Editorial Comments: Maintaining Baseline, Corrective Surgical Care during Asymmetrical Warfare: A Case Study of a Humanitarian Mission in the Safe Zone of a Neighboring Country

Abstract

I congratulate the authors of this article for their beneficial and much-needed work. I consider this work to be a bright shining light in a dark tunnel and a brave move in the right direction. The true value of this work is far beyond the treatment of 71 patients; it implants hope where there is confusion, promotes love where there is hate, and initiates trust and confidence where mistrust is common. Today, humanitarian aid groups and relief organizations face unique, difficult conditions, and sometimes must answer obscure questions and respond to new problems. History tells us that the war ends when the cease fire starts, that humanitarian organizations are well-received and protected, and that victims and patients respect and trust those providing medical treatment, regardless of their nationality. However, current reality reveals that a cease fire sometimes marks the start of a different war with a different strategy. The number of victims after the cease fire may exceed the number of conventional war victims. Some politicians generalize, classify, and reclassify people, creating mistrust, a lack of confidence, and confusion. It is sad to see victims who need treatment, while nearby there are well-meaning people willing to treat them but who are unable to do so without great risk.