My initial reaction was a mixture of hope and sadness when the United States bombed three locations in Iran. Hope – because I hope this may lead to a reduction in weapons of mass destruction. Sadness – for the potential loss of innocent civilian lives and the dangers facing Americans now abroad.
I share these thoughts and feelings in my newsletter and how I plan to respond through investment. Historically, war has no significant long-term impact on the stock market. So if this latest conflict triggers a correction, I say I’ll buy dipping sauce again – if anything.
After sending out the newsletter, I received three heated emails from three readers who called me misleading, naive and totally wrong. Of course I am not an expert in Iran, nor do I pretend. But I didn’t realize that simply sharing my feelings can make me so much in the eyes of others.
It doesn’t matter, the U.S. State Department issued a “global caution” alert to U.S. citizens soon after, warning of potential travel disruptions and demonstrations after strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. It doesn’t matter, these “forever wars” have lasted for decades and have claimed thousands of lives.
For these angry readers, my feelings are not important. My desire for peace is seen as stupid. If war is what they really want, I hope they are the best, especially if they or their children decide to recruit and act on those beliefs.
Why the desire for peace
While in a middle school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Persian Gulf War broke out. On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait due to its oil reserves and the United States intervened in Kuwait. Kuwait accounts for about 10% of global oil reserves, and Iraq’s invasion threatens global oil supply and then-U.S. ally Saudi Arabia.
Operation Desert Storm achieved military success, lasting only 43 days from January 17 to February 28, 1991. Unfortunately, due to air strikes, it is estimated that about 2,300-300-3,500 Iraqi civilians were killed. As the news spread, Malaysian media and some of my friends began to ache in the United States
Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country that must balance its support for international law and focus on Muslim countries, especially Iraq. This created a public tension, with my parents working in the U.S. Embassy. My close friend, a Muslim three years older than me, started to laugh at me regularly, calling me a “little head American”, sometimes worse.
I was 13 years old during the Persian Gulf War and didn’t fully understand what was going on. All I know is that my close friend suddenly turned to me.
Then we have one My school’s bomb threat. We evacuated for a few days and did not return. My relationship with my close friends will never be the same again. I am no longer as free as Americans living abroad as before. I just want peace.
More experiences about war and horror
In January 2001, I was dining on the window of the World Restaurant at the top of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Goldman Sachs held a Latin American conference where I helped as a sophomore analyst. Then, sadly, the attack on September 11 happened – the slats hit two towers, collapsed and killed nearly 3,000 people.
The attack was carried out by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists, a radical Islamic extremist group led by Osama Bin Laden. After the Gulf War, Bin Laden opposed the U.S. troops stationed in Saudi Arabia, the highest site of Islam. Al Qaeda also believes that U.S. support for Israel, especially in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, is an injustice and hostility towards Muslims. Finally, the organization believes that our political, military and cultural influence is undermining the Muslim world.
For many in the financial services community, this activity is caused because almost everyone knows the people injured or killed, including myself. Ten years after the Gulf War, now in adulthood, I am dealing with a tragedy near home.
Then on November 26, 2008, 10 terrorists from the Islamic militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let) from Pakistan attacked the Oberoi-Trident Hotel in Mumbai, took hostages and killed 30 people, including several foreign nationals. The same thing happened to the Taj Mahal Hotel because that was where we had the meetings so I went there every day.
The truth is, I live in Oberoi-Trident Hotel Two weeks ago. Credit Suisse has just launched the Indian Research Operation, where I met with the team. What the hell? I immediately wondered if death caught up with me.
Betting as parents go up
The only person I have to consider before I have a baby is myself, my parents and sister, the sadness of my death if I die. I don’t want to die, nor do I want anyone I know to die, which is why I long for peace.
Now that I am a father, my first task is to ensure the safety and survival of my family. I feel unsafe for all of us as the world gets closer to war, especially because we are currently traveling. We ended up having to get on the plane and I often wonder if this flight might be my last one.
Some people ask why I should bring life insurance when I can guarantee my own assets.
My answer is simple: having life insurance makes me feel like a responsible parent. It gives me confidence that if I die, my wife and children will receive tax-free death benefits and ensure that their lives are financially uninterrupted. This means my wife doesn’t need to sell a house or a car, and our two children don’t have to be evacuated.
The death of a spouse or parent has been deeply stable. In addition to this, increasing financial instability is penalties and unnecessary. Getting life insurance is a good deed for the person you love.
You can check out Policy Genice Free custom quotes. My wife and I both got a 20-year life insurance policy for an affordable price.
Peace, war, death, love
Peace is more than just absent from war, it is the foundation for the thriving development of families, friendships and communities. From my early experiences as a young American abroad to my experiences facing terrorism as an adult, I began to understand that peace is both fragile and precious.
Peace allows us to live and love freely without the constant shadow of fear. My hope is that by cherishing peace and preparing responsibly, we can protect the most important thing: the safety and well-being of those we love.
Calling me naive, misleading or stupid because I want peace, but that doesn’t make my feelings about war and death more real. Perhaps there will be no more terrorist attacks from the Middle East in revenge. I doubt. Forever war in the region continues and we are once again entangled in it.
Reader, what are your thoughts and experiences about death and war? Have you ever had close contact? Do you think escalating on Iran’s explosive board will lead to peace agreements or will only deepen conflict? As geopolitical tensions intensify, how do you plan to invest in the latest round of instability?
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