Middle East and the Moral Relativism of Conflict
January 12th 2009 04:21
Middle East and the Moral Relativism of Conflict
If you want to see impotency in action then the UN resolution of the last few days is a prime example. The vote for an immediate ceasefire was unanimous but still had one glaring omission. The US decision to abstain from the vote. The message from the rest of the Security Council was clear but for the US it either was ambiguous or a subtle message to Israel that they still had their support for the current operation. By not voting they had the advantage of washing their hands of ceasefire and not spoiling the cozy relationship they have with Israel. The resolution calling for a ceasefire was ignored.
War tends to draw out a lot of misguided emotion and in the heat of passion some people will engage in any twisted logic that justifies their stance. The ability to rationalize any vile act as being justifiable seems to have infected both Hamas and the Israelis. The loss of human life has become nothing more than an incidental inconvenience to an ongoing PR campaign.
The 800 or so that have been killed have written off with the weasel words of ‘collateral damage.’ It is as if they were some kind of spare change that should have been spent years ago. Unfortunately the real meaning of such terms is ‘dead people’. Excuses can be made for killing any time. We would not accept such excuses in any other circumstances but in warfare morality is often reduced down the party line.
In normal circumstance would we accept a hostage situation where the police show no regard for the lives of the captives? If the police chief stood up at a press conference to say that the criminals were killed by mortar shell that also killed all the hostages what would be the reaction? More than likely the police who planned such a disaster would be charged with manslaughter or even murder. A defense line that solely blames the criminals would not find much sympathy because such a line of argument shows a callous disregard for human life. Yet this precisely the same logic that is being presented to world to justify the rising numbers of dead. It is all Hamas’s fault for being where the civilians are located. The question of criminal negligence is ignored in favor of the official party line.
Arab leaders are also acting a duplicitous manner when they demand that Israel stop shooting first. Missiles continued to be fired from the Gaza strip and landing in populated areas of Israel. Though only 4 people have been killed in these attacks the fear of being hit is still real. Face saving has become more important than life saving.
We could spend hours pawing over image of dead children and tearful funerals to justify a stance. However as each side uses the tragic situation for their own PR machinery the bodies mount up and suffering continues.
Neither side has shown even the slightest amount of empathy for their enemy or those that just happen to be caught in the crossfire. Instead we have the rhetorical question of, ‘whose side are you going to support.’ For Israel it is ‘Us or the Terrorists’ and for Hamas it is ‘Us or the Genocidal Zionists.’ The war of absolutes has left no place for the innocent bystander to run. Instead they are being churned into propaganda.
The finality of this war will leave some certainties for the future. One of those certainties is that very few in Gaza will be thankful for this action. The other certainty is that humanitarian situation in the Gaza will become more desperate. What is less certain is the future of Hamas. However if we are to go the precedent of Hezbollah in Lebanon it is likely that Hamas will be strengthened and a more attractive option for angry Palestinians. The poisoned manifesto is easier to sell because all reasonable alternatives are being crushed by both the Israel and Hamas. A similar situation occurred in pre revolutionary Iran where the only alternative to the oppressive regime was a fanatical religious leader. Why? Because the only place of communal gather permitted were the temples.
The finality of this war has all the potential of drawing in more and external groups. The art diplomacy and negotiation have fallen by the way as brute force has another shot at shaping history. Any appeal to reason or mercy from the world community is being ignored as the morality is reduced to nothing more than face saving. ‘You stop shooting first and we may or may not stop. However we cannot stop shooting first because that will make you look like a winner.’ The thought of stopping at the same time is not even being considered. The thought that war is failure of humanity? Where did that thought go?
If you want to see impotency in action then the UN resolution of the last few days is a prime example. The vote for an immediate ceasefire was unanimous but still had one glaring omission. The US decision to abstain from the vote. The message from the rest of the Security Council was clear but for the US it either was ambiguous or a subtle message to Israel that they still had their support for the current operation. By not voting they had the advantage of washing their hands of ceasefire and not spoiling the cozy relationship they have with Israel. The resolution calling for a ceasefire was ignored.
