A major headline this morning, both on the TV and the BBC website, proclaimed the [probable] death of Baitullah Mehsud.[1]
At the announcement, it was not hard to imagine twenty million people worldwide staring perplexedly at each other, and asking, “Who?”
So, the Americans may have got lucky and assassinated a Taliban leader on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border, from their control center in Arizona, or Texas, or from wherever it is they coldly sit and direct their pilot-less drones. Is it truly so big a deal as to warrant ten minutes discussion out of a half hour news broadcast? No doubt Mehsud’s second-in-command is ready to step adroitly into his shoes.
There’s something terribly menacing about a group of people sat in an underground bunker somewhere, calmly picking off individuals from any point on the globe they wish to direct their hellish missiles.
It smacks of the worst kind of science fiction. Yet, we now accept such news over our morning cornflakes without batting an eyelid. Well, they’re the enemy, after all, aren’t they?
And that’s the problem. As soon as we rate them as “enemy”, they stop being human beings and metamorphose into some ugly, stinging, insect we have no qualms about exterminating. Even when the methods we use to do so are far more inhumane than they are.
We, the people, are to blame. We will readily believe in the necessity for war, so long as our politicians tell us it’s just, but let one member of the military get hurt, or worse, and we give our leaders hell. Can we blame them, then, for developing remote-controlled technology that can assassinate the enemy from thousands of miles away?
Millions of men died in the last two world wars. That sacrifice helped humanity comprehend the God-awful futility of war. It took generations for whole nations to recover from their loss – the winners as well as the losers.
The only way to end war is by generating unacceptable sacrifice. It’s why each of the world wars was labeled, “The war to end all wars.” And they may have been, if technology had not intervened.
Like most species on the planet, we need to feel suffering before taking action to alleviate it. Remember the last time you were ill? You’d do anything to feel better. Once the malady had run its course, however, it was as though it never really existed. One can’t imagine ever feeling ill again – until the next time.
It’s the same with war. When we suffered, when our menfolk died by the millions, we’d do anything to stop it happening again. Now, we have a vaccine against war. We really don’t suffer anymore. By comparison with those dead millions, hardly any of our military are killed or maimed in wars today, and because of the technological advantages held by America and its dubious allies, the outcome of war is rarely in serious doubt.
We’re losing our humanity to the pilot-less drones.
Today, we can hear the news that Baitullah Mehsud is dead while eating our cornflakes, and with bored indifference switch channels to something more titillating.
A 26 year old Greek woman is in custody on the island of Crete today after setting fire to the genitals of a British tourist, according to a BBC report.[2]
Apparently, she poured alcohol over his nether regions and ignited it.
Good.
British tourists are the most disgusting, badly-behaved, depraved individuals on the planet. This woman deserves a medal. The Greeks have suffered too long the invasion of their homelands by drunken British marauders intent on causing mayhem for the purpose of their own selfish pleasure. Frankly, the only reason the Greeks don’t lock them up and throw the key away is because monetary interests in the country won’t let them.
This man exposed himself repeatedly and harassed the woman sexually. Hopefully, he’ll be in intense agony for days. Personally, I hope his balls drop off.
There are times when my countrymen shame and disgust me.
NOTE: If you doubt this latter story is more interesting to the world than the death of Baitullah Mehsud, please note that on the list of most popular stories shared by BBC website readers, the flaming Brit ranks number one, while the deceased Taliban leader fails even to be listed.
[1] “Pakistani Taliban leader ‘killed'” BBC, August 7th 2009
[2] “Woman ‘torched Briton’s genitals'” BBC, August 7th 2009
Filed under: Drones and fiery penises
The waging of war has evolved along with our race, I guess. Once upon a time the King, or in the case of Boudica, Queen) would ride into battle with their troops.
Then, later on, the ruler began staying in the palace while dukes and generals did the dirty work. Now, even the dukes and generals can stand well away from any blood and gore, and as you point out, RJ – direct others to do dastardly deeds from distant bunkers.
As for the fate of the British yob-tourist in Greece – I’m with you. He got exactly what he deserved.
So called ‘war’ becoming more and more depersonalized. And how long more will it be till we get it is not the Taliban, the burqa’d women or Al Qaeda?
It is drugs (opium, morphine, heroin) and oil. that’s all and that’s it.
And as for Toasted Testicles, I can totally appreciate, having had far too many Free Willies flaunted in my direction over the years.
XO
WWW
Sadly, human race is becoming more and more disconnected from each other. I blame the Co-operate Media for most of the evils of the world. If they did their job properly and reported the war(s) in totally accuracy, then we the “human race” would not feel so isolated from each other’s pain as we do…..
I understand “governments” soul function is to be selfish, but the Media must have the role of an independent observer otherwise, what the hell are they doing? It seems they have become just another tool of the evil governments around the world….
How correct George Orwell was. 🙁
As for the tourist… He must have done something very awful to deserve such a punishment… OUCH!