Why Do We Need The Military?

Another year is coming to its end. All those who believe there's another day to live after the Maya calender might think about what to wish for the next year. World peace is surely ranked somewhere at the top of the bucket list. There are however different opinions on how to achieve that goal. Probably not too many would immediately think about the military, since war has little to do with peace. Does it?

I invite everyone to watch the following video. Lieutenant General Peter van Uhm, army commander of the Netherlands, explained during a 2011 TEDex talk (in English) why armed forces are needed to support peace and stability. His talk also reminds everyone, also the pacifist who can speak, enjoy education and travel freely without fear, to respect and support those who risk their life for the freedom of others.

You might think it's easy for a General to speak fancy words about sacrifice and the price to pay for freedom. Well, he knows exactly what he's talking about. Three years before this talk, lieutenant Dennis van Uhm, his 23 years old son, was killed in Afghanistan.

TEDxAmsterdam 2011 - Peter van Uhm

The biggest opponent of war is the soldier, for he knows what war can cause. I'm convinced that LTG Peter van Uhm represents that category of soldiers and veterans.

I would like to share with you another video, from Vukovar in the 1990s. Once a beautiful historical city in former Yugoslavia and now part of Croatia, this city is no more than 1200 Km (745 mi) away from Belgium, my peaceful country in the middle of Europe. Back then, we were stationed in Vukovar, to keep Serbs and Croats apart. I can assure you that everyone who has witnessed at first-hand what war can do, becomes an advocate of peace.

Or as Laurence Binyon said in 1914, lest we forget...

Rekvijem za Vukovar - Requiem for Vukovar