We didn't know it was a bus! So we fired and killed 8 civilians, wounding 18

The American Military led command expects us to believe the following:
"The American-led military command in Kabul called the killings a 'tragic loss of life' and said troops fired not knowing the vehicle was a bus ". - As reported today in the NYT

Wait a minute! I thought we could pinpoint a mouse with night vision and from miles away and today in broad daylight , at closer range, WE DID NOT KNOW WE WERE FIRING ON A BUS!"... so 5 civilians were killed and 18 wounded.
From this photo, it looks like a bus to me!!!
I am embarassed as a US Citizen and speechles as a human being. 
The audacity of the above comment leaves me dumfounded!

The Audacity of "Wartime Necessities"

WATCH VIDEO OF JUSTIFIED KILLING
Wars devastate people, landscapes and minds. Wars are exceptional means for exceptional ends... but we knew that. But this morning in the NYTimes, we are treated to information we really need to know : an educational piece for the masses who, presumably might not know as much as necessary about wars; an article clearly meant to educate us all ignorant little people as to why killing and treating any target a soldier (US that is) sees in his/her computerized scopes/surveillance crosshairs, as a non human, meaningles piece of meat that must be obliterated, is necessary. Because that's what is necessary to win a war. Essentially the writer is telling us that we must believe that:
"Wars make it necessary to dehumanize people so that killing becomes easy." And that is why the killers of the journalist and other civilians as witnessed by the recent wikileaks video, acted the way they did. It is credible because the article cites psycholgists etc...
I don' buy it for a nanosecond.

This article is simply "pseudo-scientific "psychological"/situational apologia, seriously lacking in any sense of ethical grounding" as commented by a reader of the article (D.Carter from NC,last night at 9:39pm);
I couldn;'t agree more.
Futhermore the exceptionalism that emerges from this "justified killing" theme negates even the smallest element of validated selective psychodata, in the article's quoted psychobabble;
because then we must ask: How come these "soldiers'" behavior is explained away with psychological necessities and developed coping mechanisms that allow wartime survival and permit killing? BUT when the other side does it, we have been, from time immemorial, conveniently labeling it as the work of cruel, cold blooded killers?
As someone you know once said:
"the first casualty of war is the truth"

When Leaders Flee the violence they created, we're there...

MOSCOW today: — Large-scale protests appeared to have overthrown the government of Kyrgyzstan today;  its president (a US supported "leader") fled before an outbreak of protests over unreasonably exhorbitant price increases in basic services, by the government, in the capital of Bishkek and elsewhere in the country; Kyrgyzstan is an Amerian ally in Central Asia. Government officials said at least 41 people had been killed in fighting between riot police officers and demonstrators who did not back down even when police began shooting live ammo.
FYI: On Their soil there is an American air base that operates in Kyrgyzstan in support of the NATO mission in nearby Afghanistan.

DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS,and whatever they are: DO NOT BE SILENT!

History Lessons Worth Repeating because it seems they were never learned:

Lesson:

1) Money does not buy peace

2) Occupation always loses

-Current Example /Case Study-

Background: Last month (MARCH): we launched the biggest offensive operation/invasion in Marja, Afghanistan. We also began paying locals in an effort to buy their  loyalty/pay for damages caused by our invasion.

- March 2010: Results Reported at the time-

"This is the most successful operation in Afghanistan to date, in driving out the Taliban and winning the hearts and minds of the people... The Taliban has been driven out by our focused, surgically precise invasion"

- April 4th 2010 from Marja as reported by US Military on the ground -

"The Taliban have reseized control and momentum in a lot of ways"

 -Major James Coffman, third battallion 6th Marines

Will we ever learn?

The Audacity Of War Advertising (in D.C.)

My friend Steph, upon her recent visit to DC made this compelling video and she said:
"I was struck by the constant signs of militarism in DC, beyond the  obvious examples of the Pentagon, Arlington Cemetery and all the military personnel with desk jobs at the Pentagon walking around in combat fatigues. Steph "

Watch this video below and form your own frightening conclusion....

