Done In By A Whore
I am with the Vatican on this one: you cannot right one crime with another.
And I am getting more and more convinced of America's fear and loathing of Great Beards or leaders with any sort of facial hair. Especially this past century, where most of America's bogeymen sported either a beard or a moustache, even if it was as meagre as Hitler's. Perhaps it has something to do with being 'clean-cut' and 'American'. Or perhaps there is some sort of a deep Oedipal Complex at work here: America distrusts any kind of patriarchy, which the beard sort of symbolizes, especially if you've grown up on The Ten Commandments and Samson and Delilah.
America is suspicious of leaders who do not have a written mandate as seen through the ballot box but who have arrived with the mandate of the heart: felt by the people but largely unwritten and therefore not quantifiable in numbers (which if the Bush re-election is any evidence is not above board either). And American notions of Democracy certainly do not extend beyond its borders as was evident in the presidential "with us or against us" call to war of 2001.
I also see the informed globe steeped in an idiotic frenzy. Especially if you see the headlines since America's latest bogeyman went to the gallows. There is talk of investigating the filming of his last moments… how anal is that! What about investigating the 'investigations' that went on in the name of the trial and the summary sentence and execution of the man. How about investigating the man who sent 3000 of his troops to die in an alien country just because he wanted to avenge an assassination attempt on his father? The numbers are certainly more than those Saddam was executed for. News reports since the execution are being adjectified with words like 'ruthless', 'most hated' and 'anti-western' when in truth all of them are nothing but propagandistic exaggerations. If Saddam was ruthless, so were Alexander (whom western historians called 'the Great'), Caesar, Elizabeth I and Catherine (also 'the Great') and more recently George W Bush who rubbished reports of civilian deaths and casualties as "collateral damage" for the great war. 'Most hated'? I don't know, perhaps an opinion poll of the Iraqi people would say more clearly. He was certainly not anti-western as he headed the only state in the Persian Gulf not run by the Sharia and which had a western-style legal system.
News channels (most of the English ones being either American or British) are tireless in showing file pictures of Saddam's statues being pulled down and people celebrating with fire from AK47s, while quietly forgetting the anger and resentment evident in daily bomb attacks by armed Iraqi militias. Why are the people attacking American troops if they are so happy with the 'liberation' that they have brought about? The intent for future mischief is also evident in America installing a Shi'ite government in a Sunni dominated country. Divide and rule has been the defining credo of 20th century colonialists and it continues with America and its Allies.
Today, after four days of reflection over the way Saddam walked to his death I see America as a country with the heart and morals of a street whore. She's cheap. She sticks by none. Loves none. And she will lie through her teeth to save her skin.
you say: "
ReplyDeleteToday, after four days of reflection over the way Saddam walked to his death I see America as a country with the heart and morals of a street whore. She's cheap. She sticks by none. Loves none. And she will lie through her teeth to save her skin."
arent' you describing Rana Dasgupta and other pseudo intellectuals that abound around in India as well? I mean you just have to look at Sarai.net, Pukar,org the number of pseudo-intellecual oraganisations that abound all over India. Let's face it, America has expedient morals, and she has exported them to the world, much to the benefit of the various Dasguptas and Senguptas in India, who all wallow in cheap booze, funded by the Americo-British-Dutch foundations who will all eventually (and always already) use them to propogate their worldviews. GwapS! You just have to read two emails by Shivam Vij, steeped in pseudo-idealism of yesteryars, and rearing to keep the status-quo going -- but then, I race ahead. What would a Tahelka journalist do except to strenuously maintain the status quo, and hide us from the truth?
Yes, HIDE US FROM TRUTHS, I suppose a four day reflexion on the video would allow us to state the obvious, but then, beyond that point, the questions arise. For you to say what I quote from your text, does this not amount to an affirmation of the American powers? We can protest, but do nothing beyond protest, or so it seems to me.
So anyway, it is easy to speak about things far away, George Bush, both of them, are not likely to read your blog. So I took names closer to home, people, idiots, who probably unwittingly do the work of the devil, just so that they can go attend the next Arse Electronica.
I'll be glad to know your views (reading through your blog, you seem to possess an integrity quite alien to the guys I name, and I do know them well) on the corruptions, the having-to-live-with, the accomodations that people such as the two Shuddhas (and I know about the IRONY of the name 'shuddha' versus what they do) who seem to go and articulate our anger for us, speak for us, act in our names, and do the dirty work of their funding agencies, their patrons.
I am angry, I suppose, very angry, having read the hyporisies expounded by these guys on Sarai mailing lists of late. And knowing these hypocrisies will be celebrated in the West, whose whores these guys are.
