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A LAMENT: THE BALM OF A PEACE PROCESS INFUSES THE WAR ON TERROR
By Johnny Barber
CounterPunch, CA
http://www.counterpunch.org/barber10152007.html
O ct 15 2007
Can we win the war on terror with the terror of war? Each time we
declare we will win the war on terror, we dig ourselves a deeper
hole. Each time we kill an innocent child on a city street and call it
collateral damage, each time we torture and lie that we don't- we add
to the anger and hatred directed against us. Might as well be pointing
the gun at our own temple. Way back when, we routed the Taliban in
Afghanistan, the war lords regained control and heroin production shot
through the roofsoon we'll be needin' another, bigger and better war on
drugs- this war will have to be fought in the homeland the collateral
damage will be our very own kids. Not to worry, Blackwater is growing,
and looking to diversify. And now the Taliban are resurgent and vowing
a new fight. Hamid Karzai (our puppet from Unocal), bunkered down in
Kabul, offers them a place in the government if only they refrain
from killing. A Taliban spokesperson refused the offer- as long as
America interferes in their homeland, they will not negotiate, though
i am sure they were tempted by a Ministry of Agriculture position.
In Iraq we routed the Republican guard, shocked and awed 'em to kingdom
come, along with thousands of innocents- tens times the innocents lost
on Sept 11th (at least), and still, we're counting the multitudes of
dead, (apparently they can't build coffins quick enough), and hey,
one had absolutely nothing to do with the other, c'est la vie, or
better yet, Macht Nichts, it doesn't matter, we kill 'em there so we
don't need to kill 'em here- we certainly don't like the stench of
death on our city streets, unless it's self inflicted, oh Katrina!
We haven't won the peace and democracy is impossible- carnage reigns
in the cradle of civilization and our leaders continually parrot
"ProgressProgressProgress". But progress is elusive- we still haven't
gotten the Iraqi's to sign away their oil. Now even the Democratic
frontrunners for President refuse to say they will bring the troops
home.
And what rough beast slouches toward Babylon revisited.
... Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed
upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction,
while the worst Are full of passionate intensity...
...And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards
Bethlehem to be born?
(Yeats; The Second Coming)
War, War, War- talk of endless war- has there ever been anything
else? Cluster bombs litter Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon. Depleted
uranium litters Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq (and the lungs and
bodies of men, women, and children- "ours" as well as "theirs"). Now
onto Iran! Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the new Saddam Hussein is the new
Osama bin Laden is the new Hitler is that old devil incarnate. But who
are the children of Iran? Who are the children of Iraq? Who are the
children of Afghanistan? Our smart bombs have pin point accuracy, yet
always the children die. Have you seen the pictures? Oh, Smart Bombs!
(Aside: While we denounce Iran's attempt to develop nuclear power, we
sign a new contract with India promising delivery of nuclear material
regardless of their efforts to further develop their nuclear arsenal.
Oh, Hypocrisy! Oh, Mushroom Clouds on the Horizon!)
Ironically, the term "war on terror" was first coined in 1947 by
newspapers describing efforts by the British colonial government to
reign in terrorist attacks by Israeli gangs against Palestinians. The
reign of terror continues. While the attacks against Israeli citizens
get the media coverage, the Israeli military rains humiliation,
violence, and terror on the Palestinian civilian population with
impunity. And Ahmadinejad is the new Nasrallah is the new Arafat is
the new Hitler, you get the picture. Over 20 children dead since June
in the prison camp that is Gaza. And Israel threatens to cut off the
water and electricity next.
(Aside: Did you know that Hitler originally planned to put the Jews on
reservations in the Lubin area where their numbers would be reduced
by starvation and disease? He got the idea from reading American
history. In 1910 the US Department of Indian Affairs Superintendent
wrote about "The Final Solution to our Indian Problem". Apparently
Hitler appreciated how efficiently we dispatched our "problem".)
So Gaza is the West Bank is South Lebanon is Kabul is Baghdad is
the new Warsaw Ghetto is the new Wounded Knee. It has been one
endless Trail of Tears. Blast walls, check points, night raids and
assassination. When will state terror = terror?
