Throughout the history of Humankind, war has been a purportedly inescapable plague that has devastated millions of lives; doing so recently while simultaneously destroying the environment which sustains all life on Earth. And because this supposed necessity of war has taken such an all-encompassing toll, we have been repeatedly conditioning ourselves to believe the irrational argument that it is in our “nature” to be at war. However, when we examine the fundamental factors which actually generate such propensities, it becomes clear that the environment has played the largest role influencing aberrant behavior that directly leads to war. Likewise, the environment plays an equal role influencing constructive behavior. Thus, the notion of Human “nature” is unveiled as a fallacy; for, there is no such thing as Human Nature—there is only Human behavior. And this behavior, which can be translated throughout the animal kingdom here on Earth, is undoubtedly influenced most by our environment. And so we arrive at an understanding that if all species are influenced most by the environment, and that environment is either abundant or scarce in resources or basic necessities of life, plants and animals will react accordingly because they have to; not because it is in their “nature.” Examining our own past, we find that for hundreds of thousands of years, Humans lived in a synergetic relationship with the environment as well as all other species on Earth. In other words, there was balance or equilibrium pervasive throughout the entire ecological system while the carrying capacity of the Earth was virtually self-regulating. Why? It was simply a matter of “intelligent” species’ technical capabilities; or their lack thereof. But then something happened in the mid-18th century. A revolution was taking Great Britain by storm—The Industrial Revolution.
Until this particular point in Humankind’s history, scarcity was perhaps the most significant factor contributing to war within our own species. But, with the advent of technology capable of creating abundance with little or no Human labor, even relieving Humans from slavish conditions, it is logical to assume that war, as well as all of the tendencies and rationalizations created by scarcity, would have disappeared altogether. Sadly, this was not the case. Rather, technical capabilities flourished substantially in the 18th Century while intellectual advancement remained stagnant, at best. However, it was not until the mid-19th Century in the relatively young United States that technology began a trend of literally exponential growth that eventually led to the Middle East in the 1920’s. There, “American” and European corporations discovered and began exploiting the vast oil fields the area contained. It was only a matter of time before war would again be called upon as the only option by nations failing to find prudent ways to bridge their differences while failing concurrently to realize and then utilize technology for what it truly is: an extension of Human attributes.
World War II ushered in a new era of economic growth due to massive exploitation by corporations that benefited directly from perpetuation of war. So, when France and England began losing grip on their colonies, the United States (specifically U.S.-based, multinational corporations) stepped in to set up a strategic alignment for a so-called “fair-share stakes” in the oil fields. But Iran sought to nationalize the oil so that Iranian citizens would directly benefit from the export profits. As this meant that the U.S. corporations’ profits would be substantially reduced, the CIA conducted a coup to oust President Mossadegh and place the former Shaw back in power. In turn, the Shaw privatized the oil fields, benefited by receiving millions of the profit, and left practically the entire Iranian citizenship with nothing to eat, contaminated water to drink, and sand for shelter.
In the two decades following WWII, the U.S. supported the Baath Party as well as Saddam Hussein. Under intense pressure from corporations, OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) agreed in 1972 to raise the price-per-barrel from $3 to $22. As a result, Iraq decided to nationalize its own oil fields and, subsequently, Hussein was labeled a terrorist leader by the United States government. After serving for 11 years as vice president, Hussein became president and began a sweeping purge of his so-called “opponents”—Iran being attacked without provocation. In a Stockholm Case Research Institute study, it was discovered that 52 countries supplied to either Iran or Iraq; and 29 countries, including the United States, supplied both sides. A1988 policy by the U.S. Dept. of State gave massive loans to Iraq to purportedly finance agricultural and business ventures. The funds instead were used to purchase weapons, helicopters, as well as bacterial cultures. “We had no idea that Saddam Hussein would be using chemical weapons on his own people,” claimed David Welch of the State Dept. “If we had known all this, uh, well we would have made our policy quite different in 1988, I’m sure.”
OPEC kept prices stable in 1989 by limiting the amount of oil member countries were allowed to produce. In other words, this was an organizational sanction with government approval for the pretended scarcity of crude oil. Kuwait, literally drawn out of Iraq with more imaginary lines by the British in 1928, exceeded this limit by 20% which drove down global oil prices. Knowing that Iraq lost about 80% of its oil income, the U.S. antagonistically told Iraq that there was no defense agreement between the United States and Kuwait. Any candid mind would be keen to the fact that this was obviously a means the U.S. would use to elicit an invasive response from Iraq. And, although the United States never provided any satellite pictures of the supposed Iraqi buildup of soldiers along the border of Kuwait, the first Bush Administration lied to the Saudis ultimately to gain access to Saudi Arabia and eventually secure stakes in the oil fields. In the words of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, “Oil is too important to be left to the Arabs.” So, on August 7th, the Saudi government accepted the Administration’s request and without even notifying Congress, “American” soldiers began flying in.
