Tag Archives: Syrian crisis

Issues: A Test of Statehood

© 2015 by Raymond Alexander Kukkee   [caption id="attachment_3213" align="aligncenter" width="624"]Statue in the ancient City of Nimrud   in Iraq Artifact  in the ancient City of Nimrud in Iraq[/caption]  

A Sense of Humanity is Required to Pass a Test of Statehood

  It should not come as a surprise to anyone in the modern world that a sense of humanity is an essential requirement to pass a test of statehood.  Here at Incoming Bytes we would guess that in espousing brutality, terrorism and murder almost unequaled in modern history,  ISIS,  a militarized, aggressive rogue 'entity' in Iraq declaring itself an 'Islamic State' ' —could not pass an impartial test of statehood using any interpretation of international law. Civilized nations and nation-states build constitutions to preserve life and humanity, respect foreign borders, practice diplomacy, establish Charters of Rights for citizens, incorporate a modern system of justice into a society ruled by civilized law,  and protect minorities within their borders.  Yes, established borders, legally defined borders encompassing territory lawfully gained.  ISIS, or "ISIL"  and it's black ninja mini-army of AK-47-carrying Jihadi-John - look-a-likes labels itself an "Islamic State" in spite of frowns and  muted disapproval of  modern Islam because of its aggressive and murderous agenda.  Let's understand that.  ISIS 'leaders' who are murderers,  pretend to be Jihadi ' learned persons', arrogantly point their fingers in the air, dictating, preaching and poking the world in the eye in calculated defiance. It seems they believe the religious beliefs and practices of all of the other billions of Muslims in the world are not quite Islamic enough. Not quite suitable. Or wrong. Or something. Non-conformists will simply be executed.  Go figure. Genuine  leaders usually attempt decorum and 'Statehood'. Perhaps with the contemporary exception of Vladimir Putin, world leaders, at the very least,  attempt to act within the realm of responsible states. Putin is excluded because of his territorial grab in Crimea, and involvement in Ukraine. Shooting down international passenger planes, and  military interference in Ukraine  is agreeable only  in Vladimir's  collection of ancient USSR apparatchik-approved comic books.  Wait...Putin the super hero, Saviour of the old Soviet guard. Big 'V' on Red tights, no pun intended, but don't you just love that?     See how easy it is to get distracted with asides and trivia? No matter...Somehow there must be a parallel or correlation with ISIS' magic dead-or-alive -"volcanoes of  Jihad" Jihadist leader  Abu Bakr-al-Baghdadi.  Lunacy. Arrogance. Delusions of grandeur. All common factors, —but the bottom line is, getting back to reality, it is a given that  "States" and their  world leaders —should at the very least attempt to act in a sane and responsible manner. ISIS arbitrarily declared itself a caliphate  (the Levant)   and offers its program of cleansing as proof of passing a test of statehood.  In someone's warped mind, slaughter of innocents  is a qualifier for authenticity. Public executions of hundreds, if not thousands of innocent people including women and children take place for such heinous crimes as being Christian, refusing to 'convert' to Islam, being a foreign journalist, being a foreign aid worker feeding the starving, or simply being the 'wrong' nationality in the wrong place and the wrong time. The list of qualifiers goes on and gets uglier. Their ultimate and  authentic  'proof of statehood' includes broadcasting video records  of executions using their all-time favourite execution method of  beheading victims,  guilty or not.  Subsequent parading of victim's severed heads in front of cameras by children of "Jihadist fighters" is encouraged and has been recorded. Disgusting.  Train children to grow up thinking lunacy is normal. That ought to do it.  In the civilized world, the brainwashing of children itself is a heinous crime. That reminds me, brain-washing of children is a very state-like occupation, isn't it;  grooming and training children to hate others for a lifetime. We wonder if there is a parallel to be drawn to the Ferguson Syndrome back home in the good old U.S. of A.   Maybe it's ISIL's  own unique Johnny-Jihadi Syndrome.  Does that remind you of  Brown shirts Recruitment  and brainwashing of  idealist, weak-minded wanna-join-somethings  with guns and black pajamas with hoodies and masks  to enable the  anonymous and mindless daily tasks of, brutalizing, rape, killing and plunder. You get the idea. Think. If they are a "State" why would it be necessary to hide their faces and identities?

Destruction of Nimrud: Why?

