Millennium Development, Poverty, and War

Lebanon serves as the perfect example. Lebanon, you may recall, struggled for fifteen years under civil war from 1975 to 1990. Although Beirut was laid to ruin, most of the fighting was centered in the south. When the war ended, Lebanon sputtered forward with development. For the last fifteen years, Lebanon has been rebuilding its war torn economy and was considered on the road to meeting the Millennium Development Goals. All that Lebanon was able to achieve in meeting the goals was wiped out in less than 30 days of fighting. Damages are estimated to be at least $15 billion. The bombing, which damaged the water and sewer systems, has made clean water a precious commodity that few can afford. Israel, which still maintains a blockade of Lebanon's borders and ports, has made the relief supplies into Lebanon trickle in in small amounts. The villages of Southern Lebanon are the hardest hit. War only increases the troubles of the poor.

In more prosperous communities, the effect is the same. Merchants in Beirut suffer from the closing of the Beirut airport, and the lack of tourist dollars. The fisherman sit idly by as a giant oil slick darkens Lebanon's coast and threatens their economic well being. Lebanon, which was struggling under a mountain of debt before, will only struggle more.

The long term damage is not only felt in economic terms. Two weeks after the cease fire, the fighting may have stopped but cluster bombs still litter the land. Unicef reports that children have been killed, while the BBC simply notes that many have been injured.

War makes poverty flourish, and afflicts the poor more than any other group. To those in the Middle East, arguments on whether Israel was justified in attacking Lebanon mean little. They see and feel the poverty and destruction created, and curse their oppressors. And who should step in to supply the people of Lebanon with aid and support? Iran and Hezbollah. The Israeli defense minister has noted that Israel's blockade of aid to Lebanon has only increased support for Hezbollah. 'When your enemies are hungry, feed them.' We can continue to look at war in one dimensional terms, or we can start to recognize the poverty and destruction that we create when we wage war. Creating poverty is not only contrary to the UN Millennium Development Goals, but it is also contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ.