate fact that we can secure peace only by preparing for war.’ I presume that may look a little different in 2025 from the 1960s. Even so, it’s not a prospect any of us will relish.
For those of us simply getting on with life and who are still wrapping our heads about the two pieces of legislation that went through UK Parliament recently, which sound so compassionate but seem full of sinister Orwell double-speak, it feels like a good week to take to our beds and hide under the duvet.
But this morning I read these words in Psalm 75: ‘You say, ‘I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.’
There are many things I don’t understand in this broken world and choices that I don’t get to make. My MP certainly make the choice I advocated for. However, taking these words on board, I can choose to remember that God’s hands are the ultimate ones to call, ‘Time’ on history, and trust that His justice that will ultimately prevail, even if it doesn’t look like I prefer right now.
[All images provided by Unsplash: thanks to florida memory; James Giddins, Jakob Owens and Arnaud Mariat]
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