Celebral Whore, rejoiced in the West - isn't this how Saddam began?
Dear M., not at all confused by the Establishmentarian interests of America and the people of America. I am rather worried by the clones of American establishment reproduced in India. I tend to think Americans are as much the victims of the establishment as us here, perhaps even more so. Rest assured, in the dining rooms of Delhi, we well know the distinction.
ReplyDeleteThe objection is with the Governmentalities that pervade the United States, and their clones, I named a few individuals in India who would like to see something similar to George Bush's vision around here: Ranan Dasgupta, huddhabrata Sengupta, Shivam Vij.
Americans are friends :-)
Dhiraj, you muck-raker you :))
ReplyDeleteWell, one of the greatest Americans - Abe Lincoln - was bearded and many others - like Dr. King - sported upper lip hair.
But you are right - this investigation into the video filming is a sham and a joke.
Perseverance is Abraham Lincoln. He withstood many personal tragedies and losses throughout his life. The country he loved was torn in two, and then to be followed by the injustice of an assassin's bullet to the head.
ReplyDeleteWe also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts ... Romans 5:3-5
The arguments don't interest me much. It's been said before and counter argued till the whole debate aimlessly moves in circles, leaving us where we started - helpless witnesses to the diktats of the 'democratic' American leaders!!
ReplyDeleteWould it have mattered if this came up before he was hanged. If the court proceedings were questioned when they first started. Or when Saddam was supposedly unearthed from a burrow?!
But yes, it would have mattered if he was tried by his people before his regime fell....but today the man is dead. His rise and fall scripted like a cold blooded action thriller by the USA ever since they chose him to fight Iran in the 1980s (or maybe even before that).
On a much lighter note, i love your choice of the Saddam pic - a stamp that mentions the Wafa'a Al Qaid project(which gave some dim hope to North Basra for adequate water supply).
Interestingly, the stamp adds some value to Saddam as a leader, just as ur post does. Unlike what a banal sculpture or an 80-feet mosaic portrait would have done :)
I believe that America should make amends for her mistakes. Fist she should give Europe back to the Germans followed by giving Asia back to the Japanese. Its to bad that Saddam is dead, she could give Iraq back to him. Yes, I'm sure Hitler, Tojo and Saddam all had mandates from the hearts of their people. What rubbish!
ReplyDeleteThere was a belief among Iraqi soldiers and in some quarters of the general public that Saddam could NOT die because he possessed some magical powers (a blue stone some say!). And that he had seven lives! But I would like to take it further and say Saddam WILL not die if America continues with its overseas policies. Saddams will be created, recreated and then later summarily trashed by the US again and again. And there would certainly be no magic involved in it!
ReplyDeleteM, I am sorry if I sounded too harsh... but I do make a distinction between Americans and America. I'd go as far as to say that the world loves Americans, their movies, their music and their undeniable chutzpah. But at the same time what the American Establishment has been doing for so many years is difficult to forgive.
Anon, about your last comment... I certainly sense a conspiracy when revisionist historians like Robert Faurisson come up and say that the Holocaust is a sacred cow in Europe and America and it is ILLEGAL to even raise doubts about it. He also says that Nazi atrocities (death camps and gas chambers) were highly exaggerated by the Allied forces who were the only ones who had a first-hand view of things. And all this was brought to the fore at the recently-concluded Holocaust Conference hosted by none other than the Iranian President, Ahmadinejad, who lists among his various credentials a vsceral hatred for Saddam.
So yes, all these people demonised by the American Establishment were so portrayed because America had an axe to grind and NOT because America was/is the purveyor of Truth and Justice and Liberty. America sees evil where it wants to see. In fact America sees evil in those who MIRROR its own fascist agenda.
Anon - you are correct about Americans being victims. We fall prey to the gluttony of this country. We have learned to step on our brother below us on the ladder to get to the next rung. We have learned to want more - and make it bigger, better, faster, super-sized! And don't forget to add sprinkles on top!
ReplyDeleteD- what great attributes and compliments you give to America. "love...their movies, their music..." Most of what is produced is crap. So there you have it, whores with a lot of crap with sprinkles on top.
//She's cheap. She sticks by none. Loves none. And she will lie through her teeth to save her skin.//
ReplyDeletewell basically further her own ends or welfare. which is what a capitalist accouding to smith should do :) so ur callig america a capitalist? they would be awfully happy with that compliment
I agree with M. There are real, hardworking people here just like everywhere else trying to make it. There are just as much people here who are unhappy with the state of their government and their leaders. Please do not mix one and another.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually a very strange post for me. In international affairs, it is (or should be) the objective of the leaders of every country to further their interests. We can only depend on the citizens inherent goodness that these objectives are for common good.
