Too Many Wolves.
I’ve just picked up a new book and it begins with this rather sombre quote:
Have you ever dealt with people who have lost everything in just an hour? In the morning you leave the house where your wife, your children, your parents live. You return to find a smoking pit. Then something happens to you – to a certain extent you stop being human. You do not need any glory, money anymore; revenge becomes your only joy. And because you no longer cling to life, death avoids you, the bullets fly past. You become a wolf.
Russian General Aleksander Lebed, veteran of Afganistan
It’s clear to me that by our actions around the world the West (including Russia) is producing far too many wolves. Sooner or later (and I’m betting on sooner) we’re going to regret it. Maybe it’s about time we stopped?
10 comments:
Yep. I think it's easy for a lot of us living "cushy" lives to look at Afghanistan or the Middle East and say "why can't they just stop fighting?"
But for millions of people, fighting is all they know now. Afghanistan has been at various stages of war since 1979. That's nearly 30 years. There are entire generations of Afghans whose only experience is warfare.
Indeed, Indeed, CK...I couldn't agree more....It is horrific what we in this country are doing...All at the behest of the Cheney-Bush Criminals....And that is what they are! Help!
We get upset if we lose our parking place or cable. We are so pathetic.
It’s clear to me that by our actions around the world the West (including Russia) is producing far too many wolves. Sooner or later (and I’m betting on sooner) we’re going to regret it. Maybe it’s about time we stopped?
Lot's of people regretted it after 9/11.
The problem is we (collectively the US and British empire as they seem to be some what intertwined on international affairs) view everyone else in the world that attacks us as "just crazy". We don't view them as rational people. And our governments, of course, do everything in their power to perpetuate that portrait.
scott said: Lot's of people regretted it after 9/11.
Indeed. Saddly I don't think that's going to be the end of things or even the worst that can happen.
scott said: The problem is we (collectively the US and British empire as they seem to be some what intertwined on international affairs) view everyone else in the world that attacks us as "just crazy". We don't view them as rational people. And our governments, of course, do everything in their power to perpetuate that portrait.
That's *so* true. Because we cannot (or will not) understand their motivation for their attacks on us we are left with the alternative that they are inexplicable - beyond understanding, which (of course) they are not.
Collectively we are killing far too many otherwise innocent people. Such actions will inevitably come back to bite us. Blowback in a particulary nasty bitch and, as always, it is the general citizen that will pay the price - again.
People don't start out taking extreme actions. It is only when all rational, civilized means are exhausted, they're still suffering, and the culprit STILL isn't listening that they go over the edge. If we had to live in their shoes, and see what our governments and corporations do abroad in our names, we'd go overboard too. I think our nations and our corporations need to be held accountable for their actions overseas. Granted, there are some extremist crazies out there, but I can't believe entire regions are all suffering from insanity. The longer we ignore their outrage, the more they will do to get our attention.
Though, of course, our current leaders believe that, with enough high-tech weapons at our command, we (the sheep) can defend against any number of wolves.
Hmm... I'm trying to ignore my bristling at the completely unjust metaphor of wolves here, because I totally agree with what everyone's been saying otherwise.
We're all at the mercy of propaganda in situations like this. The media loves to sensationalise, and governments love to make the most of that fact in order to perpetuate their dangerously biased spin on things.
(Beautiful and intelligent, wolves themselves have suffered greatly from similar propaganda over the centuries, I might add. Perhaps in that respect, the metaphor isn't entirely without basis...)
kvatch said: Though, of course, our current leaders believe that, with enough high-tech weapons at our command, we (the sheep) can defend against any number of wolves.
Didn't help much on 9/11 did it?
Technology is a great force multiplier - but technology doesn't win fights on its own.
skywolf said: Hmm... I'm trying to ignore my bristling at the completely unjust metaphor of wolves here, because I totally agree with what everyone's been saying otherwise.
Absolutely no disrespect was meant to wolves. They are wonderful creatures.
skywolf said: Beautiful and intelligent, wolves themselves have suffered greatly from similar propaganda over the centuries, I might add.
Saddly true - though I understand that they might be reintroducing them into Scotland.
Absolutely no disrespect was meant to wolves. They are wonderful creatures.
Yeah... I know you wouldn't have meant anything negative, CK. I just can't help challenging the archaic 'big bad wolf' ideal that's still unfortunately lodged in people's subconscious. I figure it never hurts to remind people of the huge injustice of such a view.
And I'd vaguely heard something about reintroducing them to Scotland, too... brilliant stuff. Should be very interesting if it goes ahead.
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