We have all seen the terrifying images of tortured prisoners in Iraq.
Watching the latest news we have all been shamed by the images of human abuse. As Poles we can relate to those images when we recall the behavior of German soldiers in Poland during WWII. For Germans and Russians also set dogs on us and tortured us and ruthlessly killed us with total disregard to our dignity. Our lives were worthless to them, we were treated as disposable elements of war.
Now we can see a similar situation in the country of Iraq and we can reflect on how indifferent we feel about what is happening there. I want to remind you that this is how the rest of the world felt when Germany invaded Poland in 1939. Only when Hitler expanded the war and became a global threat was Poland considered to be one of the Allies. Nevertheless the powers of the world gave our country to Soviet Russia to be further abused and exploited for the next 45 years. Much like the Iraq situation, abuses in Poland were viewed with indifference by the rest of the world.
Today on the news networks we can view photos of grinning, smirking Americans standing over naked, humiliated Iraqis. There is no greatness in those photos but shame for the blatant show of primordial power. Yes, the primordial power of crude cavemen, celebrating their triumph over the beasts of the field. The photos taken to commemorate the conduct of some soldiers, especially the one showing jeering GIs with a group of naked Iraqis thrown into a lump on the floor, are the raw emanations of a crude hunting culture, utterly lacking in sophistication, still stuck in the cave. It is as if the past 4000 years had never happened.
No doubt many of us feel good about American GIs doing their job in Iraq, "kicking ass". No doubt many Americans felt good about Germans spreading East to the exotic territory of the Slavs during the Second War to introduce the gospel of law and order. But history has shown over and over again that brute force does not last and violent response to torture and abuse is imminent in those situations. Contrary to the famous American saying "walk softly and carry a big stick" (Teddy Roosevelt) this is no longer a soft walk but a real fight between the "liberating" forces of the USA and Iraqis resisting this abusive liberation.
We can see an example what abuse does to people in the case of modern Israel. A country armed with a big stick of nuclear weapons lives in constant fear of terrorist attacks for failing to bring prosperity to the region despite getting billions of dollars each year of foreign assistance from the USA. For this foreign aid money is not used to build great prosperity for all but is used to develop more sophisticated weapons of terror to abuse Palestinians in every possible way. But at the same time it is obvious that Israel could not survive without the Palestinian labor force, who like anyone else, dream of a better life for their families and a better future for their children. This is just another example of cavemen in charge and mindless spending on defense.
I wonder what would happen if the amount of money spent on war and military aid to Israel was spent on economic development of the region with the positive influence of American know-how? A development plan implemented not by a bunch of cavemen but by enlightened, educated and civilized Americans, who in my humble opinion still are the majority in this great nation? I am certain that if the politics of wisdom and peace had the upper hand in deciding the future of the world, we would have new Babylon gardens to enjoy once again and we would be proud of that accomplishment. But it seems that cavemen are ruling the world today, seeding primordial fear among us, as we all feel tortured by the images of abuse on TV.
No wonder that many people are recalling stories of doomsday prophesies about the end of the world. For the final battle of good and evil is now shown to us on news channels in our own living rooms. Television has an awesome power in these circumstances. It reduces and nails down in an image or gesture, the essence of so-called civilizations. The suppertime news shows the world graphic images that will evaporate support for wars and for leaders of cavemen.
We are not ready to fulfill the prophecy of the end of the world. When the chips are down, I have no doubt that the silent majority of good Americans will vote for greatness as opposed to evil forces. For the eternal battle of good and evil is always fought within us, not in a far away country like Iraq. Let's hope that the beginning of the end of this senseless war is here!
Stan Tyminski
Stan@transduction.com
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