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Kneecap - 01 May 2025 filed by the editor - Opinion
Back to dark times - 25 Apr 2025 filed by the editor - Opinion
The Ogre in the Middle East - 03 Feb 2025 filed by the editor - Opinion
Gaza, Palestine and Israel - 21 Jan 2025 filed by the editor - Opinion
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More from Ireland at www.thetruth.ie


OMG, War Is Kind of Horrible       printable version
14 Mar 2022: posted by the editor - Features, International

By David Swanson

For decades, the U.S. public seemed largely indifferent to most of the horrible suffering of war. The corporate media outlets mostly avoided it, made war look like a video game, occasionally mentioned suffering U.S. troops, and once in a blue moon touched on the deaths of a handful of local civilians as if their killing were some sort of aberration.

The U.S. public funded and either cheered for or tolerated years and years of bloody wars, and came out managing to believe falsely that a large percentage of war deaths are of troops, that a large percentage of war deaths in U.S. wars are U.S. troops, that wars happen in a mysterious place called a "battlefield," and that with rare exceptions the people killed by U.S. troops are people who need killing exactly like those given death sentences in U.S. courts (except for the ones later exonerated).

For decades, wise and strategic peace advocates counseled against bothering to mention the millions of men, women, and children slaughtered, wounded, made homeless, terrified, traumatized, poisoned, or starved by U.S. wars. Nobody would care about them, we were told, so mentioning them wouldn't actually help them. It would be smarter to mention only U.S. troops, even if it perpetuated the false belief that the wars were not one-sided genocidal slaughters. It would be even smarter, we were told, to focus on the financial costs of the wars, even though the U.S. government simply invents how ever much money it wants for more wars. Money, we were told, is something that people can care about.

Of course, the obvious problem wasn't what we talked about, but that we weren't allowed on television. Of course, the average U.S. resident is not a heartless sociopath. Of course, people care all the time about distant and different human beings. When hurricane victims are presented in the media as worthy, people donate. When a famine is blamed on nature, the money gushes forth. When cancer is depicted as arising from a pristine, unsullied environment, I just dare you to find a neighborhood that won't run a marathon to cure it. So, in theory, I always believed that people in the United States could in fact care about war victims. Just as they could declare "We Are All French" when a bomb went off in France, they could in theory declare "We Are All Yemeni" when the U.S. and Saudi militaries terrorize Yemeni children, or announce "We Are All Afghans" when Joe Biden steals billions of dollars needed for basic survival.

You'll have spotted the actual problem, of course. There's no such thing as being terrorized by the U.S. military or a U.S. president stealing from foreigners. Just about nobody, in fact, even knows what colors the Yemeni flag is - much less have they pasted them up everywhere. In the U.S. media those things do not exist. But caring about war victims does exist. I distinctly remember how much people cared about fictional infants removed from incubators to get the first gulf war going, or the impact had by videos of individual victims of ISIS. "Rwanda" was a nonsensical argument for a war on Libya precisely because people are understood to care about war victims when needed to. Syrians have been worthy war victims when the wrong side has been falsely accused of using the wrong kind of weapon. Caring about war victims was always a possibility, and now it has burst forth onto central stage. We now see, directed toward Ukrainians, the concern and empathy that were always possible for little children and grandmothers murdered by war in Iraq or dozens of other countries.

For those of us whose opposition to war was always principally driven by concern for its direct victims - augmented by concern for the victims of diverting so many resources into war instead of into useful things - this is an opportunity to speak honestly. Speaking honestly is always more persuasive than speaking manipulatively. Unless you've decided to cheer for Russian mass-murder, here is a chance to say to the media-consuming public: YES! YES! We are with you! War is horrendous! War is immoral! There is nothing worse than war! We must abolish this barbarism! We must abolish it no matter who does it or why. And we'll only do that if we learn the power of nonviolent action to resist it.

Millions of Russians and non-Russians believe that Russia is acting defensively and that whatever it does is justified. Millions of Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians believe that whatever it does is defensive and justified. The arguments are wildly different, and we need not dignify the idiocy of objecting to equating them. There is nothing equal or even measurable about human actions. But Russia had nonviolent alternatives to resist NATO expansion and chose violence. Ukraine had nonviolent alternatives to resist Russian invasion, and U.S. televisions are not telling us to what extent Ukrainians have in fact chosen, with little support or organization, to attempt them.

If we all survive this crisis, the one lesson we need to take away from it is that human beings live under those fantastic streaks of light that television talking heads ooh and aah over. And if those human beings don't seem to matter much, we can just try thinking of them as if they were Ukrainians. Then we can work on comprehending that the enemy is not the people in whose names the bombs fall. The enemy is war.

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AllAfrica News: Gambia

Justice Minister Calls for United Fight Against Rights Abuses

[Foroyaa] Dawda A Jallow, the Minister of Justice, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Gambia to the African Charter and called for a united fight against human rights abuses across the continent. Minister Jallow made this declaration on Thursday, 22nd May 2025, during the closing of the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR).

