Well, That Certainly Explains A Lot
So now we all know the real reason for going to war in Iraq - it was to gain control over Iraq’s extraterrestrial heritage. (My props to Solonor for the link.)
Atrocity? Not Even Close…
As one online dictionary lays out for us, the word atrocity may variously be defined as:
1. Appalling or atrocious condition, quality, or behavior; monstrousness.
2. An appalling or atrocious act, situation, or object, especially an act of unusual or illegal cruelty inflicted by an armed force on civilians or prisoners.
or
1. Enormous wickedness; extreme heinousness or cruelty.
2. An atrocious or extremely cruel deed.
or even
1: the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane [syn: atrociousness, barbarity, barbarousness, heinousness]
2: a act of atrocious cruelty [syn: inhumanity]
Thanks to Kim du Toit for this post on General Tommy Franks & Co. being accused of war crimes.
Um, let’s revisit the concept of atrocity, shall we? Babies cut out of their mothers’ bellies, entire families gunned down and buried in lime-laced mass graves, children hopped up on PCP and amphetamines then handed toy guns and herded into minefields are all atrocities in my book; failing to prevent unarmed civilians from taking medical or food supplies, firing in self-defense against a possible suicide bomber, causing friendly-fire casualties due to either equipment or communications failure are not, by any stretch of the imagination, atrocities. They are unfortunate and possibly even tragic events, but none approach the degree of intent or heinousness required to be classified an atrocity and thus a war crime. Get the fuck over yourselves.
To Lay An Offering At The Temple Door Of He Who Inspired The First Book
Who can compare with him in kingliness? Who can say, like Gilgamesh, I am king? Um, not Saddam. Okay, so that was a gimme. I needed an easy one - I’m still working on my second cuppa the good stuff.
*sigh*
I wanna go dig up neat stuff in war zones before it all gets turned into Antiquity Shrapnel and Coalition Landfill…
Imitation Is The Sincerest Form Of Flattery
Could’a sworn I’d read about the anthrax donkey death scenario in a Tom Clancy novel or something. Hmm… better go ban a few books before the Muggles Mujahadeen get any funny ideas.
Aww Gee, Syria Wants To Talk
So this is what happens when you thwap the dogs of war on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper?
Screw You Guys, We’re Going Home!
Well, sorta… now that we have those shiny new bases in Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq, we can bug out of Saudi with impunity and kneecap the psycho fundamentalists’ chief bitch about infidels polluting the Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina by their very presence in-country.
Like, Ohmigod!
I think I may swoon - can it be that the Palestinian PM rejects Mid-East violence? Or is this just what it takes to get a majority vote and into power? We’ll see what tune the devil dances to the next time around the ballroom floor.
edited: See, it’s not just me being cynical and fluffy…
That’s Politics For Ya
Mark Morford’s deliciously insane take on our domestic politics is exactly what I needed this morning:
“Let me be perfectly clear. Anything you claim you see in those videos will never stand up in court, do you understand? Especially the scenes where I’m clearly wearing the Mao mask and jumping on the couch naked, waving around a string of kielbasa sausages and singing “My Heart Will Go On.” Except for the tattoos and the genital piercing, you can’t even tell it’s me, especially through the haze of opium smoke, OK? So don’t even try.
Whoops gotta run. They’re voting on sodomy law back on the floor. Makes me all tingly just thinking about it. Bye now.”
Worship Me Already
Oh yeah, I totally gotta start my own religion. Yea, I will lead you unto the Promised Land of Redemption from… well, from whatever you want, really. I’m flexible. I can do a backbend and everything. Really.