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Arquivo para a ‘Security’ Categoria

The virtue of fortitude: the moral ethics of courage

27 Nov

Since ancient Greece, courage has been associated with violent heroism and the ability to warily confront fear, but it is not this moral virtue called fortitude that is seen as one of the cardinal virtues.

We’ve already mentioned that in philosophy, the Englishwoman Philippa Foot dealt with this aspect of moral ethics and for this reason her ethics became known as virtue ethics.

Facing dangers and even trials (and provocations) means being aligned with the other two cardinal virtues: prudence and wisdom, as well as justice, but here’s another observation: human justice is merciless and legalistic, it doesn’t contemplate mercy and forgiveness.

Courage accompanied by prudence is the ability to pass life’s obstacles in order to overcome them so as not to reproduce hatred, violence and injustice, and so it must be produced and led by wisdom, which is not just culture and good reading.

In dark times it is particularly important because it takes courage to go through difficult situations and not lose one’s serenity, the ability to help others who are going through the same or even worse situation due to the hostile environment.

This is how we find people, true icons of this virtue of courage, who saved Jews from persecution (I’m reminded of the movie Schindler’s List), many characters who were true fortresses in the face of persecution and difficulties in the midst of war, the members of the Red Cross teams and and also the Red Crescent, the Islamic version of relief in the midst of catastrophes and wars.

They bring hope in the midst of chaos, so they also contemplate this theological virtue, and in many cases restore faith and charity, completing the theological trio.

In this way, they go against what everyone is trying to reject: the physical and moral pain suffered by those who find themselves in the midst of wars and catastrophes. We’ve already posted here about the importance of this hermeneutic of pain, for example, when we posted about “The Palliative Society: Pain Today” (Byung-Chul Han).

In this book, Byung-Chul quotes Ernst Jünger’s phrase: “Say what your relationship to pain is, and I’ll tell you who you are!” and that we can be seen as social and say what our relationship to society as a whole is, and that this is where the virtue of fortitude (courage) lies.

 

War escalation and hope

25 Nov

The use of long-range weapons by Ukraine and hypersonic missiles that can carry atomic payloads have already been tested in the war, and the threat of war with European countries has even appeared on Russian TV and made headlines around the world.

NATO military bases in Germany, Warsaw and London appear on a supposed map of first strikes in case Russia feels threatened, internally it has already changed its statutes on the use of nuclear weapons, breaking international agreements, and the Kremlin has authorized an increase in the production of missiles for these nuclear payloads.

The psychology that can be understood about Putin is that he’s not bluffing, and the Nordic countries seem to be the most afraid of a Russian attack. Norway distributes a handbook to its population on what to do in the event of environmental disasters or wars, alluding to this, and Finland and Sweden (pictured above) have already prepared for this hypothesis and are new members of NATO.

The war between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate. On Saturday (23/11), an Israeli attack killed at least 11 people and injured 23. The type of missile used is capable of hitting even bunkers and, according to the authorities, there was a strong explosive explosion after the attack.

At least there are attempts at peace agreements there, but negotiations seem to be stagnating. In Eastern Europe, it is hoped that after the take office Donald Trump, who won the US elections, some kind of agreement will be reached, but Ukraine would certainly lose part of its territory.

Hope is never forgotten among people who want peace, more than that who reject hate speech and war, because many of those who talk about peace don’t really want it, they believe that some kind of “victory” is possible on battlefields, where everyone loses.

So we can do our bit, if the war becomes unpopular the governments will move, the only thing that can move them is public opinion, because not even a possible economic, environmental or civilizational catastrophe moves them, despite the rhetoric.

 

A piece in the chess of war

15 Apr

Since the fall of the monarchy in Iran, at the time Shah Reza Pahlavi, who was a traditional ally of the USA, the Islamic republic of Iran began to have hostility with the USA, which imposed sanctions because of the processing of uranium essential for nuclear bombs, making causing Iran to seek support and form alliances with Russia.

In 1st. April this year, Israel launched an attack on Syria (not assumed), killing Iranian generals, who have since promised retaliation and recently attacked Israel’s territory with drones and missiles, according to Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, Israeli military spokesman: “it will launched more than 300 threats, and 99% were intercepted”, and concluded: “this is a success”.

Shortly before the news of the launch this Saturday (13/04), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “the defensive systems” are working, and that the IDF (Israel Defense Force), in a reprisal that was already As expected, the bombers continued yesterday (04/14).

As there are strong connections with Hezbollah and the Houthis to the south in Yemen and Hezbollah to the north in Lebanon there is also news of attacks on Israel, both the Israeli military command, the G7 and the UN security council have already called a meeting yesterday.

Italy and Germany have already spoken out against Iran, condemning the attacks, the USA and France helped intercept the missiles (it is reported that Jordan also helped the defense), so Iran is isolated in the West.

The objective at the moment is to prevent a larger scale attack on Iran, which would trigger an escalation of war in the region, Netanyahu must attack some targeted targets in Iran.

Russia has not commented so far, but it is a traditional ally of Iran, and the drones used in the attack on Israel are the same type as those used in the war in Ukraine.

Russian attacks continue to escalate in Ukraine with the main objective of depleting the country’s energy sources, the progressive fragility of the defense of Ukraine’s military forces makes the situation in the country, and to a certain extent in the NATO countries, quite dramatic.

Peace is always possible, what ethical forces call responsibility could play a decisive role in decision-making, as the leaders involved in the conflict increasingly seem not to understand the gravity of a conflict in the midst of a civilizational crisis.

After World War II, the forces in conflict understood the need for peace, now the worsening of the crisis, paradoxical as it may be, can make leaders call for peace.

 

War attrition and peace in Nagorno-Karabakh

02 Oct

As the Russian/Ukrainian war enters a phase of attrition, a border region has a sign of peace, even if it means a loss of territory.

The struggle for dominance over the Armenian-majority region of Nagorno-Karabakh goes back centuries, however the president of the self-declared republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Samvel Shaharamanyan declared that it would cease to exist from the 1st. January 2023.

In the 18th century, when the region was under pressure from Persia, Russian Tsarina Catherine II issued letters of protection to them, but the conflict was never fully resolved.

The signed decree dissolved all state institutions that will be vacated by the beginning of 2024, and more than 100,000 Armenians have already left the country, which already has the presence of military personnel from Azerbaijan, with a Muslim majority and supported by Turkey, Armenia is Christian and supported by Russia.

The region has geopolitical importance because since Russia’s war against Ukraine, Azerbaijan has supplied millions of barrels of oil to the European Union through the Caspian Sea along the Mediterranean coast, and recently Russia announced that it will no longer supply it.

The Armenian genocide of 1915-1916 during the Otman Empire led many Armenians to flee to this region of Nagorno-Karabakh, since then they have been called Azeris, during the Russian revolution the region continued in conflict with Azerbaijan, although both were Soviet republics, the anti-Armenians in the city of Shusha killed 30 thousand Armenians.

With the end of the Soviet Union, the Armenians once again established themselves as a nation, but the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remained, there were several periods of fighting in the region, now with the session of the territory this autonomous republic ceases to exist.

Despite the fears of separatist Armenians, this new situation is a great sign of peace.

Russia and Ukraine can be inspired by this model or something similar, the world wants peace.

 

 

Food security and escalation of war

24 Jul

The end of the grain agreement prevents shipments of grains produced in Ukraine, in particular: wheat, corn and barley, with this wheat has already risen 8.5% on international exchanges and corn 3.5%, as this bombing in Odessa which is still a free port of Ukraine, which is at the western tip of Ukraine on the Black Sea.

Ukraine has received constant attacks on its ports and warehouses in Odessa, in response it carries out bombings on weapons and supply warehouses in Crimea and the Kersh bridge in the strait of the same name that connects Crimea to Russia was hit again. (in the photo the cathedral of Odessa hit this Sunday)

On the northern front there are no major advances in the counteroffensive and Russian propaganda says that its forces have advanced, while the Ukrainian forces admit only a small and slow advance, far below expectations, while waiting for more weapons and ammunition.

The number of Russian soldiers and forces has increased, but it is in the air battle that it has the greatest power, and the end result is that on all fronts the war escalates.

Hungary, Austria and this week Bulgaria have sent weapons to Ukraine and Russia’s tension with Poland is at an all-time high through Belarus, which shares a border with Poland.

The Brics held their meeting without the presence of Russia, which is a relief for the group, but this does not mean a break with the group, China is increasingly a Russian ally, Brazil and South Africa are hesitating on the subject, while India tries to reinforce its calls for peace.

A loss in world grain distribution will hit Latin America and much of Africa hard, whose leaders have also unsuccessfully tried to put pressure on Putin.

Russia and China have returned to military exercises in the Sea of ​​​​Japan, as a result of which South Korea and Japan are becoming increasingly close to Western forces and NATO.

 

 

 

 

 

Cholera and phobia, results of civilizing malaise

15 Jun

It may seem sugary or even childish, Freud says the opposite, that we adopt more reflective and tolerant attitudes in the face of difficulties.

The Greeks knew that without self-control men could surrender to two paralyzing poles: deimos and phobos (terror and fear).

Adam Smith, whose thinking influenced modern economics including Marx, also wrote The Theory of Moral Sentiments, that self-mastery is fundamental in the face of a terrifying situation, and sets out two modes of self-mastery.

He theorizes that “acting in accordance with the dictates of prudence, justice and appropriate beneficence, seems to have little merit if there is no temptation to act otherwise”.

We should be educated to the ability to undertake self-control in the face of pathós (affections of the soul) where we must highlight our greatest virtues, or we will succumb to vexatious processes and hateful vices, and, incredible as it may seem, it already dominates most social media, reaching to the highest courts in the country.

According to the author, the second group of passions over which we should exercise self-control, lead to the context of “the love of peace, pleasure, applause and many other selfish satisfactions”.

So if we compare those of the first with those of the second group, it might seem easier to master them, as these inclinations allow us some minimal time for reflection; at least, more than when we are attacked by fear and anger (first group), however we experience the context of immediate reactions or paralysis, without realizing that these extremes touch each other.

If we give in to all impulses, if we give little time or space to reflection, silence and even the cultivation of interiority, what we express is almost always lacking in empathy, and at the opposite extreme, anger and barbarism remain.

Emotional intelligence has developed methods that suggest how to control your emotions and help you more easily recognize when it improves your relationships and empathy.

Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Semtiments, first Ed. 1759.

 

 

Leaked documents and rhetoric of tension

10 Apr

A leaked document that would contain alleged US secret information about the war between Ukraine and Russia may contain part of the information true and some false, according to US military sources, the assessment of the death toll in the war in Ukraine would be false.

Newspapers like The New York Times, on the other hand, assess that it is an effort by Moscow to provoke more disinformation than news already known as the anticipated deliveries of weapons, as well as the formation of troops and battalions according to war strategies, however this already shows that there are some gaps in US intelligence in the effort to support Ukraine.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said, “We are aware of the reports of social media posts, and the department is looking into the matter.”

The US Department of Justice opened investigations into these disclosures, which also included information from important allies such as Israel, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

American rhetoric and Western leaders continue to assert that Russia has committed war crimes, including the “deportation” of Ukrainian children to Russia, condemned by the Hague court, while Russian rhetoric continues to be one of insecurity at its borders.

What the documents reveal, although without precise data, is a probable Ukrainian offensive next month, Finland’s official entry into NATO creates another frontier of conflict and some Russian response is also expected there.

In terms of peace, the Brazilian proposal to cede Crimea, which was already Russian territory before the war, in exchange for the resumption of territories occupied in the current war, was not accepted by Ukraine.

So both Russia and Ukraine seem to be taking the war to the limits of attrition, the death of countless soldiers and the economic consequences that have begun to appear in the world economy.

China has hit back at rhetoric that it is not making enough effort for peace, saying the “West are not in a position to dictate what we should do”, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told Izvestia.

The hope that negotiations can move forward from countries outside the conflict remains.

 

 

New variant and the war in Europe

07 Nov

A new variant called BQ.1 circulates in the country, according to infectious disease specialist Alberto Chebabo, president of the Brazilian Society of Intectology, it is a variant of the omicron, and is “the same strain that circulates today in Europe and caused an increase in infections in countries like Germany and France”.

There are no changes in terms of symptoms, which continue to have, for most patients, the same symptoms as the previous ones: headache, cough, fever, sore throat, tiredness, loss of smell and taste.

A variant had already been found in Amazonas on October 20, according to the Fiocruz unit in the state, which reinforces that it is already circulating in the country.

The war in Europe continues, Russia has completed the enlistment of 300,000 soldiers for the war, keeps the city of Kherson in its domain with the withdrawal of inhabitants and knows that the winter will work in its favor.

The climate in Europe is getting colder, even though it is autumn, December is already very cold and the eve of Christmas officially begins winter, heating depends on gas and mainly Ukraine already faces energy problem due to war.

The United States is starting to pressure Ukraine to return to the table for a peace agreement, it will actually represent a truce, but it will allow for a less gloomy winter for Europe and for the economy that is already in crisis.

Who could act as a mediator is also a problem, at this point the pope is not a good answer, since it will take force to maintain some kind of agreement, Turkey that had been ready or the UN itself may be more suitable for the serious moment of conflict.

Ihis year is difficult speak Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

 

A new piece in the war: Iran

24 Oct

The presence of the Iranian military in Russia has opened a new alert to NATO countries, but also the deployment of anti-aircraft batteries from Germany and the training of Ukrainian soldiers in France open new war fronts in Ukraine.

The attacks in Ukraine were not only carried out by missiles, but also the Iranian drones of the Shahed-136 type, which are triangular and measure 3.5 m, capable of carrying up to 36 kg of explosive charge and also dribble or confuse anti-aircraft radars due to their large number.

Iran denies sending drones, but the presence of the military in Crimea has been confirmed by NATO intelligence, and European Union countries are already threatening sanctions, but the dependence on oil in the current Russian gas crisis is immense, and a closure of the Persian Gulf would have a bombastic repercussion on the European economy and, as a domino effect, on the world economy.

In a context of American conflict in the region, the fact becomes even more serious, it is not necessary to destroy an aircraft carrier to put it out of combat, just hit a part that causes some inclination and it will already be out of combat, and Iran has nuclear weapons.

It is also necessary to remember that we are less than a month away from the World Cup, which will be in a country in the Persian Gulf, the last one in Russia took more than 700 thousand people, it is believed that in Qatar it is likely to reach one million tourists from all over the world.

It also marks the beginning of the European winter, and the war on European soil has no sign of a truce in sight, on the contrary, it undergoes a dangerous escalation.

Peacekeeping forces are lacking, countries and political forces capable of leading a peace crusade are lacking, the situation is quite dangerous and few realize the gravity.

 

 

Doctors are for the sick

12 Sep

Number of cases and studies of studies falling for a perception that the pandemic would have come to an end, it is from a certain number of studies as in cases, but as much as studies of studies scientists continue to advance in future treatments

Diseases were little known and medicine at the time was too expensive to have no purchasing power, even the fact that a paralytic was placed in the presence of Jesus descending through the ceiling, has a mistaken interpretation, they would not let him pass.

It is a fact that we already have chairs and seats in the queues for elders, pregnant women and the sick, but there is still a mentality of the community of the pure, the saints or the perfect, after all, efficiency cannot come from those who are not physically prepared for it.

This was how the pandemic was dealt with, many said that the sick isolate themselves and society will continue its rhythm, but what we saw was society as a whole losing its rhythm, and the result of this pressure gradually turned into many psychic diseases. , even for those who made them.

Treating and working with imperfection, illness and purity is only to promote the social integration of people, the idea of ​​being a “model” for others is a Kantian idea of ​​ethics, which can lead to an ethics and a partial view of sociability and what is imperfect.

In terms of religious culture, it leads to isolation, the formation of a bubble in which values ​​are reaffirmed, but many are excluded and are not invited to participate and live with differences, this is one of the main religious paradigms that Jesus broke in his time.

Talking to women, leaving space for children, healing lepers and cripples broke the Pharisaic concept of what was considered “unclean”, went against sinners and the sick.

It is true that the blind cannot guide the blind, but doctors are for the sick, says the biblical passage (Lk 15:1-3): “At that time, publicans and sinners came to Jesus to listen to him. The Pharisees, however, and the teachers of the Law criticized Jesus. “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” , then Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep and then the prodigal son.

The Pharisaic mentality not only does not cure the sick, it becomes a social disease itself.