NATO has been successful in stopping the possibility of war in western Europe. But it has its limits. Take Ukraine for example. If Ukraine had belonged to NATO, Putin wouldn’t have invaded. Ukraine would have remained peaceful and prospering, a tourist destination. Instead, Russia has war-crimed Ukraine into destruction and holocaust.
Today we have other democracies that are threatened by its neighbors that could also use protection like the NATO alliance offers. Taiwan, Israel, Sweden, South Korea, Japan, and lesser known threatened democracies in Africa, and South and Central America.
The United Nations has not measured up to what was hoped for. It has no teeth to enforce its principles. Consequently it has devolved instead of evolved into a global organization that cannot prevent or stop unjust wars and incursions. Nor can it deter terrorism as we have just seen committed by Hamas in Israel. In fact some member countries seem to support this group that tortures, butchers, indiscriminately murders, and holds hostage innocent men, women, and children, and treats its own people with disdain by using them as human shields in military targets while its leaders lead lavish lives elsewhere.
I propose that an organization be formed that welcomes as its members any and all countries who have democratic and humane governments, who care for its people, have demonstrated a peace-loving, live and let live nature, who make an effort to combat global warming and climate change, who are tolerant of peace-loving ethnic and religious minorities, who honor all people such as LGBTQ, women, children, the disabled, and who strive to always advance the cause of basic human and civil rights, including the right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, medical care, proper food, clothing, and shelter.
This GTO will have a substantial military force which includes any means to counteract threats that arise in any member democratic nation. As with NATO, an attack on any member nation is an attack on all and requires immediate intervention. NATO has thus far prevented wide scale war in Europe. The GTO will prevent war anywhere where democracy flourishes. And if a country veers away from democracy towards fascism, it may well be summarily voted out of the organization.
I don’t have all the answers as to how this organization will run. I am an older fellow and a mere harbinger. I hope to start a discussion around the efficacy of such a global organization. I feel it will deter what Putin is doing, for example. It will deter what Hamas just did. It will deter what Israeli settlers are doing in the West Bank. It will deter the threats of a Kim Jung Un. It will deter what China may do to Taiwan or is doing to its Muslim population. It will deter what Myanmar is doing to its citizens. And it will deter what is happening throughout the politically unsettled Africa.
Will it solve all problems throughout the world. No, of course not. But it might just make this a more democratic, more humane, more hopeful world. We are now at a crossroads. One way leads to fascism and oppression. Another way leads to democracy and freedom. And yet another way leads to apathy, anomie, ignorance, and a consequent totalitarian world not unlike that described in Orwell’s 1984 or that which Hitler would have created if he had been successful.
Which road will we take? The road of the Steve Bannons, the Donald Trumps, the Marjorie Taylor Greens, the Matt Gaetzs, the Jim Jordans, the MAGA cult, the Putins, the Xis, the Orbans, the Ron DeSantis’s, the animalistic road of Hamas? Or the road of the Liz Cheneys, the Cassidy Hutchinsons, the Joe Bidens, the Fani Willis’s, the Jack Smiths. The road of calumny or the road of courage. The road to peace and prosperity or the road to chaos and destruction.
A Global Treaty Organization. Think about it. Discuss it. Let’s make it happen. We sorely need it. We sorely do need it.
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