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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

What is the cost of this ‘Nobody’s War’ in Iran? Morality

In the Mahabharata, Vidur says sacrifice is needed for the greater good. This begs the question: What is the 'greater good' in the Iran War?

A verse attributed to Vidur is part of the moral advice given in the Mahabharata regarding the difficult decisions leaders and individuals must make:

त्यजेत् कुलार्थे पुरुषं ग्रामस्यार्थे कुलं त्यजेत् । ग्रामं जनपदस्यार्थे आत्मार्थे पृथिवीं त्यजेत् ॥

(For the sake of the clan, an individual may be sacrificed; for the sake of the village, the clan may be sacrificed;

For the sake of the Janapada/nation, the village may be sacrificed; for the sake of the soul, the earth may be sacrificed.)

In today’s geopolitical scenario, it is time to give a thought to the importance of the individual versus the importance of others.

The verse above speaks of sacrifice for progressively larger causes. But in the Iran War, which has engulfed and affected the entire world, does this verse from the Mahabharata suggest that it’s time to rethink? Should we not ask who decides what must be sacrificed and at what cost?

While we ponder this, American pilots were rescued from “enemy territory” and are waiting to be expatriated. United States President Donald Trump, in a statement, claimed that this was the first time that US pilots were rescued from deep within the enemy territory.

“WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND! The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies,” Trump said.

Meanwhile, Iran on Sunday claimed to have destroyed several enemy aircraft, including US C-130 aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters. As the war reaches its 35th day, neither side shows any inclination to back down.

Nations are justifying the loss of individual lives for national security and even entire communities for strategic dominance. Cities are reduced to collateral damage in the name of protecting borders (as in the case of the Russia-Ukraine War), ideologies (such as those used to justify the Venezuelan strike) or global influence (used in the Iran War). This echoes Vidur’s line, “For the sake of the nation, the village may be sacrificed.” 

But the verse also demands a moral introspection. If the “self” is understood not as ego, but as conscience or humanity, then the verse challenges leaders to rise above individual interests and power politics, be it the ego of a leader, or the powers defining a particular nation.

When ‘greater good’ becomes endless war

Some individuals begin wars with the belief that it is for the “greater good”. History is littered with such examples. The Iraq War (2003-2011) was fought ostensibly to unearth WMDs (weapons of mass destruction) stashed away by a “dictator”. These claims were later proved false. The allegations against Iraq also included the claim that Saddam Hussein nurtured ties with Al-Qaeda and helped facilitate the terrorists involved in the 9/11 attacks. No credible claim of this link was ever found.........

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