Members of Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria and its allies at the entrance of a Syrian government {our enemy} air base in the northern province of Idlib after seizing it. This day, an Al Qaeda group was acting as our friend {they fight against ISIS too}. Photo 9-915 NYT
Modern war is a whack-a-mole policy, always creating more
enemies in its destruction, killing and displacing millions, only good for
those in the business of war. Our world
leaders, strategists, and clergy are beginning to speak more opening on this, deeply
criticizing our present course.
Below is something I wrote in the middle of the Iraq War. May God grant us the wisdom to put away the
double-edged sword of war.
October 14, 2077
Dear Editors of the Washington Post,
Dear Editors of the Washington Post,
The
article in your Oct 12th paper, “9 Children Killed in U.S. Raid in Iraq,” is further evidence that our “surge” there is a surge in innocent
death. We again were trying to hit al
Qaida, but 16 civilians perished with the suspected 15 insurgents. Just so many
more bugs on the windshield of 4 ½ years into our Iraq war policy.
How many innocents have been killed in this war of
occupation? We no longer count the
bodies of any of the casualties of war except our own. The officials in charge of this modern war
must feel that would be counter-productive.
How much innocent death is acceptable?
A Dept. of Defense analyst who did targeting for early bombing campaigns
in Iraq states in a public radio documentary worth listening to [esp. part 2] http://www.thislife.org/pages/descriptions/05/300.html,
that the allowable limit is 30 civilians for 1 bad guy.
Even with our precision munitions this war has killed
innocents in the hundreds of thousands according to the only scientific studies
that have been done to date (by John’s Hopkins University epidemiologists
published in the Lancet medical journal, Oct 04, and Nov 06 issues).
What happens when we as a people accept even one
innocent death as inevitable to protect our way of life? Ask any of our soldiers who’ve had to shoot
or run over children with their convoy vehicles in Iraq, as part of their
unwritten rules of engagement, to avoid roadside bombs at all costs. Violence
always multiplies violence, both physically and spiritually. Visible and hidden costs are enormous and
exponential for both the victorious and the victim.
The Pope of my Catholic church {the previous Pope Benedict XVI}, when still a cardinal
on May 2, 2003, was asked about this Iraq War.
He said, “There were not sufficient reasons to unleash a war against
Iraq…” Then commenting further on civilian casualties, “today we should be
asking ourselves if it is licit to admit the very existence of a just
war.” (Zenet News Agency)
To protect the innocents and respect all life, it
will be necessary not only to end our Iraq war, but also to be leaders in a
worldwide movement to banish all war.
Yours truly,
Michael McCarthy PA-C
Blue Water Pax Christi
2714 Stone St.
Port Huron, MI 48060
810 982 2870
Illumination by Kathy Brahney
October is Respect Life, and Pray the Rosary month
November brings All Saints, All Souls Days
November brings All Saints, All Souls Days
References
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