Daily Lessons from Life 23 October 2010 - WikiLeaks papers detail Iraqi torture, civilian killings

Channel NewsAsia "WikiLeaks papers detail Iraqi torture, civilian killings - 23 October 2010

DUBAI: Al-Jazeera on Friday released what it called 'startling new information' from US documents obtained by WikiLeaks, alleging state-sanctioned Iraqi torture and the killing of hundreds of civilians at US military checkpoints.

It said that the major findings included a US military cover-up of Iraqi state-sanctioned torture and 'hundreds' of civilians deaths at manned American checkpoints after the US-led invasion of 2003 that ousted Saddam Hussein.

The Qatar-based satellite broadcaster also said the leaked papers, dating from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2009, show the United States kept a death count throughout the war, despite US denials.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned 'in the most clear terms' the leaks of any documents putting Americans at risk."

I used to think that war heroes are heroes who killed the enemies and save his or her own country folks from being killed. That was when I was way young and unthinking! Days when the goodies American soldiers were killing the baddies, the German. Days when the goodies Chinese soldiers or resistant were killing the baddies, the Japaneses. And the list go on with a clear goodies and baddies.

I should had known better! NOW!! War is senseless. The combatants in it merely want to survive it and forget about it, if they could, after the war ended, if ever! The good guys and gals sometimes behaved badly, or even evilly! The baddies sometimes showed compassion and mercy. Confusing? Indeed as each represent how some of them react to the situations they were in!

Lessons for me are:

1. war is evil. If we can avoid engaging in one, do that will all your might;

2. war justice is relative despite there being a universal decency and acceptable humane treatment of the enemies. Under certain circumstances, these principles held true. Under other circumstances, it will send the affected people to their deaths! In such a case, those who violated the generally accepted universal principles will be prosecuted, IF they get caught! Cynical? Yes. Very!! But that is how it is in war!;

3. Can I believe this Wikileaks story about the unethical and brutal behaviours of the supposedly 'goodies American soldiers'? Absolutely. Do I think that ALL of them behaved in that crooked and twisted manner? Absolutely NOT!! Some of them do and some of them don't. It is personality dependent and situation dependent! Should they be accounted for violated the generally accepted humane principles? Definitely once they are found out! That is how it should be.

If these leaks were telling the truth, we have conclusive evidence, once again, that war promote lies. And bigger lies need to be told until the lies got exposed! When the naked in the dark were caught when the lights come on!! If you did it, pay for it, eventually. Beware. Your choice!!