DOHA, Qatar (MindaNews / 10 April) — Some—I hope only some, and not many—often believe that in defending the dignity and honor of one’s people and country, one must fight to the death; that blood has to be shed, must flood, and become a river for all to swim in.

To them, this is the only measure by which one can declare that he has truly defended and stood for his honor and dignity.

But what about the aftermath of this?

Many children will become orphans. Wives will be widowed, left alone — relying on no one but Allâh — to care for the children left behind.

Homes will be reduced to ashes by missiles and drones.

Can rubble feed and embrace every weeping man, woman, child, and elderly soul left in the wake of war?

When they need healthcare, who will care for them? Where will they run when even their healthcare systems have collapsed?

These are only a few of the innumerable painful consequences of what some claim to be the only definition of defending honor and dignity:

No home to shelter from sun and rain.
No food to nourish.
No water to quench thirst.
No healthcare to heal.
No education to learn.
No livelihood to sustain life.
No parents to embrace and support.
No siblings to laugh with.
No friends to share stories with.
No playmates to play with.

And what about choosing to avoid—or distance ourselves from—war, where no blood is shed, yet justice is upheld; where people live peacefully and the right of every individual to live with dignity and equality, free from fear of what lies ahead, is safeguarded, protected, and preserved?

Are these not also acts of defending one’s honor and dignity?

After Allâh, we must all be grateful for the restraint shown by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Despite being bombarded by Iran with missiles and drones day and night — which, Alhamdu Lillâh, they have been able to intercept most of — they have chosen not to retaliate.

But even in their restraint, the world already trembles. What more if they rise like the noonday sun?

Prices of commodities and fuel have risen painfully, placing a heavy burden on ordinary people — never mind the wealthy.

Had the GCC not exercised such restraint amid what Iran is doing, the world would not merely tremble — it would need to be resuscitated.

War today is vastly different from warfare in ancient times. Many of us have seen, through social media, the suffering of people affected by it.

War is no longer the only option for resolving conflicts — in fact, it often exacerbates problems rather than solving them.

If leaders are able to spend vast amounts of money on war—only to destroy precious human lives—why not instead invest those same resources in preserving and uplifting those lives?

Why be so strong in waging war, yet weak in engaging in diplomacy?

(Mindanawon Abroad is MindaNews’ effort to link up with Mindanawons overseas who would like to share their experiences in their adopted countries. Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano of Sulu is a registered Radiologic Technologist who works in Doha, Qatar.)