Category: Warfare

NaPoWriMo Day 29

On By WinstonIn Books, Dark / Gothic, Fantasy, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, Pop Culture, Warfare, Warhammer 40kLeave a comment

It’s the twenty-ninth today and I’m starting to run out of ideas. Then as I was drawing the image in the previous post, I decided to do a poem set in the Warhammer 40k universe. I understand completely if most don’t care for it, it’s a bit more “niche” than most of what I write. Enjoy!

For the Emperor!

With hammer and with bolter, with,

The flamer and the blade,

The foes of Holy Terra shall,

Regret the choice they made.

From hordes of orks and heretics,

And xenos filth and worse,

We will defend the Empire from,

The voidborn demon’s curse.

The Emperor of Man has sat,

One thousand years and more,

Undying and yet dying still,

From traitor’s wound of yore.

Dishonour not his sacrifice,

Forever his name bless,

Although we are but mortal men,

We cannot offer less,

I understand, though I will fall,

And millions more as well,

We are still all that stand between,

The worlds of man and hell.

Now cleanse your soul and hold the line,

There is no other way,

The Emperor is watching us,

Will know our deeds this day,

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo Day 26

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Global Issues, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Politics, Society, Values, Warfare1 Comment

I know that the sentiments in today’s poem probably won’t be popular with some people. That’s okay. I’m kinda used to people disagreeing with me. They have that right. Just don’t think that outrage is going to change the truth of my words here.

I would also like to point out that this is nothing to do with the fine people who wear the uniform in harms way. This is about the ones who send them out to bleed, break and die for no reason.

OUR ENDLESS WAR

Now sound the trumpet, beat the drum,

Cry war throughout the land.

The time has come to teach our foes,

The end is close at hand.

They do not think or act like us,

Barbarians or worse.

If they will not be more like us,

Their name shall be a curse.

If they would try, then they could be,

Just like us here at home.

But they refuse the gifts we bring,

So our troops we let roam.

To do with bullets and with bombs,

What words and cash can’t do.

Those who cling to their culture now,

Defiance they shall rue.

We preach of freedom only if,

They become just like me.

But if they won’t, then rubble mounds,

Will their whole nation be.

So woe betide the people who,

Their lives choose to defend.

We’ll murder, bomb and burn their lands,

In wars that never end.

Our cause is just, this is a fact,

Because we have said so.

But when the slaughter finally ends,

Was it? We’ll never know.

The ones we kill are gone it’s true,

But those we leave behind.

No counselling or help they get,

For broken, tortured mind.

They’ll wallow in the blood we’ve spilt,

From cradle to the grave.

When all you’ve known is blood and death,

To strike back is not brave.

The only lesson we have taught,

With all that we have done.

If you don’t like how someone lives,

Life’s cheap. Kill everyone.

We’ve proven that, you can’t force change,

There must be something more.

A way of peace and of respect,

Not endless, bloody war.

Winston

NAPOWRIMO Day 26

On By WinstonIn Canadian Military, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, Politics, Society, Values, WarfareLeave a comment

Soldiers’ Lament

For glory and for honour and,
To uphold what is right,
These are the answers given when,
They ask us why we fight.

They  point to battles fought and won,
To tyrants we’ve destroyed.
Talk like we’re saving everyone,
Each time we are deployed.

No longer are things black or white,
The wars have gotten grey.
Who’s in the right, who’s in the wrong,
Now changes every day.

We do our best to do it right,
Trust those who ship us out.
But when you read between the lines,
Sometimes can’t help but doubt,

But still we stand and still we serve,
And still we question not.
And when we’ve given everything,
We’re tossed aside. Forgot.

Cheers, Winston

NAPOWRlMO Day 4

On By WinstonIn Dark / Gothic, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, Values, WarfareLeave a comment

The Lies Myself Tells Me

I fear the time has come I said,
As I sat there alone.
I found that I agreed with me,
Been too long on my own.

I used to argue with myself,
Don’t bother any more.
The fact is I’ve learned to my grief,
I am a dreadful bore.

But I’ve been here so long it’s now,
Much harder to go out.
I’ve beat them all and won the game,
Of that there is no doubt.

Some players used to talk to me,
Upon my radio.
But static swallowed up each voice,
So many years ago.

I see the dust on everything,
My larder so long bare.
There’s nothing here to eat or drink,
I think that I should care.

