The absurdity of war and its ethical echoes in AI

The absurdity of war and its ethical echoes in AI

The absurdity of war and its ethical echoes in AI
War, like a poorly programmed AI, often leads to catastrophic outcomes. (Shutterstock image)
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In a city where artificial intelligence promises to revolutionize everything from grocery shopping to pet care, one question looms larger than the latest tech trend: What happens when we forget the lessons of humanity in the quest for efficiency? As our screens flash with notifications, a local philosopher and self-proclaimed ethical warrior, Mr. Raf, urges us to reflect on the often-ignored costs of conflict — both in the battlefield and in our evolving digital landscape.

“War, like a poorly programmed AI, often leads to catastrophic outcomes,” Raf quipped during a recent lecture. “Blood is not even useful for making mud. It’s just messy!”

In the annals of history, war has always demanded a staggering price, and not just in dollars and cents. The most chilling aspect is the loss of human life. Each casualty in conflict is not merely a statistic; it represents a unique individual — someone with hopes, dreams, and loved ones. “When we wage war, we’re not just destroying buildings; we’re dismantling lives,” Raf stated, recalling the painful remnants of countless conflicts.

According to the World Health Organization, wars claim tens of thousands of lives annually, and the toll is not limited to soldiers. Civilians — those who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time — find themselves swept into the storm. “Imagine being at a family picnic and having it interrupted by artillery fire. That’s no way to spend a Saturday!” Raf remarked dryly, emphasizing the absurdity of violence amid humanity’s gatherings.

But the scars of war run deeper than physical loss. The psychological impacts are profound and often overlooked. Soldiers return home carrying the invisible burdens of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. “It’s like bringing a demonic AI home from work; you can’t just turn it off!” Raf lamented. He highlighted that the horrors of war haunt veterans and civilians alike, leaving a legacy of trauma that can echo through generations.

The emotional toll on children, especially those growing up in war zones, is particularly alarming. “You think kids have it rough with homework? Try growing up while bombs are falling!” Raf added, shaking his head in disbelief. The trauma these children endure can shape their futures, perpetuating cycles of violence and despair.

Then there is the economic fallout, which can feel as invisible as the psychological scars but is no less devastating. The funds poured into military campaigns could be better spent on education, healthcare, and infrastructure. “Let’s not forget the opportunity cost here,” Raf urged. “Imagine the roads we could build or the schools we could fund instead of financing yet another conflict.”

The irony is palpable: We invest billions in creating more sophisticated weapons while ignoring the very real problems we could solve with those resources. “It’s like spending all your money on a fancy coffee machine but not using it to make coffee. What’s the point?” he quipped.

Even our planet bears the scars of warfare. From bombings that raze forests to chemical weapons that poison water supplies, the environmental destruction wrought by conflict is catastrophic. “War is like a poorly designed AI: It doesn’t just affect the immediate environment; it disrupts the whole ecosystem,” Raf argued. “The trees don’t just fall; they take entire habitats with them. If we’re going to wage war, we’re also declaring war on the Earth itself.”

The irony is palpable: We invest billions in creating more sophisticated weapons while ignoring the very real problems we could solve with those resources.

Rafael Hernandez de Santiago

The consequences of this destruction are felt long after the fighting stops. Communities left with barren land and polluted water face dire challenges. “It’s a vicious cycle: War devastates, and the aftermath leaves people hungry and desperate,” he said.

Raf’s mantra — “Blood is not even useful for making mud” — serves as a stark reminder of the senselessness of war. “It’s a truth that echoes through history: Conflicts often end in stalemates or resolutions that could have been achieved through dialogue,” he pointed out. The philosopher Aristotle once said: “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Yet, in war, we often accept the thought of violence without questioning its futility.

“Wouldn’t it be great if we could use all the energy we spend on fighting to solve our differences peacefully?” Raf proposed. “Imagine an AI that mediates disputes instead of escalating them. Now that’s the kind of machine we need!”

As Techville embraces the future of AI, Mr. Raf advocates for an ethical approach — one that learns from the past. “If we can’t teach AI to value human life, we might as well hand over the keys to a malfunctioning robot,” he cautioned. “We need to instill the values of diplomacy and cooperation in our technology.”

In this context, the role of the international community becomes crucial. “We must prioritize dialogue over military intervention,” Raf emphasized. By addressing root causes like poverty and inequality, we can create a world where conflicts are less likely to arise. “Investing in education and social justice is like teaching AI to be kind — it’s not easy, but it’s necessary.”