Economist Warns U.S. Remittance Levy Could Impact the Gambia

[Foroyaa] The United States is currently considering a proposal to impose a 5% levy on all international remittance outflows, a move that could have far-reaching consequences for countries that are heavily reliant on remittance inflows, like The Gambia, economist Foday Joof warns.

GRA, WCO Engages Security Officials On Border Management

[Foroyaa] The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), in collaboration with the World Customs Organization (WCO), officially opened the Coordinated Border Management (CBM) Workshop today at the Senegambia Beach Hotel.

Ecowas Court Reiterates Commitment to Independent Judiciary, Democratic Society

[Foroyaa] The Director of Administration and Finance at the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Dr. William Towah, said a strong and independent judiciary is fundamental to a democratic society.

There Can Be No Shoot to Kill Policy Under the Gambian Constitution

[Foroyaa] A statement made by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) has to be subjected to review by Foroyaa. During his tour of military installations around the country, the CDS told soldiers that the armed forces has a policy to deal with armed robbers, who the people see as a menace in the North Bank.

Experts Project Gambia to Receive Significant Rains Ahead of Cropping Season

[Foroyaa] Experts have projected that Gambia is likely to receive between 700mm and 900mm of rainfall - a substantial amount essential for agricultural production as farmers clear their farmlands ahead of the 2025 season.

Former Finance Director Alleges Illegal Invoicing Scheme At Banjul City Council

[Foroyaa] The former Director of Finance at Banjul City Council (BCC), Momodou Camara, has accused senior officials at the Council of orchestrating and benefiting from a long-running illegal invoicing scheme that allegedly suppressed trade license revenues and diverted public funds. Camara, who served in the position during the time covered by the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, testified on Monday, May 6, 2025, regarding alleged financial manipulation within the capital's local government.

Kagame, Gambia Chief Justice Hassan Bubacar Jallow Discuss Cooperation

[New Times] President Paul Kagame on Tuesday, May 20, met with Hassan Bubacar Jallow, the Chief Justice of the Gambia and his delegation, who are on a study tour in Rwanda. They discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between the judiciaries of the Gambia and Rwanda, according to Urugwiro Village.

Rwanda, Gambia Collaborate to Strengthen Justice Systems

[New Times] Rwanda and Gambia have committed to strengthening judicial cooperation in a bid to enhance the delivery of timely and quality justice for their citizens. This commitment was emphasized during a visit by Gambia's Chief Justice Hassan Bubakar Jallow to Rwanda where he met with his Rwandan counterpart Domitilla Mukantaganzwa.

31 Suspects Arrested With Cocaine, Kush and Others in Major Drug Bust

[The Point] The Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia (DLEAG) has successfully apprehended 31 individuals over the past week in what is being described as a significant crackdown on narcotics trafficking. This operation targeted suspected offenders linked to the possession and distribution of various controlled substances, including cocaine, Kush, cannabis sativa, and other illicit drugs.

Gambia Armed Forces Cultivates Rice to Boost Self-Sufficiency

[Foroyaa] The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) has embarked on an ambitious agricultural initiative, cultivating 42 hectares of rice in Jahally Pacharr, Central River Region, to promote self-sufficiency and bolster its finances for upgrading military equipment and improving soldiers' welfare. This internally driven project reflects a strategic shift aimed at reducing the country's dependence on rice imports and strengthening the military's role in national development.

Gambian Activist Demands End to Military 'Shoot-to-Kill' Orders Amid Rights Concerns

[Foroyaa] A Gambian activist has issued a stark warning against the country's emerging security doctrine after the Chief of Defence Staff confirmed that the Gambian Armed Forces have been ordered to "shoot and kill" suspected armed robbers in border communities. The activist's open letter calls on the President, military leadership, and lawmakers to revoke the directive immediately, cautioning that such policies threaten the rule of law and risk a dangerous slide back into extrajudicial violence.

Uncertainty Over Accused's Age Delays Judgment in Dampha Kunda Murder Trial

[Foroyaa] A high-stakes murder trial in the Upper River Region was adjourned on Tuesday after the presiding judge expressed concern over the court's jurisdiction, stemming from unresolved questions about the age of the accused at the time of the alleged crime.

Parliament Vows Transparency in Probe of Jammeh Asset Sales

[Foroyaa] The National Assembly of The Gambia has pledged a "fully transparent" and publicly accessible inquiry into the controversial sale of assets belonging to former President Yahya Jammeh, amid growing calls for accountability in the wake of revelations about the disposition of his vast holdings.

What Are the Terms of Reference of the Parliamentary Committee?

[Foroyaa] The terms of reference of the National Assembly Committee of Inquiry on the sale and disposal of the forfeited assets of Ex President Jammeh are as follows:

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