Western nations often advocate for peace, democracy, and human rights while being major global arms suppliers, creating cognitive dissonance and conflicting beliefs. This contradiction reflects commerce without morality, one of Gandhi’s seven sins. 

Ethical Concerns of Double Standards in Global Arms Trade

1. Promotion of Peace vs. Arms Supply: Eg. U.S. provides arms to Ukraine and Israel while calling for peace in global forums.
2. Support for Democracy vs. Arms Sales to Authoritarian Regimes: While promoting democracy, countries like U.K. (BAE Systems) and France (Dassault Aviation) sell arms to regimes like Saudi Arabia, contributing to the Yemen conflict
3. Economic Interests Over Global Stability: In 2022, U.S. arms exports totaled $44.5 billion.
4. Selective Peace Advocacy (selective moralism): The U.S. supports Israel while advocating for peace in other regions, and Russia supplies arms to Iran and Syria. 
5. Perpetuation of Violence: Rather than fostering peace, weapon industries fuel ongoing violence and suffering.

Ethical considerations of the powerful nations to stop continuation of ongoing conflicts

1. Respect for International Law: Eg: The UN-approved intervention in Libya (2011) upheld global legal standards for military action.
2. Human Rights Protection: Eg: NATO’s Kosovo intervention (1999) aimed to stop ethnic cleansing and protect civilians.
3. Promotion of Democracy: Eg: U.S. support for South Korea’s democracy in the 1980s enabled peaceful democratic transition.
4. Humanitarian Aid and Peacekeeping: Eg: The UN mission in Sierra Leone helped stabilize the region post-civil war.
5. Non-Interference and Sovereignty: Eg: India respected Sri Lanka’s sovereignty during its civil war while promoting peace.
6. Promoting Diplomacy Over Military Action: Eg: The Iran Nuclear Deal (2015) avoided military conflict through diplomacy.
7. War Ethics: Eg: The Geneva Conventions guided ethical conduct in wars, like the Gulf War.

The Need for Action Over Mere Advocacy

1. Transparency in Arms Deals
2. Investing in Peacebuilding Initiatives: Eg- Norway’s investment in peace mediation efforts, like those in Sri Lanka
3. Accountability for Governments:  Eg- Protests in the U.K. over arms sales to Saudi Arabia 
4. Prioritizing Human Rights: aligning foreign policy with ethical principles of harm minimization and human dignity.
5. Strengthening Arms Control and Ethical Warfare through international treaties like the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

“Talking about peace while fueling war with weapons is like extinguishing fire with gasoline.” Thus, Powerful nations must align their actions with their values as peace requires consistent action, not just rhetoric.