Civilians

The biggest myth about war is that it is between soldiers. The reality of war is that mothers, fathers, children, and even animals are more freqently killed, maimed, raped, diseased, and tortured than official "soldiers."

Even a modern military taking careful measures not to hurt a civilian population causes great damage. In Iraq, up to 1.4 million Iraqi people have been killed since the American invasion. In Gaza, far more innocent bystanders than Hamas soldiers were killed in the recent Israeli incursion.

In Congo and other African countries, the situation is even worse. Refugees and crimes against women and children are used as tools of warfare.

The old idea of soldiers fighting a war only with each other was always suspect. Today, it is time to put this idea to rest and for all of us to understand that war kills and maims ordinary people as much—or even more than—soldiers.

P:5Y works to communicate the reality that war is extremely horrific, so ending war is an urgent task for all of us.