Protests and Motherhood Statements
In prosecuting a war, any war, it seems always as though civilians have an unfortunate habit of getting in the way of a good clean artillery sweep of the 'enemy'. As wars go on, civilian 'casualties' mount, and the government authorities and the chiefs of armed services wring their hands in superficial despair. Civilian deaths, after all, reflect poorly on the administration and on the belligerents' aims and intents.As though either really care all that deeply. Other than eventually facing the rage of the people who understand finally how they have been used and abused. Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai has informed his NATO allies in no uncertain terms that he is fed up, completely disgusted, dissatisfied in the extreme at their lack of caution in lobbing artillery where it is certain to hit civilian pockets.
As though he's completely unaware that the foreign soldiers whose countries have volunteered their soldiery expertise are themselves frustrated, fearful, and themselves critical of the extent of assistance and co-operation offered their enterprise by the home country's ill trained and poorly paid militias and police forces whose hearts, after all, don't seem to be fully engaged in the matter at hand.
But then it's always easier to lay blame at the feet of outsiders than to accept that one's own administration is guilty of poor handling of an extreme warlike situation. To admit that some members of very own parliament are not all that unalike to the thugs and murderers currently being pursued by allied forces. That the administration of the country is lacking in determination and capable decision-making.
The Taliban are, after all, religious fanatics, Islamists of the first order, camouflaging their intent in pious Muslim doublespeak, fashioning their methods after those taught them directly and by default by al Qaeda, and proven successful by Hezbollah and Hamas. Suicide bombing, persuasion of martyrdom in the name of the cause. Taking shelter behind the homes of civilians, and drawing return fire upon those same non-combatants.
"We are deeply saddened by any loss of innocent lives," intone coalition forces spokespeople, a motherhood statement beyond dispute, leavened by the disclaimer that foreign forces are not responsible for civilian deaths. "We have no evidence to corroborate some of the large numbers we have seen reported in the press," according to a NATO spokesperson.
"All enemy positions were destroyed in the engagement" the coalition forces indicated in a statement. Explaining deftly their position as allies of the Afghan government in battling the insurgent Taliban. Leaving other statements as inexplicable as "More than 100 people have been killed. But they weren't Taliban. The Taliban were far away from there", claimed by a member of the Afghan parliament.
And a resident of the bombed area, where it was claimed many children were killed: "People are still busy bringing out the dead from under the rubble, there are funerals at various places."
Labels: World Crises
posted by Pieface @ Monday, July 02, 2007
<< Home