By Andrew Klein
In these days of mass communication and glib reportage, carefully presented and stage managed by the powers that be the reality of ‘death’ in its many guises often presents more of a picture of entertainment, or at best, outrage at a distance.
Many Australians were outraged by the executions carried out in Indonesia of those who had been sitting on death row after being convicted of serious drug smuggling offences. Governments claimed that this might have long-term impacts on the relationships between the two countries, which I personally doubt, but it gave enough ‘passion’ to express at least some concept of ‘Human Rights’ and the sanctity of ‘Human Life’. In my own view all life is precious, be it human or one of the ‘lesser creatures’ but let’s not quibble over this.
I vividly recall the exhortations made by the Australian Governments under Howard (the then Prime Minister) and the alliance of the ‘Willing’ to face off the evil Saddam Regime in Iraq and to bring ‘Democracy and Liberty’ to that part of the world. Much has been written about the two wars that followed and the steady balkanization that followed. Saddam, once a beloved friend of Rumsfeld and fated by various US Agencies and Governments in his long war against Iran must have been very surprised to find himself on the outer. Even the invasion of Kuwait had received the tacit blessing of the United States (see Congressional Hearings) and by sleight of hand he became the super evil that needed to be removed from the world stage. One cannot justify his treatment of the Kurdish people yet at that time he must have felt some support for his misdeeds as the west did nothing and Turkey continues to this day in its efforts to apply its own military solution to that region.
I will not waste your time by reflecting on the brutalities that occurred during both wars in in their aftermath. Unless you have been totally disconnected from the world, I hope that there is some broader understanding of the politics of the Middle East and not just the approach used by those seen as former colonial masters.
It has been suggested by one source that the number of Casualties in Iraq number 140,659 – 159,248. (Iraq Body Count 2nd July 2015). We will probably never know the real numbers of those killed and the killing continues as the ISL (a bizarre off-shoot from Taliban / Mujahedeen Forces and others) inflicts further murder and mayhem on innocent civilians.
I personally do not support groups that espouse terror and rule by fear, no matter what they use to give themselves credibility on the world stage.
I do question the total lack a humane approach when dealing with the killing of civilians, be it by one army or another. Carrying any particular flag is not a licence to kill and murder.
Where is the outrage when it concerns the death of those living in far off places possibly labelled as belonging to one faction or another?
Have we become so disconnected from reality that some killings are more acceptable than others, our language converting them into collateral damage.
Would there have been an outrage if those executed in Indonesia had been described as collateral damage in the Global War on Drugs? Or worse, is our outrage determined still by the flags we fly and the colours of our skins?
We have seen Afghanistan, years of suffering and now allegations of murder. We see Palestine, the occupied territories and more death and suffering.
Wars are state sanctioned murder, diplomacy by other means (Von Clausewitz). We see the killings in the Ukraine and its marketed as good guys vs bad guys. Somehow that makes it more acceptable.
Until the world outlaws wars, removes the myths of glory and manhood attached to the killing of those deemed worthy of death, the murders in our names will continue. Let’s not kid ourselves, there is money in death and destruction. Lots and lots of money, lots of spin and justification. The manufacturing of stereotypes takes just a few keystrokes.
This will continue until we hold our politicians to account and demand answers.
We will not get answers when the system is geared to protect some mealy-mouthed national interest and careers depend on it.
The evil committed in our names is an evil that we all carry with us. How many steps would you take before deciding that another is worthy of death, that cities need to be levelled and civilians ‘attrited’?
If you are prepared to see this happen without asking questions, the blood is on your hands also.
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