PERSPECTIVE: Only forgiveness can snuff the destructive flames of war - Opinion: "War is a waste of resources. It is a waste of human energy and talent, a waste of money that that could have been spent on education, health or other important domestic issues and a waste of time. Wars never solve problems, they just create new ones. They only create situations on the ground that will remain as long as the force that created them exists and, the moment this force gets weaker, old and new situations arise. It is cooperation and forgiveness that allow humanity to continue despite the mistakes of war. The 'losers' forgive the 'winners' or they are just waiting for the right moment to retaliate.

War is a stupid, uncreative, uncivilized, backward and primitive act. It is like people solving their problems in the town by beating each other instead of going to the police. The world is just a large town and we are all citizens in this world.

All wars should be criminalized and considered acts of terrorism regardless of the agenda of those who want to start them. The United Nations should have an international police force to stop aggressors and try them publicly in the court of international law. The United Nations should be reformed. Finally, I suggest an international day of apology in which individuals and countries apologize for the wrongs they did to other nations and individuals. A new education of responsibility and creative problem-solving should be introduced in the culture, not just the education of violence, revenge and power.

We need to build our children from psychological material that is not flammable, that will not catch fire when someone comes with a good speech or smart ideology and try to start the fires of war. Look inside yourself and see what flammable material"
Is it nationalism, racism, fear, anger or is it just loss of hope in your life and its meaning? Wars can create pride and meaning for a short while, but after that, one will be left with the truth: One human life is not worth more than another, and wars will not make anyone live for eternity. Justice brings peace, wars just creates lies.

Majed Ashy is a psychology lecturer at Boston University MET College and a research fellow of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School
FROM the BU Free Press