War or Military Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

War or Military Conflict - Essay Example As the discussion stresses there was little discussion on the potential consequences to the environment, of destructive action by Saddam Hussein, if he went through with his threat to blow up the oil wells. This reveals how the potentially devastating impact of war on the environment and upon women are generally sidelined or accorded less importance in a war like situation, where the overriding concern becomes one of â€Å"national security†. From this discussion it is clear that the drive for power and territory can often be the major factor propelling countries into war. A state of war has continued in Sudan for many years now, exacerbated by religious and ethnic tensions in the region and the struggle for supremacy by each of these groups. In the case of the Iraq war, which was instigated by Saddam Hussein through his invasion of Kuwait, the underlying causal factors may have been â€Å"loss of oil share production† compared to other countries in the region with no economic aid and debt relief available from Iraq’s Arab neighbours. Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Iraq was therefore impelled by the motivation to gain a higher balance of power in the Middle East region. While it appears that the North-South referendum which is to take place may bring about autonomy for Darfur and a cessation of hostilities, there have undoubtedly been some unpleasant and damaging repercussions, both upon the environment as well as in terms of loss of human life and violation of human dignity. In the case of Iraq, the blowing up of the oil wells and the protracted war in Iraq have produced similar damaging repercussions on the environment and on women. This essay questions whether the ethical objectives of the Earth Charter in preservation of the environment and upholding human rights are being sustained and if not, what measures could be taken to do so.