Sunday, May 27, 2007

"If you tolerate this...


...your children will be next."

This is one of my favorite songs from the late '90s and is from a Welsh group that I dig a lot: The Manic Street Preachers. I don't know why these guys didn't cross over into America. I mean, Catherine Zeta Jones is Welsh and look at her! Anyway, I love Nicky Wire's lyrics in this song, a song about The Spanish Civil War, specifically the volunteers from around the world that wanted to join the Republican fighters (Socialist) cause against the then current Nationalist government.

I can't help but think of our current occupation of Iraq and think how our presence undermines whatever altruistic goals we may have had at the beginning. I know that altruism really had nothing to do with our going there in the first place; it's just a salve to help us cope and continue with the more selfish and destructive reasons that we go to war. Journalist/writer P.J. O'Rourke was on "Real Time with Bill Maher" last night and he recounted a thought that he had to himself as he was flying over Kuwait right before the start of this war, seeing the endless mass of war machines in formation ready to roll, "Boy, it's a lot more expensive to steal oil than to buy it." Yes, getting oil certainly is more expensive, more costly, and more insane to do it this way.

Getting back to the song, I think of how our presence, right or wrong, rallies idealistic Arab men to unite to the cause of being a thorn in our side. I think our supposed intent was to make the lives of Americans and Iraqis safer has been demoted to "boner" status now, and we all know how embarrassing it is to commit those kinds of lapses in judgment. The solution is to do more of the same and expect different results. This has nothing to do with George Bush's record of failed business empires, nope, none whatsoever. He needs to get on his knees and thank God in Heaven for having passed through his mother's womb and having his father's last name, because that is essentially all that mattered.

The further point I want to make is what do "we" (U.S.' & other involved countries' citizens) do to get our governments to improve/change their foreign policies for the better? Are we all going to stand for gross errors in policy, logic, and strategy from our respective governments? Have we lost the will to effect change in our world? Have we all turned into "gutless wonders", as mentioned in the song? Megadeth's Dave Mustaine sings, "Peace sells, but who's buying?" Are we too cheap to spring for peace, so we settle for war instead?

Where's the fucking outrage?

Where's the fucking solution?

"If we tolerate this, then our children will be next."

11 comments:

Scary Monster said...

Where's the fucking outrage?

That be the question, Cap'n.
Me be astounded that the folks who raged against our involvement in Vietnam have been almost unheard from during the last few years.

While the government abused the very laws it is suppoosed to uphold and defend, most of the American mass media did nothing but spout plattitudes about the bravery of our soldiers and the superiority of our moral position.
(the soldiers are indeed brave, but the rightousnees of the cause non-existant )

Did I.Q. levels drop sharply in the last 40 years? Me supposes so.

Oy, Me almost forgot. Da music were cool. Me lookin forward to checking out some of their other tunes.

STOMP.

Scott said...

Great post Grunt and a great tune to choose. I am a big fan of that song as well.

Such a complicated issue, there is a civil war happening in Iraq now and the US prescense is never going to change that. You can't make people get along, I am afraid it is something that the Iraqi people need to want to fix. Money should be provided for rebuilding and for social welfare of citizens, but there are so many people that are dying every day on all sides that I have no idea how it is all going to play out.

I think that at some point the US and its allies need to pull out and let them fix their own issues. Tough stuff.

Scott

Scary Monster said...

This be a good post, Cap'n.
Done at the right time, but me be thinking that some folks be enjoying the weekend too much to consider where the extra day come from.

Scott provides a very level headed opinion on the situation. Eventually we are going to have to realize that people want to run their own society and enforce their own laws without external influence.

Me be glad that O-Girl passed the Monster to him.

STOMPING.

Jules said...

Isn't the whole point that we indeed have to teach our children peaceful ways so that when they grow u p and either elect government or become government, things can start to change? Because serisouly, what HAS the damned war gotten us this time around? Nothing but a bunch of dead people who didn't deserve to die. Who probably only enlisted in the army to get an education. Well, what good is that education if you're dead? Eff.

Happy Memorial Day. Remember those who've died for us.

Logophile said...

OOOOO,
I like the music,
and it's very fitting.

I like seeing the peacemonger side of you, it suits.

The Grunt said...

SM~ I think IQ has dropped. Manic Street Preachers are a cool band. I'd recommend their collection CD before buying any albums.

Scott~ I knew you'd dig these guys, or, I knew that you already did. You make a great point. Iraq has to own itself. This quasi-Imperialism thing going on with the allies is not working out so hot right now.

SM~ You need to come back my way again. I had fun target shooting with ya.

Jules~ I don't have a bone to pick with the military. They are performing as they should, but they have been given an impossible task. I want to see policy change and our execution of said policy soundly carried out.

Logo~ I'll be a peacemonger for ya.

Karyn said...

Solutions - not a clue.
Outrage? right here, baby.

Christielli said...

There really isn't enough outrage in the general public about this war. It's mind-boggling.

Great post.

Keshi said...

so true...we lack Outrage cos we hv all become immune to it..its sad.

Keshi.

Sun Follower said...

I totally saw the MSPs inLA in the late 90s... great tune.

I am through arguing with my government and being let down every time... so I am just praying for peace.

The Grunt said...

Karyn~ I think another Gruntstock is in order.

Christielli~ We are afraid of what sacrifices will be required if we do something about it.

Keshi~ Apathy is just as bad as anarchy.

Sun~ HA! I knew your musical taste would follow mine in this. It is my goal to someday browse through your record collection and have a turntable/CD/MP3 party.