The Destruction of Fallujah By Brian A. Schwartz

The Destruction of Fallujah

By Brian A. Schwartz

Al-Jazeerah, November 22, 2004

The promulgation of death and destruction in the name of liberty and democracy will bring neither to reality

What an absurd world we live in where one, like myself, has to go to your publication to find a kindred analysis of the brutal and shocking destruction of a city of 300,000 and for what positive purpose?

As an early and continuing opponent of the "Coalition" invasion of Iraq, I, too, am dumbstruck by the acquiescence of the liberal American press in the prosecution not only of the assault on Fallujah but the seemingly unending occupation of Iraq by primarily American troops and their support of a government whose legitimacy, even in conducting elections, is more than suspect. Our press' complicity in what are the high crimes and misdemeanors of our current American government should lead to a thorough re-examination of the role of the press in what was once a robust democratic society as well as to the impeachment of this president, not his ratification.

There are many of us here in the United States who tremble for our country and who, despite our best efforts in this last election, find that we are living in an increasingly alien country, isolated from world opinion by a press that shows too little of what the rest of the world thinks and feels about current American foreign policy and behavior.

While we work to maintain some sense of human decency in an increasingly brutal world, there are many of us who respect the cultures of others even though we do not always agree with all the practices and societal norms embraced by them. There are many here, though concerned about the fate of the state of Israel, who identify mightily with the plight of the Palestinians and who passionately wish to see the end of the Israeli occupation and the establishment of either a one or two state solution to that chronic source of human misery. There are many Americans who understand or who wish to understand the culture and religions of the nations whose majority religion is Islam and who do not view all of the followers of Mohammed as terrorists or those who do not value human life.

While there is much work to be done in promoting understanding between the peoples of the USA and the peoples of the Arab world, one truth remains. The promulgation of death and destruction in the name of liberty and democracy will bring neither to reality. People must have a right to determine their own future and military occupation, under whatever pretense, is the kindling that will fuel the flame of destruction for both occupier and occupied. The slaughter of the innocents continues on both sides of the political divide. Know that those of us on this side of the divide who do not sanction our government's policies will continue to work to bring about a more rational and tolerant foreign policy within the confines of our democratic traditions. We here hope that the divide that currently afflicts our own country will not contribute to the erosion of our own democratic institutions and thus create a subtle tyranny here while hypocritically espousing democracy and liberty for others and imposing our own subsequent ersatz version of democracy through force.

In peace,

Dr. Brian A. Schwartz is an Organization Development and Career Management Psychologist and software entrepreneur living and working in Westport, CT in the USA. My PhD is in Counseling Psychology.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

Apartheid Wall


The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03).

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