War tends to draw out a lot of misguided emotion and in the heat of passion some people will engage in any twisted logic that justifies their stance. The ability to rationalize any vile act as being justifiable seems to have infected both Hamas and the Israelis. The loss of human life has become nothing more than an incidental inconvenience to an ongoing PR campaign.
The 800 or so that have been killed have written off with the weasel words of ‘collateral damage.’ It is as if they were some kind of spare change that should have been spent years ago. Unfortunately the real meaning of such terms is ‘dead people’. Excuses can be made for killing any time. We would not accept such excuses in any other circumstances but in warfare morality is often reduced down the party line.
In normal circumstance would we accept a hostage situation where the police show no regard for the lives of the captives? If the police chief stood up at a press conference to say that the criminals were killed by mortar shell that also killed all the hostages what would be the reaction? More than likely the police who planned such a disaster would be charged with manslaughter or even murder. A defense line that solely blames the criminals would not find much sympathy because such a line of argument shows a callous disregard for human life. Yet this precisely the same logic that is being presented to world to justify the rising numbers of dead. It is all Hamas’s fault for being where the civilians are located. The question of criminal negligence is ignored in favor of the official party line.
Arab leaders are also acting a duplicitous manner when they demand that Israel stop shooting first. Missiles continued to be fired from the Gaza strip and landing in populated areas of Israel. Though only 4 people have been killed in these attacks the fear of being hit is still real. Face saving has become more important than life saving.
We could spend hours pawing over image of dead children and tearful funerals to justify a stance. However as each side uses the tragic situation for their own PR machinery the bodies mount up and suffering continues.
Neither side has shown even the slightest amount of empathy for their enemy or those that just happen to be caught in the crossfire. Instead we have the rhetorical question of, ‘whose side are you going to support.’ For Israel it is ‘Us or the Terrorists’ and for Hamas it is ‘Us or the Genocidal Zionists.’ The war of absolutes has left no place for the innocent bystander to run. Instead they are being churned into propaganda.
The finality of this war will leave some certainties for the future. One of those certainties is that very few in Gaza will be thankful for this action. The other certainty is that humanitarian situation in the Gaza will become more desperate. What is less certain is the future of Hamas. However if we are to go the precedent of Hezbollah in Lebanon it is likely that Hamas will be strengthened and a more attractive option for angry Palestinians. The poisoned manifesto is easier to sell because all reasonable alternatives are being crushed by both the Israel and Hamas. A similar situation occurred in pre revolutionary Iran where the only alternative to the oppressive regime was a fanatical religious leader. Why? Because the only place of communal gather permitted were the temples.
The finality of this war has all the potential of drawing in more and external groups. The art diplomacy and negotiation have fallen by the way as brute force has another shot at shaping history. Any appeal to reason or mercy from the world community is being ignored as the morality is reduced to nothing more than face saving. ‘You stop shooting first and we may or may not stop. However we cannot stop shooting first because that will make you look like a winner.’ The thought of stopping at the same time is not even being considered. The thought that war is failure of humanity? Where did that thought go?
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Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
I'll read the rest now, or later.
But that's a great line, Damo.
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Interesting point, Damo. And yes, dead people are dead people, no PR people can change that.
Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Comment by Teresa Ralton
MRS SMITH
READ THIS
SISTERS IN CRIME
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Thanks for your comments.
I do not think that even a whole truck load of viagra can fix this problem.
Janet
Thanks for your comments.
To me it seems very tragic that human life is so disposable that they invent a term to make it sound normal and natural.
SLB
Thanks for your comments.
It would be nice if we could go back the days of letting the leaders duke it our. However as Napoleon says: 'Find me any Emperor that has been killed by a cannon ball.' Leaders make war, send people to fight those wars as they sit in comfort of their palaces.
Teresa
Thanks for your comments.
That is very true for a select few. Some people do get very rich out of prolonged war and conflict. Peace is often seen as bad for business.