In a world increasingly defined by AI and technological advancement, it is our ethical responsibility to ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of history. “Peace isn’t just a noble idea; it’s essential for our survival,” Raf declared.

As he concluded his talk, the crowd erupted in applause. “Let’s strive for a future where our conflicts are resolved through dialogue, and where human life is cherished above all else,” he urged. “After all, if we can’t learn from our past, how can we expect our machines to do better?”

In Techville, where the buzz of technology mingles with the echoes of history, Mr. Raf stands as a beacon of hope. He reminds us that as we navigate the ethical landscape of AI, the lessons of humanity must guide our way. With a wink, he added: “And maybe one day, we’ll look back and wonder why we ever thought war was a good idea in the first place!”

Rafael Hernandez de Santiago, viscount of Espes, is a Spanish national residing in Saudi Arabia and working at the Gulf Research Center.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point of view

US Vice President Vance to visit Greenland, the island Trump wants to control

US Vice President Vance to visit Greenland, the island Trump wants to control
Updated 10 min 54 sec ago
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US Vice President Vance to visit Greenland, the island Trump wants to control

US Vice President Vance to visit Greenland, the island Trump wants to control
  • Russia is winner in this dispute between NATO allies -analyst
  • Original plan had triggered spat with Greenland, Denmark

NUUK: US Vice President JD Vance will visit Greenland on Friday at a time when President Donald Trump is renewing his insistence that Washington should take control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
In a scaled-back version of a trip plan that had angered authorities in both Greenland and Denmark, Vance was expected to fly to the US military base at Pituffik in the north of the Arctic island.
Under the terms of a 1951 agreement, the US is entitled to visit its base whenever it wants, as long as it notifies Greenland and Copenhagen.
The initial plan had been for Vance’s wife, Usha, to visit a popular dog-sled race together with national security adviser Mike Waltz, even though they were not invited by authorities in either Greenland or Denmark.
Waltz, who has faced pressure over Trump administration officials’ discussion of sensitive Houthi attack plans on the Signal messaging app, will still be on the Greenland trip, according to a White House source.
Greenland’s acting Prime Minister Mute Egede called the visit a provocation as the country has not yet formed a new government after a March 11 election.
Public broadcaster KNR reported on Thursday, without identifying its sources, that a pro-business party that emerged as the winner of the election will present a broad coalition on Friday.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the US visit “unacceptable” although Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen welcomed news of the revised visit as a positive, de-escalating step.
By changing the trip, the Trump administration is seeking to refocus the discussion on the topics it is interested in: the US presence on Greenland, military capabilities available, and the wider security of the Arctic, said Catherine Sendak, head of the Transatlantic Defense and Security program at the Center for European Policy Analysis, a Washington-based think tank.
“A change of course was needed,” Sendak told Reuters. “It is positive, given the very public back and forth between the Danish and Greenland governments and the Trump administration about the intent of the initial visit.”
Still, Trump reiterated his desire to take over Greenland, saying the US needs the strategically located island for national and international security.
“So, I think we’ll go as far as we have to go. We need Greenland and the world needs us to have Greenland, including Denmark,” he said on Wednesday.
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen condemned what he called Trump’s escalated rhetoric.
Who benefits from dispute?
The question now is how far Trump is willing to push his idea of taking over the island, said Andreas Oesthagen, a senior researcher on Arctic politics and security at the Oslo-based Fridtjof Nansen Institute.
“It is still unlikely that the United States will use military means to try to get full control over Greenland,” he told Reuters.
That would break with many fundamental principles and rules that the US has benefited from and has been a pillar for, he said.
“But it is unfortunately likely that President Trump and Vice President Vance will continue to use other means of pressure, such as ambiguous statements, semi-official visits to Greenland, and economic instruments,” he added.
“And the real winner in this unnecessary drama is Russia, who gets exactly what they want: discord in the transatlantic relationship.”
Tom Dans, a former member of the US Arctic Research Commission during Trump’s first presidency, said Vance’s visit would help the Trump administration understand where it can collaborate further with Greenland.
“They’re trying to put the picture together for the future and understand where the best intersections are going to be for US policy and investments to help Greenland,” Dans, a businessman, told Reuters.


