Brian Steidle, Frmr Captain, USMC, and author of The Devil Came on Horseback: Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur, on the need to obey the rules of war and look at the economic advantages of recommitting money from genocide prevention to development efforts.
"It would be an amazing place.
If people could respect human rights, if they would respect the law of war even in times of conflict; destroying villages, targeting certain people, using rape as a tool of war; if these things did not occur I think we would be much more civilized.
I do not believe that we will ever be able to stop armed conflict. I do not believe that we will ever be able to stop killing—whether that’s for personal vengeance; whether it’s to rob somebody; or whether it’s for large scale conflict over land, resources, or sovereignty. I do not believe that we will ever be able to stop that. I think that is a part of human nature. I wish it wasn’t, but it is.
But if we could respect the laws of war, and respect human rights of other individuals, only those people that have volunteered to go serve in a military force, volunteered to go defend those rights they believe in so dearly; they would be the only ones that would be affected by these conflicts; the only ones that would be killed.
You would eliminate the civilian casualties – the innocent bystanders that are so often targeted in conflict.
If there were no crimes against humanity, or human rights violations, or genocide, there would be thousands, if not tens of thousands of people that would not have a job. Hopefully they would be able to go concentrate their efforts and all that energy they have put behind this issue into something positive.
We spend hundreds of millions of dollars trying to prevent genocide, to raise awareness about genocide, to support those that are affected by genocide; and if genocide didn’t occur we would be able to spend that money on lifting people out of poverty. Lifting them to a better situation.
I’d like to think that we can accomplish that."
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