Sixty-five years ago, mighty ships were destroyed, multitudes of people were killed, and the wretchedness of "war" took our young people to their knees, or death.

If you were alive then, what were you doing on Dec. 7, 1941?

At Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, young American men and women found themselves fighting a war without warning or reason.

On that beautiful Sunday morning, Japanese bombers pulled a surprise attack on the United States naval fleet at Pearl Harbor. This world forever changed.

Sixty-five years later, United States bombs broke the silence in Iraq. Is history repeating itself today?

Today's elders see devastation in Iraq's war and know very well the terrible price paid for war. Is there a common denominator decades later?

Consider the future is our sons and daughters. Where are they? Fighting invisible enemies in dusty, blazing hot desert sands and city streets of countries that, before war, was only a dot on a school history map.

Know that 65 years ago, sons and daughters now dubbed "The Greatest Generation" fought for freedom, too, from start with blood-bathed sinking ships to a finish ending in wipeout atomic bombs.

Paint those two pictures any color that suits us, red for blood shed, blue for hearts leaving all they love to fight, or green for soul-less money-grabbers who embrace war for profit.

No color improves the face of war - it's eternally ugly!

The Japanese 'Kamikaze' pilot's eyes seemed focused, intent, emotionless, to Navy Petty Officer Lew Lewellen, standing on deck aboard the USS Detroit at Pearl Harbor.

The suicide dive-bomber came so close that Lewellen stared into the enemy's eyes.

At the last minute, the Kamikaze swerved, sending him crashing and exploding into a huge mass of black smoke aboard the smaller ship, USS Curtis.

Americans soon learned seemingly emotionless Kamikaze pilots had one mission - crash and destroy American ships. Sacrificing their life was believed to bring honor and spiritual reward.

Six decades later, on the other side of the world, Iraq citizens now become human bombs believing their reward is instantly going to Heaven.

Can we live without war? Why must human nature and greed be toxic and consistent companions? If there is to be better understanding among the human race it better start now.

Good human relations grow with constructive communication, whether we live in Highline or Timbuktu.

It's been said, "The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is listen to them."

Not much listening is evident if we're mostly talking-or shooting.

Pearl Harbor survivor Petty Officer Lewellen said, "I don't like to see our young people lose their life in this Iraq war. Anyone can walk up to them and blow them up. They don't know who their enemies are. We did!"

Ask folks what happened Dec. 7, 1941, and often there's a blank look. How can a war that changed the world be forgotten? School history assignments might benefit with the reading of this excerpt from the "Pearl Harbor Survivors 1983 Newsletter":

"Out of the smoke, flames and death of Pearl Harbor came an aroused and united America. Men and women throughout the United States rushed to the call of military services, while civilian industry, ingenuity and public opinion backed every effort of our nation forced into war.

"In every community the words, 'REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR,' rang.

"Whole-hearted military and civilian teamwork resulted in the greatest fleet and fighting team in the history of the world."

A total of 3,067 American servicemen died at Pearl Harbor. Iraq's death toll is about equal. To all who have, or do, defend America's freedom - salute.

It hurt 65 years ago when death numbers were announced. It hurts no less today. The cost of war is young lives. Is it worth that price?

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen," said Winston Churchill, Britain's wartime leader in the 1940s.

Instead of sending them to war let's listen more, fight less and educate our children to find cures for disease, conquer global warming, and change war into living together peacefully.

To survive, it's a must.

In the meantime, listening is a start - and "starts" begin with us.