The Not So Pretty Hate Machine

It goes by the name of U.S. Foreign Policy.

From a freshly resurrected Chris Floyd:

"We were wiped out mercilessly, and we blame the Americans, the Iraqi government, the criminals and all the politicians who brought us catastrophe and destruction. They have destroyed everything with their sectarianism and politics."

These were the words of Zainulabideen Rustam Abdullah, who "lost his wife, three daughters, his grandson and his daughter-in-law" in last Saturday's attack, the Washington Post reports. I have never read anywhere a more succinct and accurate portrayal of the hell-hole that George W. Bush has created in Iraq with his unprovoked invasion and destruction of that country. The war is indeed a merciless act, a brutal act of hubris, of avarice, of cynical deliberation and wilful ignorance. The sectarianism that it has unleashed – and abetted – and the thuggish politics in both Washington, London and Baghdad have indeed "destroyed everything."

911 *could* have been rendered an anomaly. Instead of answering the question "Why do they hate us?" - a legitimate question badly in need of being publicly explored, at least for the semi-literate, disinterested, self-absorbed citizens who didn't already know - Americans wept in self-pity as Republicans and Democrats burned our Constitution so they could enjoy a moment of public hand-holding on television and jockey for votes. Whatever shards of The Republic remained up until that point were hastily crushed into sand beneath the soles of our political leaders' designer shoes.

That's what happens when "united we stand" takes precedence over "liberty and justice for all." But, then, liberty and justice have a cover charge. Standing room only is free admission - even if there is a three-drink minimum and the drinks are very expensive.

Turning Iraq into a killing field to satisfy our nationalist hard-on wasn't the brightest idea for anyone concerned with the future, not to mention the blameless human beings with whom we share the planet. Think about it: If your country of origin - a place your relatives still called home - was being devoured by a foreign occupation, not to mention one instigating sectarian violence for its own benefit - how would you react?

Not so good, I'm guessin'. You might even hold a grudge.

On the other hand, given the attention deficit disorder afflicting nine out of ten Americans - coupled with our amazing ignorance of, and willful indifference to, the world beyond our borders - it might not be so irksome.

But Death leaves a mark on the souls of those closest to the ones it claims. Regardless of how many people die in Iraq, more will survive. And they will remember, if only because it will be impossible to forget, that on the other side of a dying planet, Americans - those who loved George W. Bush and those who didn't - were going about their daily activities as if it was just another day. Because, for us, today is just another day.

Tomorrow, and the day after, will have other stories to tell. Eventually, we will listen whether we want to or not.

As billions of dollars are poured into corporate machines which exist for the sole purpose of permanent warfare and countless variations of state-sanctioned violence, more than a few Americans are feasting on the moneypies baked in Washington, D.C.. At one time, it would have been called blood money. Today, it's just a 401K. A mutual fund. The Economy.

Even now - contrary to the self-serving assertions of citizens on both ends of the political spectrum, and many points in between - there is no anti-war movement.

Blowback? It hasn't even begun. An entire generation of walking wounded on the other side of our comfortable world will grow up vowing revenge. Today's Orphan Machine - one which could not exist without the wasted tax dollars generated by the apathetic citizens of our miserable empire - is tomorrow's Terrorist Machine; but at least when it kicks into gear, no one will have to ask, "Why do they hate us?" We will already know.