Akuyona into eyodwa esivame ukuyikholelwa ngezimpi ezizozigcina ziyiqiniso. Izimpi azikwazi ukuhle noma ezikhazimulayo. Futhi angeke baqinisekiswe njengendlela yokuthola ukuthula noma yini enye yexabiso. Izizathu ezinikezwe izimpi, ngaphambi, ngesikhathi, nangemva kwazo (ngokuvamile izizathu ezintathu ezihlukene kakhulu zempi efanayo) zonke ziyiqiniso. Kuyinto evamile ukucabanga ukuthi, ngoba singeke sifike empini ngaphandle kwesizathu esihle, siye ekulweni, kumelwe nje sibe nesizathu esihle. Lokhu kudinga ukuguqulwa. Ngenxa yokuthi ayikho isizathu esihle sempi, siye empini, sihlanganyela emangeni.

Umngane ohlakaniphile kakhulu wangitshela ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba i-2003 engekho umongameli waseMelika owake waqamba amanga ngezizathu zempi. Omunye, onolwazi oluncane kakhulu, wangitshela ukuthi i-United States yayingenayo izinkinga ngempi yempi noma izimpi ezingathandeki phakathi kwe-1975 ne-2003. Ngithemba ukuthi le ncwadi izosiza ukusetha irekhodi ngqo. "Impi esekelwe emangeni" iyindlela ehamba phambili yokuthi "impi." Amanga ayingxenye yephakheji ejwayelekile.

Amanga ahamba phambili futhi ahamba nezimpi ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka, kodwa empini yekhulu leminyaka liye labulala kakhulu. Izisulu zalo manje ngokuyinhloko ezingewona abahlanganyeli, ngokuvamile zivame ukuphela kolunye uhlangothi lwempi. Ngisho nabahlanganyeli abavela ohlangothini oluphambili bangadonsela kubantu abaphoqelelwe ukuba balwe futhi behlukaniswe nalabo abenza izinqumo mayelana noma bazuze empini. Abahlanganyeli abasinda empini banamathuba amaningi manje ukuthi baqeqeshwe futhi bahlelwe ukwenza izinto abangenakuphila ngazo. Ngamafuphi, impi efana nokubulawa kwabantu abaningi, kufana nesimo sethu sezomthetho ngokuvinjelwa kwempi ku-Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact e-1928, i-Charter United Nations Charter ku-1945, nesinqumo se-International Criminal Court sokushushisa ubugebengu ukuhlukumeza ku-2010. Izimpikiswano okungenzeka zanele ukulungisa izimpi esikhathini esidlule kungenzeka zingenjalo manje. Amanga empi manje manje ayingozi kakhulu. Kodwa, njengoba sizobona, izimpi zazingakaze zenzeke.

Impi evikelayo ihlala isemthethweni, ngisho noma ingekho ukuziphatha. Kodwa noma yimiphi impi evikelayo nayo impi yokuhlukunyezwa okungemthetho kusuka kolunye uhlangothi. Zonke izinhlangothi kuzo zonke izimpi, ngisho nezimpi ezinezihlukumezi ezimbili ezicacile, zihlale zithi zizenza ngokuzivikela. Abanye empeleni bangabantu. Lapho ukuhlaselwa ngamandla kwezempi kuhlanga olubuthakathaka futhi oluhluphekayo oluphakathi komhlaba wonke, labo abahlukumezayo bangase bamanga amanga - ngabahlukumezi, ngamathemba abo okunqoba, ngezenzo ezimbi abazenzayo, mayelana nemivuzo yabafel 'ukholo epharadesi, njll, - kodwa akudingeki ukuba amanga impi ibe khona; sekufikile kubo. Amanga adala izimpi, futhi amanga avumela impi ukuba ihlale enye yamathuluzi ethu enqubomgomo yomphakathi, kumele iqondiswe ngaphambi kwanoma yimuphi omunye.

Leli bhuku aligxile kakhulu kodwa kakhulu, ezimpi zase-United States, ngoba i-United States iyizwe lami futhi ngoba liyiyona ehamba phambili impi emhlabeni manje. Abantu abaningi ezweni lakithi bathambekele ekungenikeleni okunempilo noma ngisho nokuzethemba ngokweqile kokungakholelwa uma kuziwa ezitatimendeni uhulumeni wethu akwenza nganoma yini enye ngaphandle kwezimpi. Emithethweni, Ukuphepha Komphakathi, ukunakekelwa kwezempilo, noma izikole kuvele ngaphandle kokuthi: Izikhulu ezikhethiwe ziyiqembu labaqambimanga.