Pakistan army says 11 militants killed in four operations in northwest

Pakistan army says 11 militants killed in four operations in northwest
Updated 9 min 27 sec ago
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Pakistan army says 11 militants killed in four operations in northwest

Pakistan army says 11 militants killed in four operations in northwest
  • Pakistan is battling spike in attacks by indigenous chapter of Taliban movement, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
  • Islamabad says militants use safe havens in Afghanistan to carry out cross-border attacks, a charge Kabul denies

ISLAMABAD: Eleven militants were killed in four operations in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Pakistan army said on Thursday night, amid a surge in attacks across the country.

Pakistan is battling a spike in attacks by an indigenous chapter of the Taliban movement, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, on police and military in areas near the Afghan border. The military has been conducting near-daily operations against militants, especially in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces.

Islamabad says militants use safe havens in Afghanistan to carry out cross-border attacks, a charge Kabul denies.

“On 26-27 March 2025, eleven Khwarij [militants] were killed by the security forces in four separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province,” the army said in a statement.

Two intelligence-based operation was conducted in Mir Ali in North Waziristan District, with eight militants killed. Two more were killed in Miran Shah while one was killed in a fourth operation in Dera Ismail Khan District.

“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed khwarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities,” the army said. 

“Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other kharji found in the area as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.”
 


PM Sharif says Huawei’s program to train 300,000 Pakistanis will boost exports, generate jobs

PM Sharif says Huawei’s program to train 300,000 Pakistanis will boost exports, generate jobs
Updated 34 min 20 sec ago
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PM Sharif says Huawei’s program to train 300,000 Pakistanis will boost exports, generate jobs

PM Sharif says Huawei’s program to train 300,000 Pakistanis will boost exports, generate jobs
  • Pakistan, Huawei last year signed agreement to train 300,000 Pakistanis in information and communication technologies
  • Program, scheduled to conclude by the end of 2025, will see 60,000 Pakistanis receive high-tech training, says state media

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week said Chinese multinational technology company Huawei’s program to train 300,000 Pakistanis will generate employment in the country and boost its exports, state-run media reported. 

Pakistan and Huawei last year signed an agreement to train 300,000 Pakistani youths in information and communication technology (ICT) skills to match international standards. Huawei is providing training to Pakistani youth in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, cloud computing and other advanced technologies under the initiative.

The Pakistani prime minister met a five-member delegation of the company, headed by its Chief Executive Officer Ethen Sun on Thursday, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

“Shehbaz Sharif said the government seeks a solid and long-term partnership with Huawei,” it said. “He highlighted that Huawei’s ICT training program will not only boost IT exports but will also help create employment opportunities for youth.”

Sharif’s office said earlier this month that Huawei has trained over 20,000 Pakistanis under the program. He was briefed by the delegation that 240,000 youths will receive basic training while 60,000 will undergo high-tech training under the initiative.

“The training is expected to be completed by the end of this year,” Radio Pakistan said. 

The state media said Huawei has additionally, in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission, introduced courses in AI, cloud computing, big data and cybersecurity in 15 Pakistani universities.

Pakistan views ICT as a driver of economic change and seeks to transform the sector into a cornerstone of its strategy for financial stability, courting foreign investment from countries like China and the Gulf states.

In its bid to generate more jobs countrywide, Sharif launched the Digital Youth Hub portal in Islamabad on Thursday. 

The initiative will connect young people to jobs, educational opportunities and enhance skills development in the country. 

Sharif’s government has repeatedly spoken of putting Pakistan on the track to economic recovery by increasing its exports. In its economic transformation plan issued this year, the government says it hopes to achieve $60 billion in exports in the next five years. 


Thunder set team record with 61st win as Giddey lifts Bulls over Lakers

Thunder set team record with 61st win as Giddey lifts Bulls over Lakers
Updated 36 min 3 sec ago
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Thunder set team record with 61st win as Giddey lifts Bulls over Lakers

Thunder set team record with 61st win as Giddey lifts Bulls over Lakers
  • Oklahoma City improved to a league-best 61-12 and have already clinched the Western Conference title
  • Eastern Conference leader Cleveland improved to 59-14 with a 124-116 home victory over San Antonio

LOS ANGELES: NBA scoring leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander netted a game-high 37 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder over Memphis 125-104 on Thursday for a team-record 61st season victory.

The host Thunder also had 20 points from Jalen Williams plus 18 points and 11 rebounds from Isaiah Hartenstein in stretching their win streak to eight games and breaking the team’s single-season win mark.