I hear a whir from faraway,
From deep down underground.
I look and see the blinking lights,
And curse this truth I’ve found.

I yell at me and curse myself,
I’m filled with hate and rage.
And once again I vow to flee,
This cybernetic cage.

For it was not a game we played,
But dreadful, dreadful war.
And deep within our bunkers we,
Slew billions, billions more.

Each of us thought we’d be the one,
Once it was safe outside.
But one by one the bunkers fell,
And one by one we died.

I had a plan I would survive,
Just not the way we thought.
Our scientists had found a way,
To fend off age and rot.

Now me, myself and I all live,
If life is what this be.
In memory and subroutines,
Of this machine I see.

I argue with myself again,
It’s such a waste of time.
Because the years have not been kind,
Myself speaks only rhyme.

I want to end our suffering,
To pull the plug on this.
But myself and me refuse,
To grant eternal bliss.

But they will do the next best thing,
And dump my memory core.
Let me forget the centuries,
Think I’m alive once more.

Cheers, Winston

This Is A Travesty

On By WinstonIn Discrimation, Global Issues, Politics, Society, Values, WarfareLeave a comment

I have to take a moment out from my month of poetry to draw attention to this. Over 200 girls were abducted from their school at gunpoint in Nigeria.  While no one has claimed responsibility the well known terrorist group Boko Haram is believed to be behind the kidnapping.  Read the full story here.

As horrible as this is, it get’s worse. No one is trying to find these girls. Not the Nigerian government, not the UN, not even the Americans. They normally jump at the chance to generate some good P.R. on the international stage, but not this time.

Why isn’t the world beating a path to Nigeria to find these girls?  Well, it’s because it’s in Africa.  These sorts of things happen there and there’s nothing you can do about it.  Also, the girls are…. well, they’re black.  It’s terrible to say, but it’s true.  If a couple of hundred white girls were abducted by terrorists, the whole western military apparatus would already be mobilizing.

But it’s Africa… and the girls aren’t white.  Besides, we’re all tied up with this territorial dispute with Russia.  Besides, we can’t get drawn into another foreign war.  Besides…. they’re not our daughters.

I’m not advocating an Iraq or Afghanistan type invasion.  I’m talking about a dedicated strike force tasked solely with finding and executing the kidnappers and any available affiliates, repatriating the girls to their families and then going home.

I want to send a very clear message that there are some lines that cannot be crossed anymore.

But it’s Africa…. and the girls are black.

If the girls were Ukrainian and it looked like Russia was behind it, the tanks would already be rolling.  Because that’s the drum we’re beating right now…. and the girls would be white.

Despondently Yrs, Winston

The War On Terror Has Ended

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, Politics, Values, WarfareLeave a comment

U. S. President Barak Obama has announced an end to the “War on Terror” begun by his predecessor, then President George W. Bush.

I have commented elsewhere on this blog about the futility, indeed idiocy, of a war on a concept. Finally, there is someone in the Whitehouse with enough brains to realize it. Well done Mr. Obama.

Of course the perennial hawks are busy decrying this decision. According to them, the President is capitulating and throwing in the towel. This is definitely not the case. the President was very clear regarding his intent to continue his policy of straight up blowing the crap out of anyone he sees as a threat to the U.S..

He isn’t giving up, he’s just focusing on the issue at hand.  From a huge, amorphous, concept, he is being very specific as to who he wants to blow up. Well, sort of specific.  But much more specific than the previous administrations plan to blow up terror itself.

President Obama is also moving closer to his long standing goal of closing Gitmo.  In a fit of clear– headedness, Mr. Obama realized that illegally detaining foreign nationals could be hurting American credibility on the world stage.  People tend to ignore your human rights complaints when you run an illegal, off-shore detention center.  So now he’s pushing for trials or repatriation where possible.  It’s not going to undo all the damage that’s been done, but at least its a start.

So the war isn’t actually over.  Its just been rebranded, refocused, and given a more achievable mandate.  These are all things I’ve been wanting since W. first announced his ill-conceived war on terror. Of course the people who hate Obama are going to accuse him of trying to appease the terrorists.  The simple fact is that “Drones “R” U.S.” has probably killed more actual terrorists than both of George (The Great Invader)s wars combined.

Now it’s time to gear up for the new and improved War on Terrorists because the war on terror has ended.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day: 12 Two Sided Story

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, NaPoWriMo, Politics, Society, Uncategorized, WarfareLeave a comment

I’ve been reading a fair bit about the ongoing drone war controversy. I don’t agree with the idea of murdering people because they might be a threat to your “interests” somewhere down the road. Let’s not kid ourselves. If you kill someone without due process of law, that’s murder. Even more so when the dead are “collateral damage” in something as vague and useless as a “War on Terror”.

So NaPoWriMo Day 12 looks at it from two different perspectives. The receiver is in a normal font. The sender in italics.

Enjoy!

Two Sided Story

I was sitting in a cafe
Somewhere that has no name
Drinking coffee with a good friend
The day the drone strike came.

I was sitting in a soft chair
Away from those I killed
I’d received a big promotion
Because I am so skilled.

Others were there with us that day
A dozen maybe more
When it was done the final count
Survivors, we are four.

It’s not my fault don’t try to blame
Me for the things I hit
I’m not the one who makes those calls
Just try to do my bit.

The smell of blood and burning flesh
Strong as the day they died
It’s never gotten easier
For all the tears I’ve cried.

They say here is your target site
Inside a terrorist
I ask if there are others there
I ask but don’t insist.

There’s some who say I should strike back
A part of me agrees
Yet then I know they’ll have their turn
Then us, like some disease.

Sometimes when I close my eyes
The mangled strangers there
Will reach for me, scream “I accuse!”
Or sometimes they just stare.

I know that some will choose revenge
That is their path to seek.
I choose to walk a different path
Some say this makes me weak.

But still I go to work each day
This is my path in life.
This pain the price I must pay to
Prevent a wider strife.

But I endure still seeking peace
Despite the odds I face.
I still believe in truth and good
And in the human race.

I hope one day that I won’t need
To do these awful things.
I hope we all can be at peace
Enjoy all that it brings.

Cheers, Winston

You Just Got A Little More Equal. Enjoy.

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, Politics, Society, Uncategorized, Values, WarfareLeave a comment

In a recent story by the Atlantic Wire, Adam Clark Estes raises the alarm over a clause in the drone war policy that allows the U.S. government to kill Americans too. It seems Predator attacks are only fun to watch on CNN when the person on the other end is a foreign national. So now that it’s not just for random others, concerned groups like ACLU are up in arms over it.

The short version, the government has given itself authority to murder anyone

who “presents an imminent threat to the United States.

” They also don’t have to possess evidence that a specific attack against U.S. persons or interests is going to happen in the near future. Basically, if they think you or someone you are associated might at some point take an action which the government feels may pose a threat to the U.S. or its interests, they can send in a drone and blow Uranus halfway to Pluto. Oh yeah… They can also take out anyone near you just for good measure.

Again the irony lies in the fact that the outrage is over the inclusion of American citizens. It’s fine so long as it’s the people of Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, or somewhere in Central America. Once it hits home however, it’s a different story. Then the narrative changes from “Yeah, whatever.”, to “You can’t do that to Americans!”. As though they are somehow special and should be immune to their own peculiar brand of justice.

Well, as my mother was fond of saying when we were kids, “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.”. It means if it’s okay to do it to one person, it’s okay to do it to everyone. America tends to talk to other countries about “equality under the law”. Well congrats people. You just got a little more equal. Enjoy.

Cheers, Winston

Bring Them All Home Alive

On By WinstonIn Canadian Military, Global Issues, Politics, Society, WarfareLeave a comment

The NATO mission in Afghanistan just sustained another giant kick in the groin. The head of the NATO mission has just announced the immediate cessation of joint Afghan/NATO patrols. To date, these joint patrons have been the norm and represented the cornerstone in the UN plan to train indigenous police and military forces to assume security duties from UN troops.

Why are these patrols being discontinued? Mostly, it’s because in the past year 51 UN troops have died in so called “Green on Blue” attacks. That’s the term they roll out when “rogue” elements of the Afghan police/military kill their UN trainers. This is probably the single greatest tacit admission yet that the Afghan mission is a total bust.

So how can they fix this problem? They can’t. This is the sad truth. The NATO commander is doing the only thing possible. Refusing to put NATO troops into unnecessary danger. The mission is ending shortly, so why risk lives for no gains? Keep the troops as safe as possible and let them ride out the end of the deployment with absolute minimum exposure possible.

