Robert Gates

With ex prime minster Tony Blair revealing he cried for the suffering of soldiers and citizens in Iraq and US ‘Defence’ Secretary Robert Gates speaking of a strategic military breakthrough in Afghanistan to get the alliance out of an embarrassing impasse with regard to public and army morale, one has to draw the conclusion that leaders either believe a: they are very considerate war makers or b: the public is completely dumb.
In view of the fact the Guardian in 2006 revealed that Mr Bush had discussed with Mr Blair US strategic planning for the invasion of Iraq three months before the war started, suggesting to him that “diplomatic strategy had to be arranged around the military planning”, the idea of tears in 2010 seems somewhat of a lacklustre admission of error, communicating to both soldier and citizen the excruciating question of Government ambiguity regarding the real agenda behind this war (and other wars come to think of it)
To add insult to injury Mr Gates looks troubled that the composure of the American Military Establishment, aka US Administration, might be a little ruffled by any further delay in achieving the strategic objective of transforming an ancient civilization into a popcorn democracy by Dec 2010.
Let me see now, as I look into the Old Testament of Freemasons and the Lunatic Christian Right, what do I see? Ah, Joshua, the divine warrior, with God on his side, wiping out men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys – is there a difference in species when it comes to genocide? Is this a prophetic word for Warriors of the Cross of Jesus in the US who follow the European pathological type to the last atom?
When nations turn their ‘ploughshares into swords’ they reap the death of a truly liberal state of mind.
Mr Blair may wring his hands with guilt and Mr Gates insist on completing the impossible task of transforming a nation over night but the life of the Afghan people, and of Iraq for that matter, will continue as before, long after the troops have gone home with their tail between their legs. Just as they did in Vietnam.
When all is done, watch the BBC broadcast a narrative of victory! And Save Face, and redeem the noble and honourable image of war for history’s sake.