Don't forget ISIS's  "ongoing accomplishments" and other  'state-like activities'. Such "ongoing accomplishments" now include the destruction of rare, priceless historical statues, carvings and other artifacts in museums as well as looting and pilfering villages,  raping and murdering and beheading of thousands  of 'enemies', theft of women and children, who are sold into forced marriages with ISIS fighters and de facto slavery. Terrorism, bullying, murder, blood and  fear are the only identifying characteristics of ISIS. The latest "great accomplishment" and 'test of statehood' of ISIS was the unbelievable looting and bulldozing of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud —and destruction of it's statuary and artifacts. Nimrud is considered to be perhaps the oldest known civilization known to mankind.  Yes, we know nothing lasts forever, but... This vicious, mindless destruction has been called a war crime by the international community, but ISIS lunatics romantically consider ridiculous extremism necessary to pass the test of Statehood.  In the minds of the obsessed, declaring dominance over, and claiming destruction of,  all evidence of a long-dead civilization, city, or state, ISIS "validates" their power and undoubtedly "justifies"  their existence. Shall we repeat:  In the minds of lunatics.  Here at Incoming Bytes it is easily observed that the greatest accomplishment of ISIS to date —the ONLY accomplishment to date—has been to unfailingly generate hate against itself  —worldwide—and consolidate  international resolve to expunge the  murderous self-declared "caliphate" and its poison from the modern world.

The Facts Remain Sobering

To the astute observer,  ISIS simply appears to be a  collection of  impotent misfits, traitors,  rabble,  and brutal, extremist religious fanatics who have outrageously chosen  to use murder,  vicious tactics, and  terrorism  to achieve their " religious, domestic and foreign policies".  Combined with a narrow, brutal and ancient interpretation and 'version' of Islam as the strict and only basis for Islam, those facts remain sobering if only because they consider innocent human beings and life itself to be of little worth. The  primitive and misdirected understanding of  the requirements for success as a 'state'  has backfired. Countries around the world including Arab nations representing modern  Islam are necessarily uniting against them--perhaps to bomb the crap out of them for revenge, or put them out of their misery,  save themselves from collective madness and make a declaration of their own humanity and test of statehood. As a follow-up, here at Incoming Bytes  we will continue to wonder why this ugly cancer of criminals  has not yet been totally excised from what is fast becoming the corpse of civilization.  Opposition to ISIS must remain  resolved, united and not intimidated by the task ahead.   Perhaps standing tall when required is another of our own tests of Statehood.   What do you think? Stay tuned.

#

Is that incoming I hear?      
Posted in Humanity, Major Issues | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Syrian Crisis: Call for Common Sense or WW III ?

© 2013  by Raymond Alexander Kukkee   [caption id="attachment_2010" align="aligncenter" width="620"]photo by phaewilk (morguefile)             Darkening Skies               photo by phaewilk (morguefile)[/caption]

      "Clearly something must be done.  Why not try common sense?

Darkening Skies

The world is waiting with abated breath for the next indicator, any indicator at all that might reveal whether  President Barack Obama and the United States of America  will up the ante in the Syrian crisis, ratchet up the tension more with additional warships, more rocket testing, or if he will  just arbitrarily  light a  fuse,  and bomb the crap out of Syria's President Bashar al Assad and his palace out of existence and  complete the destruction of Syria regardless of proposals or solutions offered.

President Assad, for the record, emphatically denies any use of chemical warfare upon his own people and blatantly  warns "any and all retaliation" if  the USA bombs Syrian targets.  How lovely.  "Let's all save face". Let's allow the mindless to create reality that results in real people dying. More people, that would be.  With an estimated 100,000 people having already died in the Syrian destruction.   "The US should expect every action". Right.

How encouraging. A red line and another red line, taunts and promises, sticks, stones, broken bones,  and how many red lines shall we cross?  Kind of reminds you of little 10-year-old brats at recess, doesn't it, daring other little brats to cross lines scuffled with sneakers in the sand of a playground.  This, however, is decidedly not play.  It is international posturing and war-mongering, not marbles....  Let's keep that in mind.

Will the ugly dogs of war  be once more unleashed, or will the world collectively  force encourage our 'so-called-leaders'  to  use some genuine intelligence in this crisis, and call for common sense?  That would be refreshing, and  a united, positive call for action based on international law and diplomacy in this specific crisis would undoubtedly  save  thousands --but even more worrisome, perhaps even millions of lives. Potentially, WW III  can happen.  "If it can happen it invariably does"  comes to mind.

Dealing with The Syrian Crisis is no longer merely  a "Game of Credibility"

There's a lot at stake. Let's all grow up now, children,  Barack, Bashar, and Vladimir,  and recognize WW III is a possibility if stubborn leaders allow their "egos" and "saving face"  and "credibility"  issues to be more important than humanity itself.  Make no mistake about it.  We don't much care whether individual politicians and leaders "lose credibility" or are embarrassed by their mistakes and ineptitude or not  if thousands, or  millions of people will be killed in the process,  do you?   

"Did Bashar do it? Of course..well, er, Not...er...maybe..er.. 