ReplyDeleteThe US is a good role model for India to follow. We really need to do things that are in our self-interest, and I guess we have been doing that.
Saddam's trial was not particularly stage-managed by the US; it was more influenced by the current Iraqi transitional government, which is a government dominated by the Shiites who are in a majority in the country (and not the Sunnis).
Saddam was an absolute dictator with very few redeeming features.
As to things like aid and so on, based on some of the studies that I have seen, aid from the US is mainly through private hands and not official, hence if you take the figure of government aid, private aid is actually much bigger than government aid.
Of course there are lots of issues where the US government is wrong, such as the way that the Iraq campaign has been run and the way the US president specifically promotes his stand on god-inspired conservatism, and his views on gloabl warming; what needs to be emulated is the way that people can easily oppose his policies freely and without restraint.
I am totally with the tone and matter of this post. You cannot hide a crime with another crime. You just cannot right a wrong with another wrong. And you cannot force a smaller country with an army to do what you want.
ReplyDeleteAshish, I fervently hope that India does not follow the footsteps of the US. Don't look at only the TV and Magazines. There is so much more that runs behind the scenes. The undercurrents of hypocrisy, "holiness", "righteousness", etc are not good for a country as a whole.
In a book I was reading last week I read something about America. It was a conversation between a Greek and and American. I surmise it below in my own words.
"You Americans don't really understand why we hate you so like a man with big boots who is hated by the small ants he runs over".
And in the same book - "America is not hated all the time for what it does but for what it is".
These words seem too narrow, but they do have a point. It gets compounded when too many "ants" get caught and die under the big boots.
For the record the US of A is not a democracy. Never has been and was never intended to be such. We are a democratic republic. Minor difference, but a big difference. Our government is capable of running itself with only the occasional input from the constituency.
ReplyDeleteNext, yes as the European conqurers made their way across the land they swept the Indian civilizations out of the way and under the rug. Has not most every modern civilization done the same? The Romans took over the Greeks, modern Europe sprang from the fifdoms created after the crumble of Roman rule. The US has done nothing more than any civilization before - remove all old civilizations that can not compete. Even China has done the same as it was not all once a single unified state.
But the US didn't wait for generations and generations to do it. We started and haven't stopped. Even in my life time (23 years) our culture has experienced large shifts. From a farming and manufacturing nation to a nation of service industries and into the beginning of the information age. It just so happens that everyone else seems to be lagging behind ever so slightly. Are we to blame? I don't think so. If you can't run with the big dogs, don't get off the porch. In other words, if you can't compete don't get in the way. The US is constantly finding this and forgetting it and finding it out again.
What evil has the US occasioned against Iraq? Saddam was executed according to the laws of the land and would've been executed here (if in a state that required that). Certain crimes receive the punishment of death per the law. Without rule of law, we are as the ages of Medieval Europe. Men killing because they can and without recourse. President Bush has committed no crime per any US law.
Also, as I forgot this in the last post...
ReplyDeleteThe US continues to harp about Nazism and the evils it committed against its own citizens and everyone else as it spread because if we or the world forgets then it will happen again.
Just as World War I was the War to End All Wars and then people forgot. Or harbored whatever problems and allowed WWII to begin. Europe should've been decimated and unable to start a full scale war simply because they had recently lived through a large scale war, but it seems they forgot about the horrors of war in a short span of time.
After WWI, the US did what it had always done since it separated from the British Empire - returned to a state of isolationism.
The country was more than happy to let the rest of the world go to hell in a hand basket so long as trade and commerce continued. Allow that to go on and we really don't care what happens so long as you leave us alone.
In both WWI and WWII the US was instigated (perhaps with help from many people) but instigated none-the-less to enter both of these wars. The country lost a large nubmer of people, large amounts of cash, and had to ship her boys out of the country - all of which we don't like to do. Since that time we have taken it upon ourselves to do our best to ensure that large global wars are kept to a minimum. How many men were lost in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the other skirmishes the US has been involved in in the past 66 years? I'm fairly certain it's a negligable amount compared to the nubmers lost by the world during WWI and WWII.
You suggest that the bombing of Japan was anything but what it was - the price of doing war against the US. There was an offer of peace on the table before the first bomb fell, afterwards, and just before the second one was dropped. History accounts for the fact that the Japanese were unwilling to surrender. Thus we protected ourselves by act of war. Should the Japanese have been in command of the weapon do you think they would've stopped after the destruction of 2 cities? (This applies only to the Japan of WWII.)
