Harm-Exempt? Hardly
When I went along on protests to Parliament Hill on behalf of women's rights or for peace demonstrations, often organizers and their supporters would meet first at a downtown central location known as Quaker House. This was a while ago, they may still do so, for all I know. The last peace march I went on was about four years ago in mid-February, when the temperature didn't get above minus-20 centigrade, and that was one to remember. It was to protest the intent of the United States to go to war in Iraq, ostensibly to remove Saddam Hussein because the U.S. had amassed proof-beyond-dispute that Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, and they were prepared to bravely embark upon the mission to save the world from his lunatic ambitions. And we all know where that led to, and the quagmire that country is now mired in.Iraq stands ready to self-destruct, it would appear. But not without plenty of help. First by the destabilization brought about by the American invasion to liberate the country and deliver it into a Democratic constitution and rule of law, and then by the foreign Islamist jihadists equally determined to both oust the Infidels and bring this country of sectarian Islamic opposition into the Al Qaeda fold. The better to beat you with, my dear West.
In the years following the operation of "Enduring Freedom" and the declaration of George W. Bush that "the war is won", newspapers have been full of electrifyingly horrible stories of Sunnis murdering Shiite Muslims, of kidnappings, torture, mass murders. No one has been immune to the torrent of madness that has overtaken that country. Not sweetly idealistic European ladies who married Iraqi nationals, lived in the country for 20 years all the while sacrificing personal comforts in support of the Iraqi people, nor European or North American citizens working to restore order in the country (and in the process enrich themselves). Nor Western peace activists concerned at the plight of the ordinary Iraqi during this time of deadly turmoil, or hard-boiled news reporters determined to capture the inside story and have it published for the entire world to see what is happening in that unfortunate country.
We see the short and brutal news clips aired by Al Jazeera of chastened, frightened hostages pleading with their countries of origin to clear out of the country for only then will their miserable lives be spared. As if. We see footage of peace activists whose only sin against the Iraqis is their presence in the country as "Infidels" while believing themselves to be doing the work of God Almighty to somehow sway both the iniquitous American invaders and the blood-slavering hordes of Jihadists to make peace with one another.
Truly their reward shall be delivered unto them in Heaven. For is that not where these noble souls will be transported? If they are not willing martyrs in their personal search for oneness with the intent of their loving god, what then are they? Their faith keeps them strong, it helps them to overcome their natural fears of failure, and to soldier on in their search for peace.
Sad it is to see these representatives of peace on earth for the Christian Peacemaker Teams. These surely are not people of low intelligence, they must know that although they claim to be working on behalf of the Iraqi population, a hefty proportion of that population see them as nothing less than interlopers, interferers, Infidels. The only god that can help Muslims is the god to whom they themselves turn, Allah. To bring an alien concept of another god into play is yet another conceit which the West seeks to visit upon Islam.
These brave interlopers who stifle their own fears for the greater good of peace, prepared to do their utmost in an atmosphere of war, hatred, revenge, sectarian violence must know they are placing themselves in deep danger. They must know that representatives of their respective governments are powerless to save them. The peace groups they represent are mired in expressions of personal grief, disbelief, hope.
What on earth could they have been thinking? What, under these dire circumstances, might they have been expecting?
Time to consider alternate tactics.
posted by Pieface @ Sunday, March 12, 2006
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