Will we ever witness a world without war?

US President Barack Obama’s tribute to the victims of the first nuclear bomb was a good move, although 70 years late. After Enola Gay dropped ‘Little Boy’ over Hiroshima, more than 140,000 innocent people were killed and several thousands were left injured. As a result, an entire city was wiped out. It was truly a horrific and shameful act of the US towards mankind.

Obama should have openly apologised to the people of Japan for the atrocities that his country did to them 70 years ago. While, Obama hugging one of the survivors, Shigeaki Mori, sent positive signals and will help to mend the ties, the world expects more from the US.

Although it led to the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II, the repercussions of these bombings caused a bigger disaster, if not more than the war itself. The aftermath of which are still borne by the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and even more in the hearts of the people of Japan as well as humanity as a whole.

Obama’s regime has tried to push for nuclear disarmament and have tried to get other world leaders engaged, however, so far we haven’t witnessed any luck on that front. We all expect a world free from nuclear weapons, and in fact, all countries should disarm their nuclear weapons. By doing so, world leaders would allow not only their people, but everyone around the world to lead a peaceful life without fearing war or destruction. War has and is never a solution to any issue.

However, the US should first come clean on whether their territory is free from weapons of mass destruction. In turn, other countries would follow once they are convinced that the US do not possess any such weapons. It has become a competition between nations and this rat race will only become worse if not stopped. The money spent on accumulating such weapons could have been used for the betterment of mankind. The world has more important matters that need urgent attention, like eradication of poverty, diseases, education and shelter for all.

I wish that one day, we will witness a world that is free of war and the destruction of mankind. Obama’s visit is a positive step, and I hope that this will bring about change in the minds of political leaders around the world. It is high time that our world leaders realise that happiness and welfare of people comes before accumulating weapons of mass destruction.

Let us hope for a new world order with harmony and peace.

— The reader is an Indian logistics manager based in Dubai