Vietnam. Yeah, I think Hollywood has done a decent number of films about that skirmish. Many glorified our actions, but just as many called us out for the horrible deeds of various soldiers.
Most of us know that the Taliban was created by and fueled by the US once upon a time. It happens. A time and a war that has passed into a different culture and era in the US. The Cold War against soviet Russia is but a distant and far memory for the greater portion of our nation - we would've never given them (the Taliban) a second thought so long as they didn't interfere with our lives.
Perhaps it is the apathy that says "I'll leave you alone if you just keep things going as they are." Threaten our comfort and we'll destroy you and everything you hold dear to protect my individual comfort.
The term of whore is in some ways apt as we are capitalists - survival of the strongest; survival of the ones willing to destory in order to reign; perhaps saraswati instead of judging you should attempt to enter the arena and fight against our sway. What have you done recently to sway the thoughts of the decision makers around you? What have you done for your neighbor to make him or her understand the evil influence of the US?
Note: I'm hoping this makes enough sense. It's nearly 1 am and I've enjoyed a few Jack and Cokes at the Murat Oasis.
hi all,
ReplyDeletewhile surfing the net i came through this particular link and i was compelled to read it all through. i think basically what we all are questioning here is whether any country is justified in taking such a blatant action against an erstwhile leader of a different country? Let me rephrase the question had it been some other country which had decided to follow the course, the first nation to raise a hue and cry about the human rights and screwed up foreign policies would have been America.
i am not saying that Saddam should not have been punished but i feel the way punishment was meted out raises questions on the credibility of foreign policy of America.And as it has been made clear earlier its the decision of the establishment we are questioning and not Americans in general because people in general are the same in essence everywhere they do not change neither does human emotional index change it just varies with the change in time and circumstances.
Another thing is that politics makes strange bedfellows, true for politicians anywhere on the globe, so if the majority of countries are crying foul our Saddams death its not that the citizens of America are very happy with the situation, i am sure they feel the same as we Indians do when we see some inefficient and inane minister go up the dias and make comments which are going to have dire effect on the world and on the countriies fortunes -TRAPPED and RUINED, thats how we all feel.
Saddams execution just stirred the hornets nest. People had started to question such arbitrary high handedness of US and it was a matter of time before the reaction was felt.
I have nothing more to add, but I wanted you to know I was here.
ReplyDeleteVery well written.
Happy New Year!
~d
Luke,
ReplyDeleteanyone who read what you have written, can just understand what is wrong with the American public.
I don't have to tell anyone, what is wrong with America.
Yes, Saddam was executed as per the law of the land. I wonder what should George W Bush be done for killing 650,000 Iraqis since 2003!
Japanese were bombed after they had agreed to surrender. If you can find it somewhere in your "Free media" check it out, the japanese were murdered (and continue to suffer 60 years hence) after they had agreed to surrender.
The bombs were "Experiments" to check the efficacy of the new "Toy" developed by your erstwhile scientists.
About all the gloating of America that you did, I am sorry to consider Americans Human, if you are a representative of an average american. But fortunately, there are a few "human beings" amongst Americans too.
What am I doing about those around me. To begin with trying to put some sort sense into people like you. But I guess it is a waste of time to put any sense into insensitised "machines" who call themselves americans.
I have been part of a campaign against Nukes for the last three and half years. And we managed to stop a new project for Uranium Mining near my City, by mobilising public pressure. So atleast we get a few nukes less in the world. I organise workshops with students in my city to make them understand what a sick country US of A is, besides talking about Nuclear issues. (I shall surely, use your words, to introduce america to people)
i forgot to add,
ReplyDeleteby the way, history is relative, depends on whose version you are reading.
I'm fairly certain that you can look at the time line for the surrender documentation and see that the Japanese were prepared to hold their land and to continue fighting until the weapons were released on the two cities. No documented correspondence exists that says the Japanese were willing to surrender unconditionally previous to the destruction of their cities...which was our due right after their unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor. Since then, any suffering on the part of the Japanese was exclusively an unknown variable at the time. For the poison left in the world and passed onto that generation's children I am sorry, but I can not deny the necessity for destroying those cities.
ReplyDeleteThe toys of our scientists were the only way to ensure a quick and decisive end to that war without more loss of US life.
President Bush has acted within all agreed resolutions of war and within his legal power as President of the US. Also, your 650,000 number seems a bit too large. The Iraqi government is stating something in the neighborhood of a total of 26,000 killed for the year of 2006. Which by any sort of guess, I'd think this would be about standard in losses for the country. Also, 95% of that is caused by the civilian population rather than stray or intentional US munitions. I'm afraid your number can only include deaths caused by non-US forces. Thus, you really need to restate your numbers against Bush or cite your sources so I can verify your findings.
