[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] Indexes: Main | Date | Thread | Author

[ba-unrev-talk] Warped thinking, &c.


I just read about an eighth civilian killing at a check point:    (01)

"...  U.S. Marines shot dead an unarmed driver and badly wounded his
passenger south of Baghdad, just hours after the previous deaths at a
checkpoint near the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf.    (02)

The deaths are another blow to U.S. and British hopes of convincing
Iraqis to welcome an invasion whose stated goal is to oust President
Saddam Hussein, not combat the population...." (ref.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030401/ts_nm/iraq_dc&cid=564&ncid=1473    (03)

Those deaths are the direct consequence of a military massively blending
into a civilian population, a crime being committed by Iraq's Baath
regime. When people the world over protest against a U.S. invasion of
Iraq, that is one thing; but when people get incensed against American
troops killing in self-defense because of Baathist criminality, that is
quite another. One must wonder about the feebleness of human minds not
to be able to make that distinction.    (04)

Now, back to that invasion. It is unfortunate that political leaders in
the U.S. and the U.K. keep on stating that one aim is the liberation of
the people of Iraq, especially because the governments of both countries
were quite prepared at one time or another to not invade Iraq provided
Saddam Hussein and presumably his regime would rid themselves of weapons
of mass destruction. That regime failed to meet the three conditions
laid out in U.N. resolution 1441. Had this regime met those conditions
then neither country would have officially cared about the plight of
Iraq's civilians under Saddam's cruel dictatorship. I take the professed
concern for Iraqi citizens to be a ploy to sway the Americans and
British to support the military action against Saddam - an appeal to
righteous emotions. This is a typical tool in political campaigning, one
that contributes to politics being so dirty.    (05)

The most important reason for citizens of the world to support the
action against Saddam and his regime (not against Iraq) is the danger
those personalities pose to the world community. Leaving them in place
can only make matters worse over time, especially when one considers
that people like these produce an offspring steeped in criminal
mentality. As is shown by putting innocents in harm's way.    (06)

Unfortunately, the objective of removing criminals from the world
community (quite in line with removing criminals from any smaller
society) is tainted by perceived greed for power, influence, money,
economic advantage, etc. It ought be an objective for humans to evolve
their institutions in a way that greed will become less and less of a 
legitimate motivational factor and do so without removing the needed
leadership strengths to make society function for the benefit of all.
That aim calls for a great deal of true understanding of humans and
their environment, i.o.w. grasp of fundamentals need to replace poorly
substantiated convictions. Digital augmentation is an important part of
that process ("tool system"). It complements a desirable understanding
of humans ("human system").    (07)

Diligent learning must substitute for shouting.    (08)

Henry    (09)

P.S. For those unfamiliar with the terms "tool system" and "human
system," see the first session of Doug Engelbart's Colloquium.    (010)