As the war in the Middle East rages on, recurring questions comes to mind: To what end? What are we fighting for? What is the end game? What are our goals, and how do we make them happen? In this regard, a vision is called for: a vision that makes sense of the fighting; a vision that defines our goals; a vision that is likely to get us there.
Maybe these same birds will one day usher in an age of peace.
Israel and the U.S. have decided to take the Iranian regime head on. Regime change seems to be a possible goal, and the fighting on the ground is intensifying by the minute. In response to being attacked, and to the killing of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iran is lashing out against Israel, U.S. bases in the region, and against the Gulf States such as: Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. As such, the war is likely to widen, before things begin to calm down.
In terms of military objectives, President Trump talks about destroying Iran’s missile capabilities, knocking out its navy, preventing it from having a nuclear weapon, and stopping Iran from funding and arming terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
Basically, as the U.S. and Israel see it: the goal is to stop Iran from wreaking havoc in the Middle East.
Even though the military objectives seem clear enough, the long-term strategic goals are a bit more obscure. We don’t really have a clear picture of what we are trying to achieve in the long run, and what the exit strategy is regarding the fighting that is taking place. A lot is on the line, including mundane things such as the price of oil, and it behooves us to get a handle as to where we want to end up, and how to get there.
With so much on the line, it makes sense to come up with a vision, a vision which inspires a sense of hope, and which delivers on that promise with opportunity and peace. Such a vision would help people better understand why we’re at war and what our goals are. A vision of hope would also help us chart a realistic course for achieving our goals.
The ultimate goal of war, the only goal that makes any sense, is peace.
Without peace, war is never ending. A war that never ends is a blight on the people; a curse that fills their lives with misery, and that extinguishes any hope for the future.
How do we bring peace, to places like the Middle East?
Our team at the Missing Piece for Green (MPG) is working to build Green Industrial Zones, where startups and established companies will use game-changing technologies to address such issues as: climate change, clean water, food production, healthcare, green energy and carbon removal.
In addition to our laser focus on the environment, however, the MPG vision uses The DESTINY Model to add elements to our Green Industrial Zone, elements which will make the project rise up in the air, and shine brightly, as a beacon of hope, for all to see, and for all to follow. These elements include: diversity, apprenticeship-to-employment programs, Greentech incubators, programs to promote tolerance and trust, an Ideology of Common Sense, new models instead of just talk, and a place at the table for young people.
As such, the MPG Green Industrial Zone will become the epicenter of such noble aspirations as: Sustainability, Economic Equity and Peaceful Coexistence. It will be a model that we can actually see and touch, and that shows us the face of peace.
As we think about peace, we should think about peace in all its dimensions: peace between man and the natural world, which is about sustainability; peace between man and his fellow man, which is about economic equity; and peace between nations, which will happen if nations embrace an enlightened self- interest in working together to tackle common threats. The MPG vision takes all that into account and gives us a glimpse of what peace can look like, and why it’s worth the effort, including the war effort.
The MPG vision can also help leaders to justify the war effort, by positioning the fight within a larger context, a context that inspires a sense of hope. Here are several examples:
If President Trump wants to bring about regime change in Iran, he’s going to need Iranians to buy in. He can use MPG as a concrete example of the kind of future he envisions for the region.
If Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wants to modernize his economy, and move away from oil, he can use MPG to position his various economic projects as promoting peace and sustainability, and thereby realize the full potential of his efforts by attracting even more foreign investment and game-changing companies.
If Bibi Netanyahu wants to secure Israel, and normalize relations with the Arab world, he can talk about MPG as a steppingstone to peace, which people the world over, including Palestinians, can buy into.
And if Jared Kushner wants to develop Gaza as a real estate development project, he can include a Green Industrial Zone to demonstrate that it’s not just about making money. It’s about making a difference as well.
Sometimes, it’s all about the vision. A vision of hope can help make sense of the chaos that war brings, because it shows people that there is something there that is worth fighting for. Military objectives are necessary, but they are not enough to close the deal on peace. More is needed. What is needed in our time is a vision that gives people a reason to believe that there is something better out there. We may find ourselves stuck in a bleak and dismal war, but a brighter future awaits us, and that sense of hope gives us the courage to undertake the struggle.
Our leaders owe us a vision that sustains us now, and that paves the way for what’s to come.
If you want to learn more about the MPG vison, you can take a look at this 5-minute video called The Missing Piece for Green, and visit our website at www.missingpieceforgreen.com Who knows; maybe you know someone, who knows someone, who may be interested, and is in a position to say “yes.”