There have been enough deaths to assuage the U.S. rage over 9/11. NATO may feel honor-bound to stick it out to the very end of their commitment, but that’s no reason to sacrifice more troops in this un-winnable debacle. Afghanistan isn’t changing any time soon. There are some parts of the society who long for change. Unfortunately those who want to maintain the status quo are much more aggressive about it. Contrary to all the propaganda that came out later, Afghanistan only got invaded because the Taliban refused to turn over Osama bin Laden. Saving the Afghan people from the Taliban only became a mission when Osama proved harder to locate than a socially conscious Republican.

They never set out to save Afghanistan. That was the worst sort of mission creep. With the impending drawdown of NATO involvement in the Afghan theater, it’s small wonder the indigenous troops are increasingly susceptible to Taliban recruitment. It’s one thing to have joined up to fight side by side with the invaders. It’s a whole other deal if you can show that you just wanted to get close enough to kill them.

Refusing to let the locals build credit with the incoming regime by killing NATO troops is probably the first smart decision made since the invasion. Now let’s make another one and get the hell out before anymore troops die for nothing.

Bring them all home alive.

Cheers, Winston

An Exercise In Futility On A Grand Scale

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, Politics, Values, WarfareLeave a comment

I usually enjoy my morning news read. It’s not always good news, I but it always makes me think. That’s normally a good thing, but not this morning. This morning its just frustrating. This morning I was reading about Afghanistan.

According to the Associated Press, Afghanistan is set to receive $16,000,000,000 through 2015. This is intended to show the Afghanistan that even though we’ve gone home, we haven’t abandoned them. While this may ease our consciences, I doubt it’s going to be much comfort to the dead on all sides in this most pointless of conflicts.

Before everyone rushes to remind me about Osama bin Laden, or the evils of the Taliban let me clear up a couple of things. Osama bin Laden wasn’t captured because we invaded Afghanistan. He wasn’t found livng in an Afghan cave, he was found and murdered in a nice suburban compound IN THE COUNTRY NEXT DOOR! That’s probably why it took ten years to find him. The second punchline in this comically unfunny joke is the Taliban.

When it became obvious that they weren’t going to find Osama any time soon, the invaders needed a new justification. That’s when they hit on the brilliant idea of saving Afghanistan (especially its women), from the Taliban. This is such a noble idea that I feel mildly embarrassed calling it idiocy. Unfortunately, it’s idiocy. Yes we kicked the Taliban out of power and installed our own little puppet regime (YAY!) but that hasn’t worked quite the way we thought it aught to. You see President Hamid Karzai is much more aware of local realities than are the minions of the invaders states.

What this means in practical terms is that he has been negotiating a power sharing plan with the Taliban. Ummmmm yeah, those same Taliban we invaded Afghanistan to get out of power. The guy we put in power is offering to bring them back into the government. That sounds like success to me. This is the same puppet president who announced a while back that if Pakistan went to war with the U.S. he would side with Pakistan. Not wanting to bite the hand that feeds (or in this case created) him, he went for the nice, solid groin kick instead. That’s political reality in Afghanistan.

Sadly, it takes more than ten years of warfare and half-assed social initiatives to undo centuries of cultural norms. That’s been the painful lesson learned by every invader of Afghanistan. You can defeat the army and capture the cities, but Afghanistan is neither of those things. Afghanistan is a proud, defiant people bound by centuries of tradition regardless of what anyone else does or thinks.

This was made painfully evident in another news story I read this morning. Al Jazeeara has a story about a woman who was accused of adultery and executed in the street in front of a cheering crowd. Earlier in the week, a woman and two of her children were beheaded by her ex-husband. This was described as the latest in a string of “honor killings”. Violence against women has increased sharply in the past year according to an independent human rights group. Odds are, it’s only going to get worse with the impending withdrawal of the invading armies that have encouraged at least the pretense of change.

The sad truth is that it can’t be changed from the outside unless you’re willing to commit to the long haul which is more in the nature of fifty to one hundred years of unrelenting effort both military and socio-economic. That’s how you make changes. We’ve once again proven that walking in, shooting some people and dropping a pile of cash is nothing more than a tragic and heartbreaking exercise in futility on a grand scale.

Cheers, Winston