Wars have blighted lives since the beginning of mankind. These children playing on a disused tank highlight the awfulness of it, as innocent young victims make the best of a desperate situation. There is often seen to be no alternative when a tyrant invades, or an entire group is threatened with genocide.
Afghanistan
What happened in Afghanistan after September 11 (the bombing of the World Trade Center led to an accusation that the people responsible were being shielded by the Taliban government in Afghanistan, so America and Britain led a series of air strikes)? Was this a new war (there has been conflict in Afghanistan for many years, based on long tribal rivalries; the Northern Alliance was already fighting a civil war against the Taliban)? Find Afghanistan on the map and look for nearby countries, such as Pakistan and Iran. What sort of country is it (very poor, mountains and desert, blighted by drought and famine)?
Hope and despair
Look at the expressions on the children’s faces; what might they be thinking? What do you think is desperate (destruction, lack of opportunity, loss of childhood) and what is hopeful (people are resilient, humanitarian aid will flow in when the war is over, children have their lives ahead of them so they may get their chance, girls were not allowed to go to school under the Taliban)? What could we do to help children after the war (international charitable bodies can provide food, homes, clothing, education; give tocollect money for relief agencies; establish links between our schools and those in war areas)? What are the alternatives to war (negotiation, diplomacy, dealing with quarrels before they get out of hand)?
Children
How does war affect children (lack of food; loss of parents, relatives and friends; destruction of homes and key buildings; personal injury)? Children are very adaptable, so what do you think you might need to do if you lived in a country where there was a war (fend for yourself, grow up fast, be able to cook, use your ingenuity, keep your spirits up)? Which of these do you think you would do well and which badly?
Writing
(a) Imagine you are a child in this picture. Describe what you are thinking, how you spend your time, what there is to look forward to; (b) write a letter to the children in the picture, saying whatever you feel is appropriate, from your point of view.
Ted Wragg is professor of education at Exeter University TALKING POINTS
Wars are horrible, but do they always have to be “dirty”?
For Once war has begun there is no alternative to the horrors we have seen historically, other than surrender, and it is hypocritical to pretend otherwise. Death and the destruction of land and property inevitably follow war. The only “clean” war would be diplomacy, but that has often failed to prevent conflict.
Against
War can range from token fighting to nuclear holocaust. The Geneva Convention is just one attempt to strip war of its worst features. Although an imperfect solution, it is possible to avoid bombing innocent civilians, to concentrate on strategic targets such as airports and vehicles not people, and to terminate conflict at the earliest opportunity.
