This time it's Syria, apparently.
Doubtless it's just a coincidence that some kind of crisis has come along in Syria just when Obama and his government of swine have had their reputation shitstained the world over as a result of the sentencing of Chelsea Manning, and the revelations from Edward Snowden. But coincidence or not, it's plain that Obama isn't above trying to change an uncomfortable political dialogue, and he's doing it in the ugliest possible fashion.
I hope to hell that whichever prawn we've got in The Lodge takes a very long, very hard look at the situation if and when Obama starts in with the bombs and the guns and the 'bringing Democracy' thing. We've still got good Australian soldiers dying in Afghanistan from the last-but-one time we marched in lockstep with a dangerous maniac in the White House. We spent way too much time and money helping Dubya's COW fuck over Iraq, turning the place into a cash cow for Halliburton and a hell-hole for Iraqi citizenry.
Let's think about the Syria thing, shall we? Syria's been on the USAnian shit-list for years. Dubya made it a primo player in his imaginary "Axis of EEEvul", alongside North Korea, and... uhh... shit. Who was the third? Was it Cuba? Couldn't be, could it? Damn. Let me look it up.
Ah. Originally, it was Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. But in May 2002, not long after the original imbecilic speech, the Axis of Eeevul got expanded to include Libya, Syria, and Cuba. (Cuba? Fuck me.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1971852.stm
So apparently, the USAnian government has had a hard-on for Syria for more than ten years. Now Syria's having a civil war. Tearing itself apart. Naturally, the USA has jumped up to support the 'rebels', but unfortunately, it turns out they're just as big a bunch of bastards and killers as the Syrian government itself. And now, all of a sudden -- just as the US becomes a world-wide synonym for 'police state', 'tyranny', and 'illegal surveillance' -- the US is insisting that the Syrian government has gassed a civilian target, and Something Must Be Done.
I note in passing that the information on this heinous crime seems to have reached us by way of the French. The French? Last I heard, the USA had declared 'Freedom Fries' into existence, and rejected the French as 'cheese-eating surrender monkeys'. So, suddenly now French intelligence is reliable, trustworthy, and a good reason to start limbering up the cruise missiles?
My. That's an interesting change of position, isn't it?
And speaking of interesting changes of position, which country was it that supplied Saddam Hussein with detailed satellite information when he was preparing to attack the Irani forces with Sarin gas? Come on. You know perfectly well: say it with me -- it was America.
Now, we all know how the relationship between Saddam and the US wound up. One day, the Americans are supplying him with highly detailed intelligence on the Irani forces so he can use illegal WMD on them. The next, they're supplying him with clusterbombs and mines... oh, but the day after that, they're fucking INVADING Iraq in pursuit of WMD -- or was it oil? I can never keep that straight -- and tearing the heart of the Iraqi society in the process.
And now, Obama and his people expect the world to dance to his tune because the French have told him the Syrians have gassed their own people?
Enough is enough. Whatever America's internal problems are, that's none of our business. But when America starts yet again making noises about war -- that's everybody's goddam problem.
We followed the US in Korea. We followed 'em in Vietnam. We followed them in Iraq I. We followed them in Afghanistan. We followed them in Iraq II.
Please, for fuck's sake -- whichever dickhead happens to have the Prime Minister's office if and when Obama pushes the 'fuck you' button on Syria -- please, please: let the Yanks do this one by themselves.
They're quite good at "bringing democracy" by now. They've had a fuckload of practice at it, and they really, really don't need our help at all.
Let's keep the Australian military clean this time, shall we?
Hamburgers, the superfood.
9 hours ago
Its interesting to me that chemical weapons have been enshrined in international law in the same category as atomic and biological warfare. Use of them carries a universal opprobation.
ReplyDeleteHowever I do not understand why this particular weapon is any more heinous than say fuel air explosives, cluster bombs or land minds or the myriad other tools of modern warfare. A cynic would suspect is this more to do with chemical weapons easy of manufacture and effectiveness for cost, a ideal weapon of asymmetric warfare which the US can often find itself on the other side.
Please do not mistake my intent I believe the use of chemical weapons, especially on civilians morally reprehensible (inter arma enim silent leges - my arse) but then I consider missile strikes and 'shock and awe' a crime as well.
It could be my chemical background provides a familiarity that most people do not have when it comes to chemistry.
Off the topic of the point of your post I realise, but depiction of chemical weapons as a casus belli for the US intrigues me and I wonder if others have the same thoughts with regard to the use of chemical weapons in war.
I don't mistake your point at all Mister B. I understand it quite well, and it is an interesting one, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThe particular quality of gas as a weapon which makes it especially ugly, and especially suited to asymmetric warfare is not its lethality, but the reverse. Yes, things like Sarin are quite lethal... but a lot of the war gasses left hideously injured people, with long-term disabilities, or even long, slow, mortal injuries.
Gas is a demoralising weapon. And it is an economically destructive weapon, because it leaves you with a huge medical bill. And of course, it's an excellent weapon of terror because it can be smuggled into crowded, enclosed spaces and set off for maximum ugliness.
But as a cause for war? Well -- I already pointed out that the US was quite happy to assist Saddam Hussein when he was gassing the Iranians. I'm very firmly of the opinion that this is another "Wag The Dog". Obama's copping heat from around the world for the unsupervised, illegal, and unbridled surveillance of just about anyone.
Syria is a convenient distraction. Gas weapons simply help ramp up the rhetoric.
Good points indeed, and as you predicted no sign of any let up in the beating of the drums to war.
DeleteI'm quite surprised we haven't seen the 'eevull' contents of David Miranda's usb sticks yet, though. I really thought they wouldn't miss an opportunity like that.
Deletenice! ;))
ReplyDelete