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A DAY OF PEACE

This is not really a nautical Post, yet in a way one supposes it is. With all the news of fighting in North Africa and the Middle East NAUTICAL LOG got into one of those introspective moods which persons of 75 tend to get into at times giving a sigh and saying 'here we go once again'. One of my children or grandchildren asked "when was there peace ?". Going into 'Google' to research NAUTICAL LOG tried to look for a 'Day of Peace' in my lifetime from birth in 1936 until today 2011. This is what was found:

Starting in 1936:

Italy's Invasion of Ethiopia
Stalin's Purges in Soviet Union.
Spanish Civil War. (Our family involved)
Japanese invasion of China.
WORLD WAR II 1939-1945. (Our family directly involved)
Chinese Civil War.
Greek Civil War.
French Vietnam War. (Our family involved)
Partition of India and formation of Pakistan.
Taiwan uprising against the Kuomintang.
Colombian Civil War.
Arab-Israeli Wars 1948-1973.
Indian Muslims-Hindus.
Mainland China-Tibet.
KOREAN WAR 1950-1953.
Kenya's Mau-Mau insurrection.
French Algerian War 1954-1962. (Our family directly involved)
Mao's "Great Leap Forward" massacre.
South Africa-South African National Congress 1960-1990.
Guatemala Civil War.
Indonesia-West Papua/Irian.
Kurds-Iraq.
Mozambique Frelimo vs Portugal.
USA-VIETNAM 1964-1973. (Our family involved)
Second India-Pakistan War over Kashmir.
Indonesian Civil War.
Nigeria-Biafra Civil War. (Our family involved)
Rhodesia Civil War.
Philippines-New Peoples Army.
Idi Amin Uganda.
IRA-Northern Ireland Civil War. (no comment on this one)
Francisco Macias Nguema, Equatorial Guinea.
Pakistan-Bangladesh Civil War.
Philippines-Moro Islamic Liberation Front and others.
Burundi Civil War Rhodesia/Zimbabwe Civil War.
Menghitsu, Ethopia.
Khmer Rouge, Cambodia massacre.
Lebanon Civil War.
Laos Civil War.
Angolan Civil War.
Argentina Military Regime massacres & Falklands War. (Our family involved)
Mozambique Civil War.
Indonesia-Aceh (GAM) Civil War.
Vietnam-China War.
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Iraq-Iran War. (Our family directly involved)
Sendero Luminoso-Peru Civil War. (Our family involved)
Kurds-Turkey.
Nicaragua-Contras.
Hissene Habre, Chad.
Sri-Lanka Civil War.
Sudanese Civil War.
Indian Kashmir Civil War.
Palestinian Intifada.
Afghanistan Civil War.
Somalia Civil War.
Liberian Civil Wa.r (Our family directly involved)
Uganda-Lords Resistance Army.
GULF WAR Coalition-Iraq to liberate Kuwait.
Congo Civil War.
Sierra Leone Civil War (Our family directly involved)
Russia-Chechnya Civil War.
Armenia-Azerbaijan War.
Tajikistan Civil War.
Yugoslavian Wars. (Our family directly involved)
Algerian Civil War.
Congo Brazzaville Civil War.
Burundi Civil War.
Rwanda Civil War.
Pakistani Sunnis-Shiites.
Maoist rebellion in Nepal.
Congo/Zaire War, Rwanda & Uganda-Zimbabwe, Angola & Namibia.
Ethiopia-Eritrea War.
Kosovo Liberation War, NATO-Serbia.
Afghanistan Liberation War USA & UK-Taliban.
Cote d'Ivoire Civil War.
Second Iraq War-SA & UK & later Australia-Saddam Hussein.
Sudan-SPLM& Eritrea.
Yemen-Shiite Muslims.
Thailand-Muslim separatists.

Deaths total 160 million persons but this is only an estimate, it is most likely well in excess of that number.

March 26, 2011:

Fighting continues in Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorist acts in Israel and Palestine, civil disturbances throughout North Africa and the Middle East, in Libya a "No-Fly Zone" is being enforced (ongoing).

Altogether a pretty sobering list is it not.

Between the overlaps of the various conflicts several still on-going and the major Wars plus worldwide acts of terrorism NAUTICAL LOG could not find a single 'Day of Peace' in a lifetime of 75 years to date. However we are still hopeful !!

Good Watch.

Please remember the seafarers held captive by pirates off Somalia - let us work for their freedom

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