Yesterday our President denied a holocaust (for political
expediency). Yet he implies the President of Iran is an international
threat because he denies a holocaust (for political expediency?). Our
democratic Congress, so concerned with a genocide from 1915 in Armenia,
will perhaps one day have the courage to recognize the genocide that
occurred right here, from sea to shining sea. In September the United
States was one of four countries that voted no on the Declaration of
Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the UN (which has been debated for
over 20 years). Why? Because it went too far in giving indigenous
peoples ownership of their traditional lands.
Representative Sherman, a Democrat of California and a sponsor of
the Armenian Genocide resolution said, "For if we hope to stop future
genocides we need to admit to those horrific acts of the past."
Forget about stopping future genocides, what about the one were are
executing right now? (Please recall: the year was 1996, the program
60 Minutes, Lesley Stahl (on U.S. sanctions against Iraq): We have
heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more
children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth
it? Secretary of State Madeleine Albright: I think this is a very
hard choice, but the price--we think the price is worth it.) Five
hundred thousand Iraqi children are dead due to sanctions. One million
Iraqis are dead, and there are four million displaced people due to
our illegal invasion. Perhaps we should examine the blood on our own
hands, before we pick up historical stones. Oh, Repentance!
Oh, Truth!
But hold on, here it comes, what we've all been waiting for:
Yes, our President has called for a Peace Summit to resolve the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What foresight, what compassion.
Usually when our president talks of peace, more bombs fall. You know,
to insure the peace. Not this time. Our very own self described "war
president" deems it necessary that the Israelis and our puppet of
the PA, "Abu Mazen" sit and talk peace, along with other undisclosed
middle-east puppets. After all, haven't the Palestinians been pushed
about as far as they can go? What's next, starvation? Oh, Hunger!
After all, isn't Abu Mazen prepared to sell the Palestinian people
down the river, or in this case across the river? Oh, Treachery!
Did you see in the NY Times, (All the news that's fit to print) Israeli
Vice Prime Minister Haim Ramon has asserted that his government will
support a partition of Jerusalem? (oh, and yes 2 Palestinians were
killed in Nablus today). Maybe so, but the NY Times didn't see it
fit to print that on the same day they quoted Ramon, the Israeli
Army authorized the confiscation of 1100 additional dunams (nearly
300 acres) of Palestinian land- you guessed it- in East Jerusalem,
and yes, you guessed it, to expand a settlement. Up is down, freedom
is occupation, war is peace. Oh, Mendacity!
Back in the summer, when President Bush originally called for
this summit, former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said,
"I think a lot of people are inclined to try to treat this as a big
peace conference. It's not." Of course it's not. If people are not
yet clear on the matter, President Bush is not at all concerned with
Peace, nor are the Israelis. Peace would require justice, would require
de-colonizing the West Bank, would require returning stolen resources,
would require self-determination for the Palestinian people, peace
would require an equitable solution to the refugee question. None of
this is forthcoming, none of this is "on the table". President Bush
is only interested in acquiesce to American power. Israel is only
interested in acquiesce to Israeli power.
(Aside: And where is the next Mandela who is the new M.L.King who is
the new Gandhi who is the new Jesus who is the new Buddha? And what
of the women, why are their names forgotten or left unsaid? The smart
bombs do not neglect them...and Hilary, i know you have the cojones
to be king, and that is exactly why you will never win my vote. Where
is the Mother's embrace this world so desperately needs? Blessed are
the peacemakers. Oh, Love!)
So where do we go, and what do we do? Go where you can and do what
you must for justice. We must do what we can and not waiver. The
townspeople of Bi'lin are a model- they have had over one thousand
non-violent demonstrations to save their land and have been met
by ongoing Israeli army violence, yet they reject violence and
persevere. The monks and the student dissidents in Burma provide
a model as well. Though brought down by violence they have not
surrendered.
I read there is a document circulating inside Burma that reads
as follows:
Afflicted by military dictator and lackeys Shootings and beatings My
head is bloody But unbowed.
Oh, Justice!
Oh, Peace!
Oh, Revolution!
For Seven Generations.
Johnny Barber is a member of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. He has
travelled to Iraq, Israel, Occupied Palestine and Lebanon to bear
witness and document the suffering of people who are affected by war.
He advocates for reconciliation and nonviolent strategies in the face
of violence and oppression. He can be reached at [email protected].
By Johnny Barber
CounterPunch, CA
http://www.counterpunch.org/barber10152007.html
O ct 15 2007
Can we win the war on terror with the terror of war? Each time we
declare we will win the war on terror, we dig ourselves a deeper
hole. Each time we kill an innocent child on a city street and call it
collateral damage, each time we torture and lie that we don't- we add
to the anger and hatred directed against us. Might as well be pointing
the gun at our own temple. Way back when, we routed the Taliban in
Afghanistan, the war lords regained control and heroin production shot
through the roofsoon we'll be needin' another, bigger and better war on
drugs- this war will have to be fought in the homeland the collateral
damage will be our very own kids. Not to worry, Blackwater is growing,
and looking to diversify. And now the Taliban are resurgent and vowing
a new fight. Hamid Karzai (our puppet from Unocal), bunkered down in
Kabul, offers them a place in the government if only they refrain
from killing. A Taliban spokesperson refused the offer- as long as
America interferes in their homeland, they will not negotiate, though
i am sure they were tempted by a Ministry of Agriculture position.
In Iraq we routed the Republican guard, shocked and awed 'em to kingdom
come, along with thousands of innocents- tens times the innocents lost
on Sept 11th (at least), and still, we're counting the multitudes of
dead, (apparently they can't build coffins quick enough), and hey,
one had absolutely nothing to do with the other, c'est la vie, or
better yet, Macht Nichts, it doesn't matter, we kill 'em there so we
don't need to kill 'em here- we certainly don't like the stench of
death on our city streets, unless it's self inflicted, oh Katrina!
We haven't won the peace and democracy is impossible- carnage reigns
in the cradle of civilization and our leaders continually parrot
"ProgressProgressProgress". But progress is elusive- we still haven't
gotten the Iraqi's to sign away their oil. Now even the Democratic
frontrunners for President refuse to say they will bring the troops
home.
And what rough beast slouches toward Babylon revisited.
... Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed
upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction,
while the worst Are full of passionate intensity...
...And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards
Bethlehem to be born?
(Yeats; The Second Coming)
War, War, War- talk of endless war- has there ever been anything
else? Cluster bombs litter Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon. Depleted
uranium litters Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq (and the lungs and
bodies of men, women, and children- "ours" as well as "theirs"). Now
onto Iran! Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the new Saddam Hussein is the new
Osama bin Laden is the new Hitler is that old devil incarnate. But who
are the children of Iran? Who are the children of Iraq? Who are the
children of Afghanistan? Our smart bombs have pin point accuracy, yet
always the children die. Have you seen the pictures? Oh, Smart Bombs!
(Aside: While we denounce Iran's attempt to develop nuclear power, we
sign a new contract with India promising delivery of nuclear material
regardless of their efforts to further develop their nuclear arsenal.
Oh, Hypocrisy! Oh, Mushroom Clouds on the Horizon!)
Ironically, the term "war on terror" was first coined in 1947 by
newspapers describing efforts by the British colonial government to
reign in terrorist attacks by Israeli gangs against Palestinians. The
reign of terror continues. While the attacks against Israeli citizens
get the media coverage, the Israeli military rains humiliation,
violence, and terror on the Palestinian civilian population with
impunity. And Ahmadinejad is the new Nasrallah is the new Arafat is
the new Hitler, you get the picture. Over 20 children dead since June
in the prison camp that is Gaza. And Israel threatens to cut off the
water and electricity next.
(Aside: Did you know that Hitler originally planned to put the Jews on
reservations in the Lubin area where their numbers would be reduced
by starvation and disease? He got the idea from reading American
history. In 1910 the US Department of Indian Affairs Superintendent
wrote about "The Final Solution to our Indian Problem". Apparently
Hitler appreciated how efficiently we dispatched our "problem".)
So Gaza is the West Bank is South Lebanon is Kabul is Baghdad is
the new Warsaw Ghetto is the new Wounded Knee. It has been one
endless Trail of Tears. Blast walls, check points, night raids and
assassination. When will state terror = terror?
