THE NATURE OF CONFLICT Conflict: a struggle or clash between opposing forces, ideas, or interests Conflicts have ONE of three outcomes: A solution is found that is acceptable to all parties The parties learn to live peacefully in an adversarial state without the need to proceed to adversarial action Armed conflicts – each side uses force to achieve its goals

CONFLICT ARCTIC IS CANADA IN A CONFLICT, OR SIMPLY CONFLICTED? TURN TO PAGE 350 IN GLOBAL CONNECTIONS TO FIND OUT.....

CAUSES OF CONFLICT There are five (5) major causes of conflicts: Natural Resource Conflicts Territorial Conflict Cultural Conflict Religious Conflict Global Geopolitical Conflict In 2007, there were about 40 ongoing conflicts worldwide (Africa and the Middle East are the most war-torn regions).

NATURAL RESOURCE CONFLICT The combination of global industrial development and population growth increases the demand for finite resources (the most contentious resource to date has been oil) A common prediction: conflicts over water will become even more important than conflicts over oil and other resources FACT: The American invasion of Iraq was originally called Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL). The name was quickly changed to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

TERRITORIAL CONFLICT Two or more groups wish to control the same territory. Examples include the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Basque separatist movement in northern Spain.

CULTURAL CONFLICT Can take on many forms – an important one is between indigenous (native) peoples and the majority population that migrated to the country from another part of the world.

RELIGIOUS CONFLICT Religion is one of the most powerful forces in the world – it provides individuals with spiritual guidance and is the basis for secular law (in most countries) Religious conflicts exist in many parts of the world – e.g. Catholics vs. Protestants in Ireland (more than 300 years) & Sunni vs. Shiite Muslims in Iraq

GLOBAL GEOPOLITICAL CONFLICT Many times, a conflict within a particular country is a localized version of a global rivalry For example, the cold war saw many proxy wars (“proxy” means on behalf of someone else) between the West and the Communist Bloc because a direct war could have led to a devastating nuclear war E.g. The Vietnam War (Soviet Proxies supported the North and American Proxies supported the South) and the Afghan War in the 1980s (American Proxies aka the mujahedeen – Islamic guerrilla fighters fought the Soviet Union) From the 1950s to the 1980s, many civil wars and insurgencies in Africa, Asia and Latin America were fought by one faction supported by the US and the other by the Soviets

THE COSTS OF CONFLICTS “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired represents, in the final analysis, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, who are cold and not clothed.” --US President and former General Dwight D. Eisenhower Those killed in conflicts Those wounded Effects after “end” of conflicts (e.g. Even today farmers in northern France are killed when their ploughs hit deadly WWI munitions) Money spent on war means no money spent on economic and social development (can prolonged conflict be associated with development? Think about Africa) A country’s economic pie must be split according to guns or butter

MILITARY COSTS The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter plane More than 100 million AK-47 rifles (originally made in the Soviet Union and now produced in over 20 countries) have been made since its introduction in 1949. They are simple to use, inexpensive, and rugged – most popular in conflicts in Asia and Africa. (coming into service in 2011) will cost between US$48 million and US$63 million each. At this cost, only Core countries will purchase it – Canada may order as many as 80 planes to replace our aging CF-18s FACT: AK47s can be bought in countries like Somalia or Congo for between US$30-125 each