“It feels good,” said Canadian guard Luguentz Dort. “It just shows how much we’re getting better throughout all the years — and we’ve got to run through the finish line.”

The Thunder haven’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs since 2016 but they pulled away in the last seven points to turn a tied game into a lopsided triumph.

“We started getting our groove in the fourth quarter and started moving the ball, getting some steals and going up and down,” Dort said.

“Just have to go out there and compete and give everything to make it tough for them.”

Oklahoma City improved to a league-best 61-12 and have already clinched the Western Conference title while Eastern Conference leader Cleveland improved to 59-14 with a 124-116 home victory over San Antonio.

Donovan Mitchell had 25 points and 14 assists while Jarrett Allen had 29 points and 15 rebounds to spark the Cavaliers.

Australia’s Josh Giddey swished in a half-court shot at the final buzzer to give the Chicago Bulls a stunning 119-117 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

On a night when Giddey had a triple-double with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, the 22-year-old guard from Melbourne saved the best for last.

Giddey inbounded the ball to a teammate from under Chicago’s basket, took a return pass and from the far edge of the mid-court circle launched a miracle shot that went in and set off an incredible celebration where the Aussie was mobbed by teammates and all were dancing along the court.

“That’s a Bulls win,” Giddey said as he walked off the court to applause from the crowd.

Austin Reaves had put the Lakers ahead 117-116 with 3.1 seconds remaining only for Giddey to steal the show.

Coby White led Chicago with 26 points. Reaves had 30 to lead the Lakers while Luca Doncic had 25 points and 10 rebounds and LeBron James added 17 points and 12 assists.

Jaden Hardy came off the Dallas bench to score 22 points in the Mavericks’ 101-92 triumph at Orlando, spoiling a 35-point performance by the Magic’s Paolo Banchero.

Tyler Herro scored 36 points to lead Miami’s 122-112 home victory over Atlanta while Tyrese Haliburton scored 29 points to lead nine Indiana double-digit scorers in a 162-109 rout at Washington.

Turkiye’s Alperen Sengun scored 33 points and added 10 rebounds as the Houston Rockets had seven scorers in double figures in a 121-110 triumph at Utah.


Myanmar rebels disrupt China rare earth trade, sparking regional scramble

Myanmar rebels disrupt China rare earth trade, sparking regional scramble
Updated 28 March 2025
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Myanmar rebels disrupt China rare earth trade, sparking regional scramble

Myanmar rebels disrupt China rare earth trade, sparking regional scramble
  • Ethnic army controls area accounting for nearly half of global heavy rare earths production
  • Rebels seek leverage against Beijing, which invested heavily in rare earths and supports Myanmar’s junta

BANGKOK: When armed rebels seized northern Myanmar’s rare-earths mining belt in October, they dealt a blow to the country’s embattled military junta — and wrested control of a key global resource.
By capturing sites that produce roughly half of the world’s heavy rare earths, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) rebels have been able to throttle the supply of minerals used in wind turbines and electric vehicles, sending prices of one key element skyward.
The KIA is seeking leverage against neighboring China, which supports the junta and has invested heavily in rare earths mining in Myanmar’s Kachin state, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Chinese imports of rare earth oxides and compounds from Myanmar dropped to 311 metric tons in February, down 89 percent compared to the year-ago period, according to Chinese customs data that hasn’t been previously reported. Most of the fall came after October.
Reuters spoke to nine people with knowledge of Myanmar’s rare earths industry and its four-year civil war about turmoil in the mining belt.
One of them described the move by the KIA, which is part of a patchwork of armed groups fighting military rule, as an attempt to drive a wedge between the junta and China.
“They want to use rare earth reserves as a leverage in their negotiation with China,” said Dan Seng Lawn, executive director of the non-profit Kachinland Research Center, which studies Kachin socio-political issues.

