FEEL THE ANGER

On hearing the news of war when I woke up in the morning, I felt an instant sinking feeling of dread in my stomach. I am not alone in this. I have heard the same from friends who experience the same anxiety. I was born during the second world war. Many of my friends were as well. Some have some slight memories of the war, but on the whole were too young to experience the full horror.  I have grown up in an area of the world which has, for the most part maintained a semblance of peace. Governments have come and gone, but there has been a steady trend towards democracy and civility. The rule of law and duty of care has been at the forefront of most societies. There had been a coming together of nations to form groups in solidarity against aggression and uncivilised brutal behaviour. The International Court of justice was established at The Hague in the Netherlands to deal appropriately with miscreants. In short there has been a steady trend towards creating a civilised planet, more so now because of the ecological threat to its very existence.

 

We now have amongst us a man of unspeakable evil. He has been allowed to turn the Russian people into an obsequious citizenry.  He has around him a formidable military and a militaristic police force, ready and willing to do his bidding to arrest and incarcerate any and all dissenting citizens.  The slightest criticism is stifled and anyone that he feels might get out of hand is killed. He has people to do this for him. There are clearly many willing participants that allow him to stay in power and do his bidding.

 

The clear televised evidence of his current administration sitting silently in ranks whilst he spues out lies, deception, threats and violence is remarkable and terrifying.  What is his hold on them? The corruption of the Russian State is of singular magnitude.

 

What strikes me is that this tragedy enfolds all the while the world is reaching its greatest triumph, a greater respect for civilisation and the rule of law than Mr Putin understands, or perhaps because he understands too well, that Nations are moving beyond violence. What Mr Putin sees as weakness has allowed him to exploit his brutality in the full knowledge that no civilised nation will violently interfere. He has issued warnings that should anyone do so, he will unleash Armageddon. No doubt he will.

 

The civilised world now knows full well that he has no shame and cares not one jot for humanity. Also there is no doubt that the European Nations and the Americas have more than sufficient military power to engulf Mr Putin in a world of hurt. Unfortunately that hurt will extend across the world and the resultant casualties do not bear thinking about. The hope is that down the line he will come to an end and that blanking him, and sadly his country, from the rest of the world through sanctions will redress the situation and some new peace will grow out of the current carnage.

 

That is the civilised approach. Mr Putin has gambled on it, and so far, for him, it has paid off. He knows no one wants to start a world war and he will bully his way round as long as he is able. He doesn’t care. So long as he remains in power he couldn’t give a shit. This attitude has not surprisingly received adulation from the likes of Donald Trump and Fox News pundit Tucker Carlson. This is something else the Americas must contend with. But I digress, how do we, in the meantime cope with what we have?

 

Sadly whatever armed forces that exist in the Civilised world, must be ready at the slightest move by Mr Putin to expand his war. He is more than capable of doing so. I abhor that thought, but as I survey the tragedy in the Ukraine, now bleeding, I am reminded of the words of Mark Antony. Read it to yourself slowly and aloud. I never thought that I could ever utter those words in earnest, but I have never felt such anger:

 

O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,--
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue--
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and destruction shall be so in use
And dreadful objects so familiar
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:
And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.