Syria

[Gumby]

Like most Americans I haven't paid much attention to recent violence in Syria (mostly since our media barely mentions it). But, I just came across this video from Britain’s Channel 4 News that is very eye-opening — showing the violence there in gruesome detail.

http://youtu.be/SyQIv5wyYGE

It's difficult to comprehend that people live like that. Seeing the kids in that video being exposed to that violence — and knowing how it impacts their childhood — is just sad.

More details on the footage here:
NYT: Photographer’s Video From Homs Shows Urban Warfare in Vivid Detail

[AdamA]

It's difficult to comprehend that people live like that. Seeing the kids in that video being exposed to that violence — and knowing how it impacts their childhood — is just sad.

Whenever I see something like that I can't help but wonder how I would respond if placed in the same situation.  It seems like the stress of it all could literally drive you crazy.  Very unsettling. 

Great video, though.  Albeit a very sad one.  

[Gosso]

Thank you for posting this.  It is easy to forget about the horrible things humans are capable of. 

It's one thing to read a headline, but quite another to see unedited footage.

[Reub]

The underlying problem in the Middle East is Iran!

[dualstow]

... recent violence in Syria
http://youtu.be/SyQIv5wyYGE

I guess this is old news but if anyone else is curious about the youtu {dot} be address:
http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2009 ... links.html

[Gumby]

... recent violence in Syria
http://youtu.be/SyQIv5wyYGE

I guess this is old news but if anyone else is curious about the youtu {dot} be address:
http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2009 ... links.html

Also, if you just click the "Share" button (located under every Youtube video) it will automatically shorten the URL for you.

[Reub]

the underlying problem in the middle east is oil.. 

The underlying problem in the U.S. is not enough windmills and solar panels from Solyndra.

yep that will solve it

[lazyboy]

For what it's worth, I think it's important to keep one's compassion open to the suffering of others. Sometimes I find myself shutting down or numbing out ...it's difficult to directly be present for all the complex feelings that come up around suffering. I trace my own reactions to this video and feel a variety of emotions: sadness, anger, outrage, hope (that the children's lives turn out better somehow.) It's understandable to take the position that it's "over there" and I'm here. I want myself and my loved ones to be safe and shielded from these horrors. Politically, I have no answers. I just know that whenever we start to demonize the "other" we are shutting down our internal and absolutely necessary connection to the truth of who we really are.  

[MediumTex]

For what it's worth, I think it's important to keep one's compassion open to the suffering of others. Sometimes I find myself shutting down or numbing out ...it's difficult to directly be present for all the complex feelings that come up around suffering. I trace my own reactions to this video and feel a variety of emotions: sadness, anger, outrage, hope (that the children's lives turn out better somehow.) It's understandable to take the position that it's "over there" and I'm here. I want myself and my loved ones to be safe and shielded from these horrors. Politically, I have no answers. I just know that whenever we start to demonize the "other" we are shutting down our internal and absolutely necessary connection to the truth of who we really are.  

I fully agree.

Part of what bothers me about certain aspects of U.S. foreign policy is that whether or not it achieves its objectives (whatever they may be in a given situation), innocent people are regularly killed by the use of U.S. force, either because someone happened to be in the wrong place when the bad guy's convoy drove by or perhaps because the bomb simply missed its target and instead hit a wedding party or the middle of a neighborhood.

To take Iraq as an example, I wonder how many innocent people would have died since 2003 at the hands of Saddam Hussein compared to the number of people who have actually died since 2003 (including U.S. forces) either as a result of the general civil disorder in that country or through bombs and bullets that simply missed their intended targets.

I recall reading a Zen writing that said something to the effect of "Weapons are instruments of ill omen."

In general, violence seems only to beget more violence.  It is a rare display of violence that resolves a matter without simply setting the stage for the next round of violence.  I understand that violence is sometimes the only option, but IMHO the people who direct the violence should do so with a better understanding of the fact that what they are doing is just as likely to lead to more and expanded violence than it is to actually resolve the underlying dispute.

[Tortoise]

Thanks for sharing the video, Gumby. It was an eye-opener for me.

It's easy for first-world folks like us to denounce violence like that as some supposed lack of brotherly love and empathy, but I can't help but think that circumstances sometimes virtually necessitate violence.

If everyone around me is shooting, and the only way I can keep myself and my family safe and fed is to pick up a gun and shoot back... well, then I'll probably pick up that gun and shoot back. The alternative is probably guaranteed death or starvation.

[MediumTex]

After watching that video I would say those are people who are sick of Assad.