Uma kuziwa ezimpini, abanye abantu abanjalo bazimisele ukukholelwa zonke izicelo ezithandwayo ezivela eWashington, DC, nokucabanga ukuthi zizicabangela zona. Abanye baphikisana nesimo sengqondo esilalelayo nesingenabuzwayo ngokuthi "uMlawuli wethu oyinhloko," elandela indlela yokuziphatha ejwayelekile phakathi kwamasosha. Bayakhohlwa ukuthi ngentando yeningi "thina bantu" kufanele siphethe. Bakhohlwa nokuthi yini esikwenzayo kumasosha aseJalimane namaJapane emva kweMpi Yezwe II, naphezu kokuvikeleka kwabo ngokuthembeka kokulandela imiyalo yabo. Noma kunjalo abanye abantu abaqiniseki ukuthi yini okufanele bacabange mayelana nezingxabano ezenziwe ukusekela izimpi. Leli bhuku liqondiswe kulabo abacabanga ngalo ngokwabo.

Igama elithi "impi" ligxila ezingqondweni zabantu abaningi i-US Civil War noma iMpi Yezwe I. Sizwa ukubhekisisa okuqhubekayo "empini" njengokungathi izimpi zikhona ikakhulukazi ezihilelekile ngamabili amabutho ahlangene emkhatsini ovulekile. Ezinye zezimpi zanamuhla zibhekwa ngokweqile ngokuthi "imisebenzi" futhi zingabonwa kangcono njengoba umdwebo kaJackson Pollock onemibala emihle yonke indawo, omunye omelela ibutho elimnyama, owesibili omelela isitha, nesithathu esimele izakhamuzi ezingenacala - imibala yesibili nowesithathu ihlukaniswa kuphela komunye nomunye usebenzisa i-microscope.

Kodwa imisebenzi eshisayo ehilela udlame oluqhubekayo kumele ihlukaniswe nemisebenzi eminingi ebandayo ehlanganisa amabutho angaphandle ahlale emazweni ahlangene. Futhi yini ongayenza ngokusebenza okubandakanya ukuqhunyiswa kwamabhomu okuqhubekayo kwesizwe esivela e-drones engabanjwanga ehlolwa ngamadoda nabesifazane ngaphesheya kwezwe? Ingabe leyo mpi? Ingabe izigebengu zangasese ezithunyelwe kwamanye amazwe ukuze zisebenze intando yabo nazo zihlanganyela empini? Kuthiwani ngokubamba isimo se-proxy futhi sikhuthaze ukuba siqalise ukuhlaselwa kumakhelwane noma abantu bakubo? Kuthiwani ngokuthengisa izikhali ezizweni ezinonya emhlabeni wonke noma ukuhambisa ukusakazeka kwezikhali zenuzi? Mhlawumbe akuwona wonke izenzo ezinjengezimpi ezingenabulungisa empilweni yempi. Kodwa eziningi yizinyathelo okufanele zisebenzise imithetho yempi yasekhaya nasemhlabeni wonke nokuthi kufanele sithole ulwazi lomphakathi nokulawula. Esikhathini sikahulumeni wase-US, isishayamthetho akufanele sigweme amandla omthethosisekelo wempi kubongameli ngoba nje ukuvela kwezimpi kuye kwashintsha. Abantu akufanele balahlekelwe ilungelo labo lokukwazi ukuthi uhulumeni wabo wenzani, ngoba nje izenzo zawo ziyimpi ngaphandle kokulwa impi.

Ngenkathi le ncwadi igxile ezintweni ezinikezwe izimvo ezinikezwe izimpi, kuyiphikisana nokuthula. Abantu akufanele bavumele amalungu enkomfa ukuba axoshe ihhovisi ngaphandle kokuchaza izikhundla zabo ekuxhasweni kwezimpi, kuhlanganise nezimpi ezingekho emthethweni eziqukethe izigameko eziphindaphindiwe ze-drone noma eziqhumeni ezizweni zangaphandle, kuhlanganise nezimpi ezisheshayo eziza ngesikhathi seCongress, futhi kuhlanganise nezimpi eside kakhulu ukuthi amathelevishini ethu akhohlwe ukusikhumbuza asaqhubeka.

Umphakathi wase-US ungase uphikise kakhulu izimpi manje kunanini ngaphambili, umphumela wenqubo esithathile iminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu nesigamu. Impi ye-Anti-war yayiphezulu kakhulu phakathi kwezimpi zomhlaba ezimbili, kodwa manje isungulwe ngokuqinile. Nokho, ihluleka lapho ibhekana nezimpi lapho abantu baseMelika abambalwa befa khona. Ukushona okuncane kokufa kwe-US ngesonto ngalinye empini engapheli sekuyingxenye yezwe lethu elizwe. Ukulungiselela impi yonke indawo futhi kungavamile ukubuzwa.

