Pictures from Iraq

Wow… just, wow.  This came from the Memory Hole blog.

Graphic, Unauthorized Photos from Iraq:
http://home.wi.rr.com/davef/iraq.htm

I think that it’s really important that when we go to war, we understand fully what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.  I think it’s criminal to restrict the press in any way in wartime, and that we should have blogger/reporters who are independent of big media sources.  Evil doesn’t go away just because you don’t see it.  When people die and homes are destroyed, it’s vital that the public see the human cost.  If people can face the full price of war and still say that war is justified, good for them.  But they should consider that Osama Bin Laden thinks he’s fighting a just war too.

I fear people who are so certain they are right that they are willing to pass such final and irreversible judgement on other human beings.  Yes, I’m against the death penalty.  Non-violent, reversible methods are necessary for subduing those who would kill us, and should be a primary goal of government spending.  A Department of Peace as suggested by Kucinich would be an excellent idea.  Non-violent is not the same as non-lethal.  I’m wary of the military developing non-lethal weapons, because I’m concerned that these would be seen as acceptable to use on non-violent protesters, like the firehoses of another era.  Gandhi was working on putting together a non-violent defense force for India before he was assassinated; he didn’t want India to have a conventional military.  Now India has nukes.  I wish he hadn’t been prematurely cut off; such an experiment could have provided an example for other countries and an inspiration to us all.

2 thoughts on “Pictures from Iraq

    • Yeah, it’s roughly as likely to happen as Kucinich becoming president. That doesn’t make it any less of a good thing. I wonder if we could convince the libertarians to add it to their platform? It seems unlikely, but being dedicated to peace would make the massive military that libertarians despise quite unnecessary.

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