How much can materialism bring a man down? I think it brings him down to his lowest point where he considers a life's value as worthless.
I will take it backwards....
Current war in Lebanon - Lives lost: 472 (Lebanon) + 47 (Israel)
Reason: 2 soldiers kidnapped Prisioners in Israel: more than 10,000 (inclusing women and children).
This was clearly demostrates how much powerful regimes value an opressed/weak coutries population. Instead of targetting millitants, civilians and U.N. peacekeepers are being targetted. World's opinion/voice/concerns are not being heard. This is height of arrogance and shows how much these countries value life.
War in Iraq - lives lost: I lost the count, but it is in thousands with more still getting killed everyday.
Reason: To despose a ruler who was not in line with powerful regimes and to gain control over Oil.
Cost: USD 300 billions and count increasing forever (http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182)
War on Iraq has not served any purpose apart from getting thousands of people killed and paving way for countless more to die in future.
War in Afghanistan - lives lost: I lost the count, but it is in thousands with more still getting killed everyday.
Reason: To get oil route opened up by putting a puppet government. To destroy terrorist base.
Cost: USD 500 billions and count increasing forever.
War on Afghanistan has not served any purpose apart for putting up a puppet government. On the contarary it has galvanised people's opinion, either towards the side of Bush or towards the side of Laden.
All the other wars before that. Millions of lives lost. Trillions of dollars spent and infrastructure destroyed. Harm not done just to man made structures, mother nature also not spared.
Is this all justified. Not at all.
Instead of spending $800 billion (from just last two wars) in killing people and destroying things, if that money would have been spent on infrastructure development, primary health care, primary education (to all in world), housing needs and for research against diseases, there had not been any need for wars. For Bush, there had not been al-Qaida, as there would not have been disgrunted people ready to die for Laden. For Laden, there would not have been US as enemy #1. As this country would have been treating less privileged people and helping their with lives. Better this earth and people who abode this planet, the ultimate creation of God.
In Islam, there are detailed rules of war. On the Day of Judgement, all those who broke the rules will be answerable.
"If any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people" - Quran 5:32
"Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors." - Quran 2:190
"Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman... She was not fighting. How then she came to be killed?" - Prophet Mohammed (p.b.u.h.)
Abu Bakr, the first caliph or successor to Prophet Mohammed established a detailed set of rules for Islamic conduct in war. He gave these instructions to an Islamic army setting out for Syria, then still part of the Byzantine Empire:
"Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules for your guidance in the battlefield. Do not commit treachery or deviate from the right path. You must not mutilate dead bodies. Neither kill a child, nor a woman, nor an aged man. Bring no harm to the trees, nor burn them with fire, especially those which are fruitful. Slay not any of the enemy's flock, save for your food. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic services; leave them alone"
