Syrian Teen Wins Peace Prize, US Funding Warlords Wins State Department
The New Arab celebrates Bana al-Abed, a Syrian teen, for winning the International Children’s Peace Prize, highlighting her advocacy for children affected by war. A truly heartwarming story, if one ignores the uncomfortable fact that while we laud a child for speaking out, the US continues to be the largest arms dealer to the Middle East, with 70% of its arms sales going to countries in the region
from 2017-2021, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). It’s a peculiar form of virtue signaling: praise the victim, ignore the perpetrator. The same administrations applauding 'peace' often simultaneously greenlight massive military aid packages and arms deals that directly contribute to the very conflicts creating these child activists. One might wonder if the
real 'peace prize' goes to defense contractors and their well-funded lobbyists.