Cruise Missiles? Really?

and today Prozac pills look like...



Holy crap!

When a no-fly zone gets defined as a place to throw around missiles; when two competing interests are engaging in vicious actions against one another - to point of killing each other - as in Libya - I have to think that conversation is a democratic instrument seldom used anymore, even in democracies. I despise Gadhafi as much as the next. He has been coddled in Libya by western nations however, and they ought to know madness, insanity is just part of his playbook. Look at all the celebrities who have been courted by and won over by the MG in the past - yes MG - might as well make him sound like a rapper-dude because rap is what he is famous for - with a capital C.

It is not so hard to imagine in the coming years, with the sensibilities of politicians and their advisors, that Republicans and Democrats in the USA, or Tories and Grits in Canada, could just as easily justify bombing the hell outta anyone they seriously disagreed with: castigation, denigration, debate - is no longer enough. Everyone needs a show - the big bang over and over again with new participants - Rollerball anyone?

Let's ensure that the profits continually flow - it's economic hard times everywhere- a good battlefield could keep the war machine grinding along for another season, century or millennium with resentments, hatred and unheard-of massacres. Who are we becoming?

Harper jauntily tosses off "Do we believe in freedom or do we just say we believe in freedom?". Been to Canada recently Harper? What the hell is freedom anymore in this country - when money from my taxes goes to prisons, roads and tax reduction for businesses but not health care, poverty reduction, or the environment. It's industry before people. Thinking like a redneck, Harper can see all the way to believing industry will pay to keep people fed, clothed, sheltered, while keeping the environment we all depend on, clean, safe and accessible. What industry would do that? The ones interested in not making money, where shareholders are members of the working class - maybe. But not white or gold collar people, whose wealth comes from others work and not their own.

Cruise Missiles - no fly zones, and more attacking is just another way for NATO and war economics justifying missiles and more destruction is a new way to peace and freedom. Diplomacy is so low key I wonder was waiting for Arab nations to agree to this attack for freedom, sold in another form? Wouldn't it be great in 50 years or so (if we all live so long) to read all about how the shell game really occurred - who offered what to whom for what else? Cost-benefit - in a global economy is an essential consideration. Economics is the universal language.

So let's talk about Freedom: Whose freedom? at what cost? whose lives are lost? who defines success in this turmoil? When the freedom side is everyone's side - and everyone understands and accepts their piece of peace, the place in peace not in pieces, will freedom be nearly seen. When blind men smash around with toys of war, no one wins, and eventually the evil doers will find a place to root again amid destruction and rise up again. Who is paying for, an who is selling, the tools of war being fought in Libya - and who is supplying them?

Cut off channels, suppliers of all the tools of war? How could such a thing be done? Why not talk about that in the long term, short term and now? because too much is at stake - economically for all the people invested in, investing in and getting rich on war. Their freedom to be rich trumps everyone's. Industry before people.

And so for me - what do I advocate? Getting to the heart of the matter - not peace but pieces - uncover the root cause of each conflict, support non-violent conversation - and if that is not meant to be at this time; devote time and attention to isolate completely the combatants from any source of support of any kind. Rocks will have to be thrown at each other before missiles, words hurled. No knives, no guns, no food, no water, until the conflict settles down. Sounds like a time out, doesn't it?

Who would take the role of isolater - parent, whatever you want to call it? Canada used to be good at this - until Harper decided to play military games. I believe those roles are called Peacekeepers. And those who support peace-keeping need to rally to it now more than ever, in a terror filled world, peace is the only option.

Root cause - root for (in all the meanings of "root") the root cause, because missiles no matter who throws them will ultimately be coming back to haunt us again, again.