Watching the television news is to see bomb sites and death on a daily basis. 

The recent pictures from both Israel and Gaza are very upsetting. In particular the loss of so many children is very sad indeed. One of the reports showed a distraught young boy amongst the ruins of his home.  He is seen crying out: “I have done nothing wrong why?”  Young Israeli children are held hostage by Hamas. Young Palestinian children are under daily bombing raids.

There are no winners in such wars. Thousands are dying having played no part in the political rows between adult politicians. The scene is being repeated in Ukraine where young lives continue to be lost. They can also claim to ask the question “Why?”.  War has a massive impact on innocent young lives. Unlike many readers alive today I was born in World War Two. My father was away at war when I was born in the middle of an air raid. Playing on the ruins of the bombed house across the street was an adventure for a young boy with no full understanding of the nature of war. Our house had all the doors and windows blown off from the impact of a bomb which fell across the road. We eventually escaped the blitz to the country. Watching a recent episode of All Creatures Great and Small it showed a pregnant wife saying goodbye to her husband who was needed for the war effort. My mother experienced the same situation. It brought home to me the sheer misery of war.

Decisions to go to war are made by adults, deemed to be the grown up representatives of the will of the people. Children have no voice. They become the innocent victims of battles generated by adults.

What emerges from this analysis is that adults are incapable of living in peace. The world is rushing to ecological disaster yet adults are determined to fight each other over land upon which they will live for a fraction of time in the scale of things. Surely life is short and too precious to waste time fighting? 

Perhaps adults should let young people take over running world affairs. They could hardly do any worse. If we look at leading political figures around the world they look a pathetic shower. Key leaders in Russia Israel Gaza and Iran to name but a few of the obvious frontrunners continue to ruin the lives of thousands of children.

 A world government of young people could replace the United Nations which has turned out to be a talking shop with no real power to influence world affairs. Children just want to be happy. They care little for the colour of their friend’s skin or their religious background or ethnic origins. If only world leaders could see the world through the eyes of a child. War is an adult activity. 

Consider for a moment the crazy actions of current leaders. Would children launch attacks to behead people or bomb hospitals? Would they waste time fighting over barren land? Would they spend time shouting slogans of hate at one another? If they had been indoctrinated by adults it is highly likely they would follow the same warlike path.

Just maybe it is not too fanciful to listen to youngsters. The young boy made his point. We should

Listen to the voice of the child.