Laborers work on a rare earth mine in Kachin state, Myanmar, on February 20, 2021. (Global Witness Handout via REUTERS)

Three of the people also detailed previously unreported interest in the sector by India, China’s regional rival, which they said in late 2024 sent officials from a state-owned rare earths mining and refining firm to Kachin.
The KIA is one of the largest and oldest ethnic militias in Myanmar. It fights for the autonomy of the Kachin minority, a mostly Christian group who have long held grievances against the Bamar Buddhist majority.
The group has imposed a hefty tax on the mostly Chinese-operated rare-earth miners working around Panwa and Chipwe towns in Kachin, according Dan Seng Lawn, whose institute is based in the state, and a Chinese mining analyst. China has been one of the staunchest international backers of Myanmar’s military since it deposed a civilian-led government in 2021 and ignited a bloody civil war. Beijing continues to see the junta as a guarantor of stability along its frontier, though the military has been ejected from most of the borderlands since a major rebel offensive in 2023.
A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said the department was not aware of the specifics of the situation in the mining belt but it continues to “actively promote peace talks and provide all possible support and assistance for the peace process in northern Myanmar.”
India’s external affairs ministry, the KIA and a junta spokesperson did not return requests for comment. Bawn Myang Co. Ltd, which the US government previously identified as an operator of mines in the area, couldn’t be reached.
PRICE SPIKE
Chinese spot prices of terbium oxide <SMM-REO-TXO>, whose supply is concentrated in Kachin, jumped 21.9 percent to 6,550 yuan per kg between late September and March 24, data from Shanghai Metals Market show. Prices of dysprosium oxide <SMM-REO-DXO>, which is also largely mined in Kachin but was in lower demand over the last six months, eased 3.2 percent to 1,665 yuan per kg during the same period. Most rare earths from Kachin are processed in China, so a protracted stalemate would have global implications.
“A prolonged shutdown would likely lead to higher, potentially more volatile rare earth prices in China, and a reshaping of market dynamics in the near term,” research firm Adamas Intelligence said in a February note.
EXPORT PLUNGE
Chinese miners started building up major operations in Kachin in the 2010s, after Beijing tightened regulations on domestic mines.
Kachin’s often unregulated mines steadily expanded after the 2021 coup with the tacit approval of the junta, according to the U.K-.based Global Witness non-profit.
But the growth came at a heavy cost, ravaging the environment and leaving Kachin’s hills pock-marked with leeching pools, according to witness accounts and satellite imagery. Since the KIA’s takeover, a 20 percent tax imposed by the rebels has made it effectively impossible for local operators to run profitable mines.
The KIA wants China to stop pushing it to set down arms against the junta and to recognize the rebels’ de facto control of the border, said Dan Seng Lawn, adding that the parties had met at least twice in recent months.
The KIA has full control of the border in areas where it operates and anti-junta groups rule most of the rest of Myanmar’s frontier with China. Beijing appeared reluctant to accept the KIA’s demands, though it risked its monopoly on Myanmar’s rare earth reserves if it doesn’t position itself pragmatically, Dan Seng Lawn said.
Reopening the minerals sector would be a major financial lifeline to the rebels: Myanmar’s heavy rare earths trade stood at around $1.4 billion in 2023, according to Global Witness. The KIA has told miners in Kachin it will now allow shipments of existing rare earth inventories to China, Reuters reported Thursday.
But to resume operations at full capacity, the KIA needs an agreement with China, home to thousands of workers with the know-how, said Singapore-based rare-earths expert Thomas Kruemmer.
“Without them, this won’t work, full stop,” he said.
India alternative?
Amid the ongoing tussle, India has attempted to deepen its influence in Kachin, with which it also shares a border, according to Dan Seng Lawn and two people familiar with Indian official thinking.
India’s state-run mining and refining firm IREL in December sent a team to Kachin to study resources there, according to one of the Indian sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Indian authorities have reservations about operating in an area with armed non-state actors, but the Kachin desire to diversify away from China and New Delhi’s need for resources have pushed the two parties to talk, the Indian source said.
IREL did not return requests for comment.
An Indian delegation that included IREL also held an online meeting with the Kachins in December to discuss their interest in reopening the rare-earths sector, said Dan Seng Lawn, who attended the discussion.
They were willing to pay higher prices than China, he said.
Any India deal faces multiple obstacles, said Kruemmer and Dan Seng Lawn.
There is only skeletal infrastructure along the mountainous and sparsely populated Kachin-India frontier, making it challenging for commodities to be moved from Myanmar to the neighboring northeastern states of India. Those states are also far removed from India’s manufacturing belts in the south and west.
India also doesn’t have the ability to commercially process the heavy rare earths and transform them into magnets used by industry, according to Kruemmer and the Indian source. Some 90 percent of the world’s rare earths magnets are produced in China, which has brought the sector under tighter state control, followed by Japan.
Nevertheless, if Beijing does not recognize the “changing power dynamics,” Dan Seng Lawn said, the KIA “will have to open alternative options.”