Meanwhile, at the U.N. headquarters in New York City, politicians attempted to plaster over problems with the same old, ineffective rhetoric. And although the idea of “peaceful resolution” seems to have been echoed throughout this convention of bureaucrats, U.S. troops were synchronously being built up in Saudi Arabia. What the United States was doing, preparing for invasion by building up troops along the Iraqi border, was exactly the reason given to “American” citizens for declaring war against Iraq! Propaganda and fear campaigning by corporate and government collusion proved once again successful in maintaining mass-ignorance. For, if “American” citizens were not bombarded with WMDs (Weapons of Mass Delusion) being dropped by their own government, perhaps these citizens would have realized that war was mounting while Congress, the body constitutionally given the responsibility of declaring war, was only just convening to begin discussion of even commitment of troops; let alone to declare war. Ultimately, the Bush Administration delusively scared nearly the entire U.N. Security Council into believing that diplomatic negotiations would be futile and that war would be the only way. And so, bombings began on January 15, 1991 at around 3:00 AM local time in Iraq. Despite assurance from the U.S. government that there would be no civilian casualties, according to former Attorney General Ramsey Clark the equivalent of seven and a half Hiroshima bombs were dropped on Iraq in just 42 days. However, these so-called “surgical strikes” turned out to be indiscriminate bombings that destroyed integral life-support systems, such as water purification, power-, even food-production plants, and killed perhaps over 100,000 civilians.
After taking Kuwait in 24 hours, and then southern Iraq in another 24 hours, an unexpected uprising to Saddam’s regime took place on February 26th. Fearing that the premeditated plan, undeniably set up by his Administration, was going awry, Bush stopped the war the very next day and an official cease-fire was issued on the 28th. By March 3rd, a deal was obviously made by the U.S. government and Hussein’s regime. In a sudden turn of events, the U.S. then supported the regime to supposedly allow Iraqis, namely Hussein, to eliminate the rebellion in the south; as if over 100,000 allied troops would fail to achieve that end. After the war, the U.N. Security Council passed more practically useless resolutions that were meant to ease the hardship of Iraqi citizens. The council also passed Resolution 688 which allegedly established a No Fly Zone in Northern Iraq. However, Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies revealed, “There is no reference in any U.N. resolution to the establishment of No Fly Zones in Northern and Southern Iraq.” More acts; more resolutions; more sanctions; and more plaster; yet no viable solutions. In fact, Bill Hartung, an International Arms-Trade analyst stated, “After the Gulf War, U.S. arms manufacturers and the Pentagon took advantage of making new arms sales to the Middle East at the rate of about $1-billion a month.” All the while, Iraqi citizens, men, women, and children, were literally starving to death and deprived of even the most basic medical supplies. It makes one wonder how our “value” system became so distorted over the years as to render an imaginary concept such as profit superior to the well-being and tangible necessities of all Human Beings.
On the coalition side, thousands of veterans began to report medical problems such as achy joints, memory troubles, falling ill, and that they were getting rashes with no explanation. It was later uncovered that during the 70’s and 80’s, the Pentagon began secretly testing new rounds made from a portion of the billion and a half pounds of depleted Uranium-238 which the Department of Energy had accumulated. Although the U.S. government was well aware of the extensive research conducted on rats about the fact that as a highly radioactive material, Uranium settles in the lungs, kidneys, liver, muscle, testicles, and can even travel through the placenta from mother to child, the Pentagon tried ardently to suppress this information; even its own July 1990 report which documented the potential for a ban on such radioactive material—based on an assumption that most people exposed would be soldiers and perhaps even civilians on the battlefield inhaling the dust after rounds being fired. Unfortunately, this information did not reach the soldiers; and so thousands camped in contaminated areas for up to two months with no warning or any idea at all. At the Basra General Hospital in Southern Iraq, doctors stood virtually helpless, due to economic sanctions that withheld the distribution of vital medical supplies, and were forced to stand by and watch children die at a rate of 1 or 2 a day. The radioactivity even caused an 11 year old girl to somehow contract ovarian cancer!
In conclusion, the number of lies told by the government of our wonderful United States about the events surrounding the entire Gulf War is completely mind-numbing. But, this is just one example of the many consequences which have been the result of distorted social values, such as plutocratic mentalities, deceitfulness, exploitation, corporate aggrandizement, and misinformation, being passed down through 3 generations of Bushisms. To the elitists, corporate CEOs, and government officials, we are all simply Human guinea pigs. Even in WWII, soldiers were told to stand outside to witness atomic bomb tests; in Vietnam, Agent Orange, another fine chemical “defoliant” produced by U.S. corporations, was indiscriminately dumped all over Vietnamese and “American” soldiers alike; creating a host of health issues due to its high toxicity. Currently, 15 countries still produce ammunition out of radioactive waste. But what we must remember is this: As long as people perpetuate the notion that war is a necessity, manufacturing and selling weapons to all sides, essentially creating an unstable environment that inculcates the illusionary ideas of profit, private property, and self-interest, as well as highly misinterpreted notions of patriotism, freedom, and democracy, war will undoubtedly persist on a global scale. And, due to the latest failure in the long line of oil junkies, George W. Bush, we are now fighting two seemingly endless wars against an enemy that is so broadly defined, the next “terrorist” even has a good chance of being you—it all depends on whether you have a “valuable” resource or commodity (your Human labor) and are willing to give in to governmental and corporate demands or attempt to go against the redundant cycle of lies and corruption to become disillusioned. But, we have a chance to reclaim ourselves; to reclaim each other; and to reclaim the environment—it just depends on the choices we make as individuals in our collective system. The only ‘real’ issues are those common to all Human Beings and the environment which sustains the global ecosystem. Until this understanding becomes globally accepted, we will continue making decisions subjectively, based entirely on personal biases, insufficient information, and opinions, instead of arriving at decisions by utilizing the vast knowledge base we have accumulated over the course of our existence.
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