Wars are divisive, for observers.

Russia/Ukraine
Israel/Gaza

Wars are of course horrible and terrible, and it is human nature to try and rationsalise them.

• Poor Russia was feeling boxed in by NATO
  The Gaza folk lived in a prison camp and were being murdered

The Israel “problem” has been there forever, and maybe it is just that I am more political now, or maybe it is the rise of social media, but this time it feels like more people, many more people, have an opinion, and are rooting for one side or the other, internationally.

• The poor Jews, picked on for Millenia, have a right to defend themselves, or even payback
• The poor Palestinians, of course they fought back, they are impoverished and effectively in prison.

It is clear and obvious that the MAGA right-wing nut-jobs are cheering on Israel and Russia. They like aggression, they like to back the powerful. Meanwhile lefties tend to back the underdogs. The “losers”.

My question is this: is there a middle ground?

I would estimate that 90% of people are rooting for one side or the other, and have a convenient sentence or two that explains their choice. I would estimate that almost nobody has considered that both sides are right and both are wrong. I suggest that these wars are created by a very few or even one person, and they are more about someone’s delusions and insecurities than anything else.

It doesn’t help that wars require money, and the modern way is “proxy wars”. Iran supports Hamas, while the US supports Israel. Consequently, politicians take sides (overtly or subtly) and that flows down to the general public. I stand with Ukraine!

It is of course as a spectrum. We need more people to acknowledge that.

• Ukraine does have Nazis, and they are tolerated. Most Ukrainians are not Nazis.
• Hamas are terrorists. They are not the elected representatives.

We need to allow ourselves to say that Israel and Hamas are both wrong. “Sitting on the fence” sounds weak, but choosing sides when both are in the wrong, that lacks imagination. Ideally a few leaders/politicians/influencers (Arnold Schwarzenegger is a great example) give us a sentence or two that makes fence sitting okay.

• This is a religious war, and it is sad that both sides hate each other so much, given that they have the same god and both admire Jesus.
• Putin is killing 100,000 people because he has psychological issues and wants to leave a legacy, AND Ukraine has some Nazis.

It is strong to not take sides. It takes thought and intelligence and care to get there.

War is wrong.