I designed these two graphics back in 2003 shortly after the American invasion of Iraq. I regret not trying to circulate them more widely. In New York City there were a series of absolutely astounding huge demonstrations to protest Bush's plans for war. Coworkers who I would never have described as political enthusiastically attended. Of course the war happened anyway. It seems so long ago and yet, it's not really over, is it.
Bush at the time claimed to be seeding "democracy" into the Middle East. While the results are not in from the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions, nor the nascent struggles sweeping the Middle East, one wonders how many thousands of innocent people would still be alive if he had let the inevitable happen and let the people take what is rightfully theirs in their own due time, as seems to be happening now.
How does that old song go? "When will they ever learn..."
(This is an ongoing series of Anti-American propaganda art. Check out previous entries here)
We all walk around with blood of the innocent on our hands don't we. Images of war need to be shown otherwise we live in a bubble.
ReplyDeleteI always objected when Bush refused to have the military caskets filmed when they were returned home. First it would show the American people that indeed people are dieing every day and second it could serve as a way of honoring those that gave their lives.
I'm afraid we subscribe to the 'if we can't see it - it didn't happen' philosophy. Sadly things have not changed.
If CNN can show what goes on in Egypt / Bahrain / Libya... they should also show what the American government is authorizing on foreign soil.
Lucky for most Americans that they have such short memories - it makes life so much more livable.
And we are so easily distracted. Look, it's Snookie!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously can you believe how controversial it was when the TV news just wanted to show the pictures of all the American soldiers who had died that first year or two?
there are days that i love the things my government does, and days i hate it.
ReplyDeletebut i'll always be proud to be an american, because i don't want the racist, homophobic, angry ignorance of the right to define what that means. and i certainly don't want the mistakes of the iraq war to define it either.
we're all american. and we're all also citizens of the world.