What is wrong with people? What is the answer to humanity's condition of cruelty to one another in the most heinous fashions? Power and the loss thereof produce some incredibly terrible reactions.

Some of the consequences of the Iraq incursion have been overwhelmingly positive and I maintain hope that the whole thing was inspired by altruistic purposes. The preponderance of information and first-hand testimony says that the majority have had their lives and futures improved by the actions of the US military. I also know that people have been wronged and others have had their security jeopardized by the new conditions.

But when I read of and see images like the one below (linked to the Times article), I wonder if these people are still human? I wonder if they understand that if our government saw fit, they could excercise any one of a number of options and obliterate entire neigborhoods or cities of population from the landscape, thus eliminating such resistance from the picture, if such was truly their overarching goal. Sheesh.





Agence France-Presse



The whole situation stinks. I would feel equally repulsed, horrified and depressed if this were a photo of US Servicemen exulting over killing in the same manner. Probably moreso, because I know personally that most wouldn't even think of such a thing.

But then again, their families and country aren't under foreign occupation or dominion. I wish people could just stop and think about something besides themselves before setting events in action that would hurt others. That is awfully simplistic, though. Basic morals are very, very simple, afterall.

And some people are never taught those simple moral rules.