Siphinde sigcwele izidakamizwa kunanini ngaphambili. Izimboni kanye nezimboni zayo zokusekela zidla isabelo esikhulu ngokwengeziwe somnotho, ukuhlinzeka ngemisebenzi ngenhloso yokusabalalisa kuzo zonke izifunda zombuso. Abaqashi bezempi nabakhangisi abaqashiwe bayabonakala. Imicimbi yezemidlalo kwithelevishini yamukelwa "amalungu e-United States amabutho ahlomile abuka emazweni e-177 emhlabeni wonke" futhi akekho umuntu owehlisayo. Lapho izimpi ziqala, uhulumeni wenza noma yini okufanele ayenze ukuze akhombise okwanele umphakathi ukusekela izimpi. Lapho umphakathi uphendulela impi, uhulumeni uphikelela ukucindezela ukuletha ekupheleni okusheshayo. Eminye iminyaka ezimpi e-Afghanistan nase-Iraq, iningi labantu baseMelika latshela abantu ukuthi bekuyiphutha ukuqala enye yalezi zimpi. Kodwa izikhulu ezinkulu ezisekelwe kalula zazisekela lezo mphutha lapho zenziwe.

Kuze kube yizimpi zomhlaba ezimbili, izizwe zazifuna ukuzidela okukhulu kunabo bonke abantu babo ukuze basekele impi. Namuhla, icala lezempi kumele linqobe ukuphikisa kwabantu ekuphikisweni abazi ukuthi baye bakhohlisile esikhathini esidlule. Kodwa, ukuze basekele impi, abantu akudingeki baqiniseke ukuthi bayazidela kakhulu, babhalise, babhalise ukuze babhale, bakhule ukudla kwabo, noma banciphise ukusetshenziswa kwabo. Kumelwe nje baqiniseke ukuthi bangenzi lutho, noma ikakhulu ukutshela abantu abashayela ucingo ukuthi basekela impi. Abaongameli abasithatha izimpi zomhlaba ezimbili futhi bajula kakhulu empini yeVietnam bathethwa ngokuthi bazosigcina, njengoba nje babona izinzuzo zezombangazwe zokungena.

Ngesikhathi seGulf War (futhi emva kukaNdunankulu waseBrithani uMargaret Thatcher ukuqinisa izwe ngenkathi esheshayo impi ye-1982 ne-Argentina phezu kwezilwane zaseFalkland) ithemba lokuthola ukhetho, okungenani ezimpini ezisheshayo, lase libuse ukucabanga kwezepolitiki. UMengameli uBill Clinton wayemangalelwa kakhulu, ngokunembile noma cha, ngokuqala izenzo zezempi ukuphazamisa ezenzweni zakhe. UGeorge W. Bush akazange enze imfihlo yokulamba kwakhe empini ngesikhathi eqhuba umengameli, ekhishwa enkulumweni yeDisemba 1999 enkundleni yaseNew Hampshire Primary, okuyinto abezindaba abaphetha ngayo ukuthi uyomnqoba, "Ngizomkhipha, ngiphume izikhali zokubhujiswa okukhulu. . . . Ngimangalisa ukuthi usekhona lapho. "UBush wabe esetshela iThe New York Times ukuthi wayezosho ukuthatha" ukukhipha "ngokubhekisela ezikhali, hhayi umbusi wase-Iraq. Ukhetho lukaMengameli uBarack Obama wathembisa ukuqeda impi eyodwa kodwa ukwandisa enye futhi yandisa umshini wokwenza impi.

Lo mshini ushintshile phakathi neminyaka, kodwa ezinye izinto azikho. Le ncwadi ibheka izibonelo zalokho engithathayo ukuze ngibe yizigaba eziyinhloko zempi, izibonelo ezithathwe emhlabeni jikelele nasemakhulwini eminyaka. Ngingahle ngihlele le ndaba ngokulandelana kwesikhathi futhi ngabize isahluko ngasinye impi ethile. Inqubo enjalo yayiyobe ingapheli futhi iphinde iphinde iphelelwe isikhathi. Kwakuyokhipha i-encyclopedia lapho lokho engicabanga ukuthi kuyadingeka kwakuyi-guidebook, indlela-kumbhalo okumele usebenze ekuvimbeleni nasekupheleni kwezimpi. Uma ufuna ukuthola konke engikufake mayelana nempi ethile, ungasebenzisa inkomba ngemuva kwencwadi. Ngincoma, noma kunjalo, ngifunda le ncwadi ngokuqondile ukuze ngilandele i-debunking yezingqikithi ezivamile empi yebhizinisi elibhekene nebhizinisi, amanga aqhubeka ebuyela njengeZombies angeke afe.

Leli bhuku lihlose ukuveza amanga azo zonke izinkolelo ezingavumelani nezingezansi ezinikezwe izimpi. Uma le ncwadi iphumelela ekuhlosweni kwayo, ngesikhathi esizayo impi ehlongozwayo ngeke kube nesidingo sokulinda ukuze ubone ukuthi izizathu zokulunga ziyiqiniso yini. Sizokwazi ukuthi bangamanga, futhi sizokwazi ukuthi noma ngabe beyiqiniso ngeke basebenze njengezizathu ezizwakalayo. Abanye bethu babengazi ukuthi kwakungekho izikhali e-Iraq nokuthi ngisho noma ngabe bekungeke kube nokulwa kwemithetho ngokomthetho noma ngokomthetho.