[lazyboy]

Where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence. – Mohandas Gandhi

Though violence is not lawful, when it is offered in self-defence or for the defence of the defenceless, it is an act of bravery far better than cowardly submission. The latter befits neither man nor woman. Under violence, there are many stages and varieties of bravery. Every man must judge this for himself. No other person can or has the right. – Mohandas Gandhi

I have been repeating over and over again that he who cannot protect himself or his nearest and dearest or their honour by nonviolently facing death may and ought to do so by violently dealing with the oppressor. He who can do neither of the two is a burden. He has no business to be the head of a family. He must either hide himself, or must rest content to live forever in helplessness and be prepared to crawl like a worm at the bidding of a bully. – Mohandas Gandhi

Thanks for sharing the video, Gumby. It was an eye-opener for me.

It's easy for first-world folks like us to denounce violence like that as some supposed lack of brotherly love and empathy, but I can't help but think that circumstances sometimes virtually necessitate violence.

If everyone around me is shooting, and the only way I can keep myself and my family safe and fed is to pick up a gun and shoot back... well, then I'll probably pick up that gun and shoot back. The alternative is probably guaranteed death or starvation.

"...Under violence, there are many stages and varieties of bravery. Every man must judge this for himself. No other person can or has the right." – Mohandas Gandhi

Thanks for all those quotes, Simon, I fully agree with Gandhi's sentiments and, also, with MT's thoughts about the dangers of our nation exporting violence through war and occupation. Gandhi also had something to say about acts of revenge and hatred; how difficult it is to heal. I thinks it's very important to make the distinction between protection and killing for a propaganda inspired ideal or fear of what "they" might do to us. One can get caught up and get very quickly outside of acting on an immediate threat. Most nations are guilty of inspiring violence against other nations based upon greed, lies, ideology and fear. Everybody knows this, don't they? I want to be in core certainty about how and when to act personally and I want that from my country as well. I know, good luck with that one. I'm still struggling with this  but, for me it's about developing clarity, compassion and skillful means. Non-violence, when successfully applied, appears to comes from a deeply held certainty, usually gained through direct experience, about realizing the true nature of what one is as a non- physical being and, by reflection, what another is. Self defense can also be experienced non-violently. I remember talking with a friend who had recently won a World Championship free style marshal arts tournament in Taiwan back in the mid '70s. He realized as he went into his Gold medal match that he was at completely at peace and there was no adversary. Gandhi and M.L. King must have had deep certainty of their personal truth and they inspired successful movements; sadly, they both died for it.  I can only guess that they realized the risk and were willing to pay that price.

When caught in a vicious cycle of violence and revenge it becomes very destructive and actions go beyond protecting self and loved ones from immediate harm. Something else easily takes over and can cause irreparable harm to both the victims and the perpetrators. As our soldiers return from war do you notice how many incidents of suicide and murder there are? I suspect it may have something do with the lack of rightness of the cause. I don't know if our WW2 vets went through the same thing as these young soldiers, although I know many suffered greatly from PTSD.

With that said, I still have admiration and sympathy for those Syrian freedom fighter's and their families.

[MediumTex]

It's also useful to point out that the U.S. and U.S. defense contractors are by far the largest arms dealers in the world.

Even if the U.S. provides arms to what we perceive to be the "good guys", it still sets off an arms race in that country/region, and we often discover that today's "good guy" is tomorrow's "bad guy" (e.g., Manuel Noriega, Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, etc.).

The sad thing about Syria is that this is likely to drag on for a LONG time.  Lebanon's civil war probably provides a sense of what Syria's future might look like, and that conflict went on for 15 years (1975-1990).  Sadly, knowing what we know about Assad and his father before him (i.e. coldblooded tyrants) this is probably going to get very ugly and go on for a long time.  I'm sure that Iran will also be happy to throw all the gas on the fire that it can.

[lazyboy]

MT, since having you mention Lebanon, I just saw a powerful play saw at ACT in San Francisco on Feb 25th called "Scorched" written by  Lebanese/Canadian author, Wajdi Mouawad. My girlfriend got the tickets and I had no idea what to expect. We were stunned. I was initially interested because David Strathairn, the Oscar nominee who played Edward R. Murrow in "Goodnight, and Good Luck" was featured in the cast. The play has been translated from french. Here's the link for the play: http://www.act-sf.org/1112/scorched/index.html

As we were leaving the theater we thought  that this play would make a very compelling movie and that its message would reach a larger audience. To my surprise, I found that it had been adopted into an Oscar nominated film (Best Foreign Film Category) in 2011. It's a French-Canadian film with the original french title of the play: "Incendies." Here's the link on IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1255953/

Now, I haven't seen the movie yet; I'm still digesting the play. If the movie is true to the play, which I feel it should be, based upon what I've read, then I would highly recommend it. The story is that good and deals with the complex effects of war on people's lives. It can be streamed from Amazon instant video.