Children of Gaza and Israel: The True Casualties of War

By

Val B. Russell

The theater of war is for soldiers. Schools, playgrounds and residential neighborhoods are for children. It sounds quite simple doesn’t it? It isn’t, not by a long shot.

After the conclusion of WW2 and in particular, the United States atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the division line or no go zone, between civilian areas and where the military waged war vanished, leaving behind a sinister lawlessness that has infected the foreign policy of the democratic developed nations in both Europe and North America. It is now accepted military practice to regularly bomb neighborhoods where children live and play, remaining unquestioned by a submissive and placating United Nations. More disturbing still, the populace of these countries remain blithely disinterested in the horror they finance through their tax dollars. “It isn’t over here, so I don’t care” is the new head in the sand mantra for the online generation that gorges on selfies, facebook likes and celebrity worship. We are sleeping accomplices to atrocities and there is no getting around our complicit, albeit passive support of war crimes. Once the Enola Gay Atomic made its devastating visit above Japan during WW2, killing and wounding thousands of children, many of whom were forever affected by the radiation, military protocol went out the window. What remained was a barbarism that we not only revisit rather continuously, but nourish with our national self-interest and apathy.

The conflict Between Israel and Hamas and the murder of unarmed children is nothing new, nor is the involvement of the United States Military machine in the act of dirty war campaigns, but to truly understand the origin, history must be examined. In particular, the founding of America.

When settlers began arriving on the shores of what was to become the United States of America, the military was well ensconced, declaring ownership of the land and its abundant resources, setting up forts and using superior arms against aboriginal tribes who were at an obvious disadvantage with their archaic weaponry. However, the stubborn and courageous resolve of the Native people rankled the military and a new and efficient battle strategy was employed and it was highly effective: kill the women and children. At that point, it became clear that victory could be had rather easily. By simply taking out the heart and soul of a group of people by murdering the next generation, your foe could be so damaged and crippled they would acquiesce to your dominance. This specific type of warring has subsequently become cemented in the way America deals with any sovereign nation that opposes their quest and desire to take territory they deem valuable. The fallout of the genocide in Japan by US forces opened up a Pandora’s box, releasing permission to do whatever it takes to grab what you want, which equates to a silent endorsement of war crimes perpetrated on children and other civilians.

This international acceptance and in many cases, embracing of such obscene and criminal behavior by supposed democratic nations has provided the fertile soil for the growth of a new type of evil: the subversive U.S. intervention in the wars between other nations. Weapons are slyly provided to the pro American side, using the fake mantle of democracy to destroy the opposition to the United States interest in controlling resources in various spots on the planet. This is currently the situation between Palestine and Israel and one which the biased and controlled media outlets refuse to address, preferring instead to regurgitate the propaganda they are instructed to release as accepted truth. Mainstream print and television outlets exist to propagate the nationalist myth that ‘they’ are bad and ‘we’ are good, therefore we not only have a right but a duty to obliterate them. However, what is now emerging as a result of the ever growing social media and independent online news alternatives is that many of those being killed are children. Eyewitness accounts and visual proof are being provided by sources who have no allegiances to either side, but who see it first hand and are compelled to share the information, in much the same way independent journalists shared the events during and at the conclusion of WW2.

Anne Frank was a child and her death was the result of the German war machine who had no compunction about murdering children, totally unapologetic in their goal for world domination and the destruction of Jews, the disabled, homosexuals, blacks, Asians and anyone else who didn’t fit their twisted ideal. Anne Frank was a casualty of that particular horror, a murder victim, just as surely as the children who have been and who are now being cut down by bombs and sniper fire in places like Gaza. You cannot pick and choose the truth you want believe, the facts are not pliable like wet clay, nor do the murderous actions that take the lives of innocent children suddenly become justifiable because they are the offspring of your enemy. Soldiers are supposed to wage war on other soldiers and it is despicable savagery for them to murder innocent children. To hell with political correctness and bias, it matters not whether Jews are killing Palestinians or whether Palestinians are killing Jews; shedding the blood of innocent children is an unforgivable crime. We are all to blame because we do absolutely nothing to stop it. The media is a gagged and gutless mouthpiece for the brutal, the citizenry is asleep and indifferent and there are few voices prepared to risk an onslaught of hatred by shouting loud enough to defend the powerless.

Anne Frank had one dream, she wanted to write and to become a journalist. During the past few weeks I’ve wondered what she would have thought about Israel and Palestine and more importantly what she would have written. My conclusion? Anne Frank would have spoken out vehemently against the killing and torture of children, regardless of their religion or race. She would have done so with conviction and purpose and I don’t think she would have been influenced by or given a damn whether Obama, Netanyahu, Abbas, Harper or Cameron approved, nor should you and I. The lives of children depend on your voices.