Recently, the United Nations Food Program identified Yemen, as having the World’s largest food crises, not driven, primarily, by conflict. It found that nearly, one-half of its entire population is severely undernourished, and more than one-half of its young evince stunted growth due to scarcity of food. Similar gruesome conditions appear to exist in far too many areas of the globe. Lack of food, reportedly, is a significant cause of war, and, empirically, most wars are causes of lack of food. Aggravating the sad situation, as we read the news media, is the ever-increasing incidence of internal wars and insurrections.
As related in an early blog, [“THE OATMEAL SOLUTION”] when driving, we took notice of the many large World War 2, naval vessels floating, uselessly, in storage on the Hudson River, in view of the highway. We posited the suggestion that these unused vessels be sufficiently sanitized, refitted and reengineered, to healthily store, vast amounts of cooked, nutritious oatmeal, for shipment to areas of the globe, needing food assistance; regardless of previous designation, as friend or foe. We were then of the opinion, that a well-fed, World population would be less likely to go to war, that American-international relations would be uplifted, and that such an action would be an appropriate exercise of moral empathy. We are still of that view. The graveyard of Naval Vessels conceivably may not still be there, yet the sentiment, founded in empathy and peacekeeping, persists.
Needy countries would be notified, in advance, of the intended gratuitous deliveries, however, with the mandatory admonition that the food be responsibly, distributed only to the needy areas and bearing a notice that the breach of such mandatory requirement would, summarily, result in the immediate cessation of the food program.
Belligerent, hungry Nations, ex., North Korea and Communist China would, predictably, be less saber-rattling. Other Nations, so assisted, presumably, would tend to seek better and closer relations with the U.S., and, as well, their neighboring countries. The above program as conceived would be a supplement to the traditional modes of seeking peace, viz., arms control agreements, treaties, and student, athlete and culture exchanges.
One recalls, in Shakespeare’s instructive, classic play, Julius Caesar, the protagonist looks at Cassius and warns, “Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look.” Perhaps some hot, nutritious, oatmeal [with raisins] would have amended the classification, of the great work, from the literary category of ”tragedy,” to that of comedy [he only had two categories.]
-p.
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