Rich Geidel: Gaza and Ukraine — Stop both wars now

Two tragic wars are continuing unabated as I write this. In Gaza, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, many more have been wounded and their homes destroyed. In Ukraine, tens of thousands have been killed and the infrastructure laid waste. What is the common denominator of both of these awful areas of destruction and carnage?

In both cases, it is the U.S. supplying the bulk of the weapons and material aid that allows the killing without end. If the U.S. government truly cared about the people of Gaza and Ukraine, they would demand cease-fires and and negotiations and put teeth into those demands by stopping aid until they are met.

You might say,”But the Ukrainians are winning the war now, we can’t stop them now.” We have been hearing this song for many months now. As someone who watched the daily body counts during the Vietnam War and who heard the stories of glorious victories on the battlefield, let me tell you that we are not getting the full picture, and that this will be at best a long-term stalemate, to the detriment of all who live there.

Likewise, the Israelis will see no benefits from a war of bloody revenge. New Hamas fighters will only sprout from the wreckage of hatred and despair created by the massive bombings.

Rich Geidel

Florence