A Photo Essay Of The Military Occupation in D.C.

Accountable To No One: Really?

Current events are becoming an increasingly rich pool of lessons for all.
I see lessons…I see lessons everywhere….

Ok let me get immediately to two current examples of unaccountability gone awry, in high places; a word about their consequences and then my final cautionary observation/question for all of us, regardless of the organizations we work for, serve, live in...

1) US General McChrystal, who this year took over invasion and occupation operations in Afghanistan, said that the cornerstone of his strategy would be to eliminate or greatly minimize civilian casualties; when recently confronted with why it hasn't happened, he said that most of the recent civilian casualties occurring are caused by the US special forces who "unfortunately are accountable to no one"...I say:  - really "General"?

2) The Pope, a well known micromanager and punctilious detail oriented manager (I know priests who have worked for him in Rome), claims uncertainty as to whom the pedophile men of the cloth, were accountable and that he knew nothing. I say:  - really, "Your Eminence"?

The consequences of just these two "unaccountability" examples, will be disastrous and we are already seeing that: the majority of the people of the world is questioning the wisdom of both of these institutions, the credibility of their related power structure, AND the genuineness of their respective proclaimed “missions” :
Anyone paying attention, cannot deny that there is an invasive, palpable, erosion of trust of even the most passive, sleepy citizens,  and furthermore, I contend it will lead to dissent, dissatisfaction and defection.
Caution/lesson/questions:
Look at your organizations' power structure, its organizational charts (written and unwritten), its sacred cows and then, with a clinical eye look carefully if there’s anyone whose behaviour tells you that they believe and operate as if they are “above the law”. Let's look critically, with courage, at the organizations we serve and let's ask ourselves these questions:
>Do I have anyone who is accountable to no one?
>Do I have anyone immune to regular policies and procedures?
>Do I have anyone whose performance is not measured and documented? Not only by their superiors but by those they serve?...


If you or I answered yes to any of the above questions; what will we do? Because I assure you, the"unaccountable/above the law" types will be the cause of dissent, dissatisfaction, defection and ultimately destruction. Really!

The Audacity Of Regrettable Leaderhip

I recall General Mc Crystal , upon recently taking over the macabre theater of invasion in Afghanistan, immediately informing us, that the cornerstone of his strategy would be his valiant, surgically precise vision of limiting civilian casualties to single digits. He was the cogent commandant par excellence, master of all selective destruction he surveyed.

It so happens that his strategy of surgically selective destruction hasn’t quite worked out at all, after dozens of civilians have been killed and family dwellings destroyed; so today he conveniently says that it is the fault of the special forces. It was the special forces who did it because…well, the good General says: “they were really not accountable to anyone”… Really General? So the cogent, strategic and benevolent General has decided that he will now begin to “reign in the special forces”.

And the NY Times once again proves consistent by having the audacity to print this and presenting it as a strategically progressive move, another outrageous propagandistic lie.

When in fact, with these words, Maj. Gen. Zahir Azimi, the chief spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense sums up the reality of accountability.
“These special forces were not accountable to anyone in the country, but General McChrystal”

There you have it. We know this was all carried out by careful destructive design! Where are the true patriots, those who care about our future, that of our children, that of the children of the world? And not afraid to question leaders and hold them accountable?
The article tells us that “civilian deaths have been cut 28%”; oh my! Are we supposed to jump up for joy? This is precisely the kind of statistical analysis one expects from a genocidal mentality, in which humans are depersonalized and their killers exalted for lowering the body count. Did we forget what Einstein said so well?
"War cannot be humanized. It can only be abolished."
Apparently we did forget!
I am outraged at the lack of anger by our people. Are people that naïve, that poorly informed? Where are the voices of patriotic dissent and justice?
There is no acceptable level of "civilian casualties," much as we are being conditioned to believe there is. And such deaths are not simply "regrettable," as every McChrystal apology suggests. They are, in fact, entirely avoidable.
But not when you have arrogant unaccountable leadership supported by a nation afraid to dissent and too timid to declare peace.