Whether or not Bad Boy Bashar  (B.B.B.) personally approved the use of chemical weapons  is debatable;  we, the ordinary people of the world have absolutely no way of confirming which pack of lies is "more true" than the next, isn't that  a conundrum?   Having trundled  the USA into  Iraq based upon a pack of lies isn't exactly the most encouraging precedent, is it, Mr. President?  The fact is, "credibility"  of the USA and it's war machine has been a problem for quite some time, so what else is new?  Worrying about 'credibility' ?   Such offerings of "unproven proof"  are  inexcusably poor reasons to bomb a desperately poor country and perhaps start WW III today--at any stretch of the imagination.

The Boy who Called Wolf  is Choking

The "boy who called wolf" comes to mind;  now, mind you, that foolish little boy didn't have pictures of victims of chemical warfare choking on foaming saliva in their death throes  sent out in social media either, --- ugly, very ugly images indeed have been offered as "truth".  If it is truth,  it is ugly and unacceptable.  The boy didn't have unprecedented collection of data on everyone on earth either, did he....so  fine.  We agree. It is not the end of the story, but no, even IN this modern age, with the abundance of political liars, the big war industry and their  questionable agenda,  we have no way to validate those ugly and distressing pictures, so ....you guessed it, no, it is not fine--or is it?  You decide We don't pretend to know.

One thing is for certain; now world opinion is clearly divided and at an impasse as the US congress, politicians, public and all  point point unsure, nervous  fingers and deny President Obama a clear message. ....but what else could the President really expect?  The wolf really IS at the door.   Perhaps the boy who called wolf really  is choking. This time.

Clearly concrete action must be taken.  Why not try common sense?

Russia Demands action but not logic

Russia's Vladimir Putin is now calling for Syria to surrender their chemical weapons to international supervision . Isn't that lovely?  Why does Syria need chemical weapons at all?  Afraid of who, Iran?  Iraq?  Tiny Jordan?  It's giant ally Russia?  Why is Vladimir Putin not demanding from his "Syrian allies" -- the surrender of  Bashar al Assad, instead,  complete with any and all of his generals, henchmen, and perpetrators or opposition involved in this heinous crime against humanity?

Sorry, Vladimir, with all due respect,  but since your unbelievable veto stopped the UN approval of cooperative military intervention,  we must ask why  your great "power" is not being used --as an ally of Syria-- to simply arrest the criminals in Syria?  Why have you, as a major Syrian ally, not made any attempt to  haul them  off to an international court, and have them  tried for their inconceivably ugly actions against their own people--regardless who they are?

If Bashar al Assad and his people are  innocent of these allegations as he shouts loudly,   why has he not arrested and turned over the REAL perpetrators to international justice?   We ask our readers to think for themselves. Contradictions become apparent immediately.

Does Bashar naively "not know" who is responsible?   As the well-informed and powerful President of Syria, if he does not know who is responsible for use of Syria's weapons of mass destruction--which he is personally responsible for,  he's incompetent.  Is Bashar merely a puppet head of state?

The fact is, If  B.B.B  (Bad Boy Bashar)  does know who is responsible, he is either a) responsible himself,  an arrogant,  mindless, brutal  leader without ethics,   and/or  b)  --he is conspiring  with the guilty to protect the perpetrators  "guilty with his approval or not".   you cannot have it both ways, so which is it? Regardless, Bashar is responsible.

So, which will it be, Common Sense or WW III?

We suggest to all world "leaders" combined,  if there's ever been a time to use "common sense" and use it collectively and sincerely,   it would be now. Does anyone really believe that more chemical warfare, death and mutually-assured destruction is the final solution?

We suspect everyone wishes to be part of the greatest revolution in civilization ever;   forget  collective egos, 'credibility', and power mongering. We all wish to do what is RIGHT for a change; we want to  contribute to some common sense to solve the Syrian Crisis. --and how about now, not "later' at everyone's convenience?

Here at Incoming Bytes we hypothesize it would be inherently brilliant --and in fact, it would be genuine progress in civilization itself -- to gainfully use the power of  big political machines world-wide --and the wealth of the globe united, to precipitate a unique, diplomatic international demand for the arrest of all persons responsible for the use of chemical weapons----whoever they may be--and bring them to international justice at a representative world court.

Sadly, we do not hold our breath, for if mistakes of the past are any lesson, they appear to remain unlearned. We can, however, hope for a universal  call for common sense even if it does not materialize  for another century and  the dust settles from WW III.

Surprisingly, Russia  suddenly  proposed the  placing of  Syria's chemical weapons cache  under international supervision for eventual destruction.     Why so suddenly? To buy time?  To deceive?  Collusion?   To avoid getting found out, accounting for chemical weapons already used? Any and all of the above?   What do you think?

We laud any solution and  movement in the right direction.

Better late than never.

Is that Incoming I hear?

     
Posted in Humanity, Life, Major Issues, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments