From August 2003 to October 2007, one of Iraq's best bloggers was Riverbend. Her blog is Baghdad Burning. This week, for the first time in nearly six years, she posted again. From her "Ten years on . . .:"
We are learning that those amenities we took for
granted before 2003, you know- the luxuries – electricity, clean water
from faucets, walkable streets, safe schools – those are for deserving
populations. Those are for people who don’t allow occupiers into their
country.
We’re learning that the biggest fans of the
occupation (you know who you are, you traitors) eventually leave abroad.
And where do they go? The USA, most likely, with the UK a close second.
If I were an American, I’d be outraged. After spending so much money
and so many lives, I’d expect the minor Chalabis and Malikis and
Hashimis of Iraq to, well, stay in Iraq. Invest in their country. I’d
stand in passport control and ask them, “Weren’t you happy when we
invaded your country? Weren’t you happy we liberated you? Go back. Go
back to the country you’re so happy with because now, you’re free!”
We’re learning that militias aren’t particular
about who they kill. The easiest thing in the world would be to say that
Shia militias kill Sunnis and Sunni militias kill Shia, but that’s not
the way it works. That’s too simple.
We’re learning that the leaders don’t make history.
Populations don’t make history. Historians don’t write history. News
networks do. The Foxes, and CNNs, and BBCs, and Jazeeras of the world
make history. They twist and turn things to fit their own private
agendas.
Her words should humble many -- like War Cheerleader Jeffrey Goldberg. But they won't and they certainly won't make a War Criminal like Tony Blair pause for even a moment.
Friday, the War Criminal was in Elgin, Illinois, on another high paying speaking gig. Emily McFarlan Miller (Chicago Sun-Times) reports the War Criminal did a lot of whining about how people just don't know what it's like to be a War Criminal or that "you're an Earthling. You come to this situation as a human being, trying to make up your mind."
There's something really pathetic about a rich War Criminal -- blood still dripping from his hands and mouth -- attempting to sing "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen."
And that's before you get into the fact that Blair used the speech to call for military action on North Korea and Syria.
He 'knows' this is needed.
Which gets to the real point of War Criminals.
In many of his public dealings where he plays 'poor Tony,' he explains that it was a difficult decision -- deciding to declare war on Iraq -- and he was tortured by it but he saw the evidence and . . .
What evidence has he seen on Syria or North Korea as he beats the drums for war now? None at all. He's been out of office for how many years now.
There was no evidence for war with Iraq so Tony had to manufacture it -- also known as lying. And the reality about him and other War Criminals is, they hunger for war. They're impotent without it. They will always advocate for war.
They will hide their desire behind claims of reasoning and various reasons but it is a hunger inside that they must feed.
Tony Blair's still addicted to war and killing. Probably two million Iraqis killed, millions more displaced internally and externally, a land of widows and orphans. And not once does he think today, "Maybe I shouldn't be beating the drums of war right now?"
He can't help himself, he can't get his nasty little hand out of his pants, he can't stop beating his limp dick as he tries desperately to get off and the only thing that gets a War Hawk off is death and destruction.
It's over, I'm done writing songs about love
There's a war going on
So I'm holding my gun with a strap and a glove
And I'm writing a song about war
And it goes
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Oh oh oh oh
-- "I Hate The War" (written by Greg Goldberg, on The Ballet's Mattachine!)
The number of US service members the Dept of Defense states died in the Iraq War is [PDF format warning] 4488.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
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