Ukuqhubekela phambili, umgomo wethu kufanele ube ukulungiswa kwempi ngandlela-thile: kufanele silungele ukulahla amanga angase athuthukise noma aqhubeke nempi. Lokhu yilokho okwenziwe ngabantu abaningi baseMelika ngokuqamba amanga nge-Iran iminyaka eminingi ngemva kokuhlasela kwe-Iraq. Ukulungela kwethu kufanele kufaka impendulo ekulungele kule nkinga enzima kakhulu yokuphikisa: ukuthula. Uma kungekho mpikiswano kunoma yikuphi ukushaya ibhomu ePakistan, i-pro-war side izuza ngokuzenzakalelayo. Akufanele sikhuthaze nje ukuma kodwa nokuvimbela izimpi, zombili izenzo ezidinga ukufaka ukucindezela kulabo abasemandleni, into ehluke kakhulu ekukholiseni ababukeli abaqotho.

Noma kunjalo, ukukholisa ababukeli beqiniso kuyindawo okufanele uqale ngayo. Impi ifika kuzo zonke izimo nobukhulu, futhi ngiziqoqe kulokho engibona njengezihloko ezivelele ezahlukweni ezilandelayo. Umqondo "wamanga amakhulu" wukuthi abantu abazokwazi ukutshela kalula izinhlanzi ezincane kunabanikazi abaqhamukayo bazobe besaba kakhulu ukungabaza amanga amakhulu komunye umuntu kunokungabaza okuncane. Kodwa akulona nje ubukhulu bamanga obubalulekile, ngicabanga, ikakhulukazi uhlobo. Kungaba buhlungu ukuqaphela ukuthi abantu obabheka njengabaholi njengendlela yokuchitha izimpilo zabantu ngokungenasisekelo. Kungaba mnandi kakhulu ukucabanga ukuthi ngeke neze benze into enjalo, noma ngabe ucabanga ukuthi lokhu kudinga ukusula amaqiniso athile owaziwayo kusuka ekuzileni kwakho. Ububunzima abukho ekukholweni ukuthi bangatshela amanga amakhulu, kodwa ekukholweni ukuthi bazokwenza ubugebengu obukhulu.

Izizathu ezivame ukunikezelwa izimpi akuzona zonke izizathu zomthetho hhayi zonke izizathu zokuziphatha. Abavumelani ngaso sonke isikhathi, kepha ngokuvamile bahlinzekwa ngokuhlanganiswa noma kunjalo, njengoba bebanxusa emaqenjini ahlukene abasekeli abangaba yimpi. Siyakutshela ukuthi izimpi zilwa nabantu abademoni ababi noma abahlukumezi asebehlasele kakade noma bangase bakwenze ngokushesha. Ngakho-ke, senza ngokuvikela. Abanye bethu bathanda ukubona bonke abantu besitha njengababi, kanti abanye babeka icala kuhulumeni wabo kuphela. Ukuze abanye abantu banikeze ukusekela kwabo, izimpi kumele zibonwe njengobuntu, zilwela abantu abathile abanye abalandeli bempi efanayo bafuna ukubona ukucinywa ebusweni bomhlaba. Naphezu kwezimpi zaba izenzo ezinjalo zokupha, siyaziqaphela ukuthi singenakugwema. Sitshelwa futhi sikholwe ukuthi ayikho enye inhlobo. Impi ingase ibe yinto enyantisayo, kodwa siphoqelelwe kuyo. Abaqhawe bethu bangamaqhawe, kanti labo ababeka le nqubomgomo banesisusa esihle kunazo zonke futhi bafaneleka kangcono kunathi sonke ukwenza izinqumo ezibucayi.

Uma sekukhona impi, noma kunjalo, asiyikuqhubeka nayo ukuze sinqobe izitha ezimbi noma sinikeze izinzuzo; siyaqhubeka izimpi ngokuyinhloko ukuze amasosha ethu asetshenziswe "empini," inqubo esiyibiza ngokuthi "ukusekela amabutho." Futhi uma sifuna ukuqeda impi engathandeki, senza lokho ngokuyandisa. Ngakho-ke sifinyelele "ukunqoba," esingazethemba amathelevishini ethu ukuze asitshele ngokunembile. Ngakho-ke senza izwe elingcono futhi sisekele umthetho wokubusa. Sivimbela izimpi ezizayo ngokuqhubeka nezikhona futhi silungiselela njalo.

Noma-ke sithanda ukukholelwa.