But I'll end here, Saraswati you seem to have had your mind made up that the USA is evil and there can be nothing else said about it before I arrived on the scene. Your words sound like every craven hypocrite I've ever spoken to - you're more than willing to call out other's evils, ignore the good they have caused, the good they will cause, and anything else that doesn't even begin to help your argument because you’re unwilling to think that perhaps another way of life or way of thought is as valid or more valid than your own.
Luke,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, there is no point in continuing our discussion, since, we see different sides of the same coin.
650,000 deaths (i got the figure from a US Website - I think it was the Independent) were caused by direct and indirect ways since the war on iraq. A lot of the internal, local area deaths were a direct result post-occupation Iraq.
But why did you have to go to Iraq in the first place? to end what War? Was Saddam invading you guys? he did not even have the WEAPON! And while americans cry over the deaths of 3000 american soldiers in three years , 26,000 iraqis in just one year (a number by any means larger than 3000) seems to be unavoidable collateral damage, and okay by you!
I wonder who is a Hypocrite...
No one is discounting the good done by americans. but when the destruction outweighs the good deeds, one cannot but help criticize.
What i had questioned was the attitude of people like you, people who sit in your comfy zones, and talk about death of anyoe in such a casual manner.
The attitude that your lives are the most valuable ones on this planet! (sick!) and doesn't matter how many thousands of other lives are sacrificed to save one american life...it is still fine...
i wish some day, you live on the other side of the fence...and realise what all the "good deeds" that america has been doing since the world wars.
There sure are some sane voices being heard in America, but few...I cannot blame you, like I said in the beginning, you are programmed by your media and your movies...
By the way, the coke that you drink: that company is robbing precious water from small farmers in our country...farmers whose lands were dried out thanks to all the water that COCA COLA extracted out in no time. and then expects us to be thankful for setting shop in India..Union Carbide, now taken over by Dow chemicals, was responsible for the deaths of 20,000 people, innocent civilians sleeping in their homes, gassed out in a single night.
and the guy who is being asked to be sent for a court trial, is Anderson. Anderson did not do anything wrong according to US LAW. He is under the protection of the US govt. for the last 20 years...Yes, USA does a lot of good to the world.
We pathetic creatures,who want justice for the poor and dying, are Hypocrites, for forgetting the good done by the US.
US which sits on the largest pile of Nukes in the world, US which had a bigger track record of dropping bombs on innocent people, is the country which talks to other countries to maintain restraint. But continues to "Sell" to everyone. Sure America doesn't want people to manufacture their weapons, because then there will be no one to buy them from America...
Yes, surely we are hypocrites for forgetting the good done by America.
God bless America
sorry forgot to add my name to the earlier post.
ReplyDeletethe figure of 650,000 iraqis was according to the John Hopkins study published in the British journal Lancet. Most of it under the criteria of sectarian violence.
Now, people are debating what looks like a reasonable figure, President bush says something like 30,000 to 50,000 since the war began, some one says 100,000, someone else 128,000. and then there are arguments and counters...
at the end of all this...we forget those who were killed were babies, children, women and of course many thousands of innocent people...people who had a right to live and breathe as much as you and me.
at the end of the day, statistics is what seems to matter...
sure, all this cannot be avoided, "26,000" is a reasonable amount of casuality.
We the ones who are saying that they are not numbers, but they are somebody's sons, daughters, mothers, wifes and husbands, someone's families; people who had nothing to do with the Twin Tower bombings;
We are surely the Hypocrites. We cannot appreciate the good that American does, to protect American Families!
"The first test Trinity was on 16 July 1945. the second and third were Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In old documents of the Department of Energy, they were listed as the second and third tests"
ReplyDeleteCarole Gallagher, Photojournalist and author, "American Ground Zero",
-as said in an interview on record, in the documentary, "DOWNWIND: DEPLETED URANIUM WEAPONS IN THE AGE OF VIRTUAL WAR".
Produced by Pinhole Pictures, USA.
Do watch the film if you may, it shows how much the American Establishment lies to the American people.
It happens to us here in India, all the time. The control via media is happening here too, but then fortunately, we did not become so advanced, so we still manage to have cross currents.
There are too many things going wrong in the world. We don't solve them by trying to cover up our own people's follies, or trying to be nice for the sake of it. When we can see the problem head on and face it squarely, only then can we solve it.
"his comely head/ down upon a bed"
ReplyDeletethe rage is not against his downfall or the aesthetics of his garlanding..
clever sat night live parodies against an A grade moron and his 'democratic antics' might continue to humour the rest of the world... but wat remains is helpless noise over someone getting away with it all!