Yesterday our President denied a holocaust (for political
expediency). Yet he implies the President of Iran is an international
threat because he denies a holocaust (for political expediency?). Our
democratic Congress, so concerned with a genocide from 1915 in Armenia,
will perhaps one day have the courage to recognize the genocide that
occurred right here, from sea to shining sea. In September the United
States was one of four countries that voted no on the Declaration of
Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the UN (which has been debated for
over 20 years). Why? Because it went too far in giving indigenous
peoples ownership of their traditional lands.
Representative Sherman, a Democrat of California and a sponsor of
the Armenian Genocide resolution said, "For if we hope to stop future
genocides we need to admit to those horrific acts of the past."
Forget about stopping future genocides, what about the one were are
executing right now? (Please recall: the year was 1996, the program
60 Minutes, Lesley Stahl (on U.S. sanctions against Iraq): We have
heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more
children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth
it? Secretary of State Madeleine Albright: I think this is a very
hard choice, but the price--we think the price is worth it.) Five
hundred thousand Iraqi children are dead due to sanctions. One million
Iraqis are dead, and there are four million displaced people due to
our illegal invasion. Perhaps we should examine the blood on our own
hands, before we pick up historical stones. Oh, Repentance!
Oh, Truth!
But hold on, here it comes, what we've all been waiting for:
Yes, our President has called for a Peace Summit to resolve the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What foresight, what compassion.
Usually when our president talks of peace, more bombs fall. You know,
to insure the peace. Not this time. Our very own self described "war
president" deems it necessary that the Israelis and our puppet of
the PA, "Abu Mazen" sit and talk peace, along with other undisclosed
middle-east puppets. After all, haven't the Palestinians been pushed
about as far as they can go? What's next, starvation? Oh, Hunger!
After all, isn't Abu Mazen prepared to sell the Palestinian people
down the river, or in this case across the river? Oh, Treachery!
Did you see in the NY Times, (All the news that's fit to print) Israeli
Vice Prime Minister Haim Ramon has asserted that his government will
support a partition of Jerusalem? (oh, and yes 2 Palestinians were
killed in Nablus today). Maybe so, but the NY Times didn't see it
fit to print that on the same day they quoted Ramon, the Israeli
Army authorized the confiscation of 1100 additional dunams (nearly
300 acres) of Palestinian land- you guessed it- in East Jerusalem,
and yes, you guessed it, to expand a settlement. Up is down, freedom
is occupation, war is peace. Oh, Mendacity!
Back in the summer, when President Bush originally called for
this summit, former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said,
"I think a lot of people are inclined to try to treat this as a big
peace conference. It's not." Of course it's not. If people are not
yet clear on the matter, President Bush is not at all concerned with
Peace, nor are the Israelis. Peace would require justice, would require
de-colonizing the West Bank, would require returning stolen resources,
would require self-determination for the Palestinian people, peace
would require an equitable solution to the refugee question. None of
this is forthcoming, none of this is "on the table". President Bush
is only interested in acquiesce to American power. Israel is only
interested in acquiesce to Israeli power.
(Aside: And where is the next Mandela who is the new M.L.King who is
the new Gandhi who is the new Jesus who is the new Buddha? And what
of the women, why are their names forgotten or left unsaid? The smart
bombs do not neglect them...and Hilary, i know you have the cojones
to be king, and that is exactly why you will never win my vote. Where
is the Mother's embrace this world so desperately needs? Blessed are
the peacemakers. Oh, Love!)
So where do we go, and what do we do? Go where you can and do what
you must for justice. We must do what we can and not waiver. The
townspeople of Bi'lin are a model- they have had over one thousand
non-violent demonstrations to save their land and have been met
by ongoing Israeli army violence, yet they reject violence and
persevere. The monks and the student dissidents in Burma provide
a model as well. Though brought down by violence they have not
surrendered.
I read there is a document circulating inside Burma that reads
as follows:
Afflicted by military dictator and lackeys Shootings and beatings My
head is bloody But unbowed.
Oh, Justice!
Oh, Peace!
Oh, Revolution!
For Seven Generations.
Johnny Barber is a member of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. He has
travelled to Iraq, Israel, Occupied Palestine and Lebanon to bear
witness and document the suffering of people who are affected by war.
He advocates for reconciliation and nonviolent strategies in the face
of violence and oppression. He can be reached at [email protected].