I watch with a twitching eye the global coverage of the asia quake/tsunami. A disaster for the ages, no doubt. I don't believe this death toll will stop at 100k, given the remote regions yet to report, and the plague to follow.
I'm sorry to use this event to hammer home a point, but I will. This disaster's death toll has yet to reach half the number of civilians killed directly or indirectly by Americans in Iraq.
The death toll will likely reach that number and surpass it. But it will be less than the number of civilians (actually) killed by Americans in Viet Nam. It will be less than the number of civilians (ultimately) killed by Americans in Hiroshima or Nagasaki. But who knows? By the time the Iraq escapade is finished, it could exceed them all. I won't continue, but I could. Murderers. And I am an American.
America is a brazenly murderous nation masquerading under the banner of another tribe...one it wiped out long ago; the one that was committed to spreading peace and progress, democracy and freedom. Or was that tribe a myth of origins?
How can this happen? How can a country like America, which commits over 200 Billion to killing Iraqis and a few million to Asia Tsunami relief, be considered a world leader? More likely the most dangerous nation on the face of the planet and one to be feared and contained.
Why is this the case? It can't be because America's citizens aren't trying hard enough, can it?
Sadly, yes it can. While people die for the vote around the world, America consumes ideas (or their sound-bite facsimile) like toilet paper advertised during MNF. Americans vote like they choose fast food outlets.
Americans are the supporters and victims of the Easy Answer. Hard Problems dealt with in the time and cadence of capitalism. A sad legacy indeed and one that will be studied deeply if our species survives.
Americans could well take a lesson from the Ukrainians. Until then, the blood of Iraq is on American touch screens.