THE HUMAN TOLL OF
THE BUTCHER OF BASRA

by Fintan Dunne

Tommy Franks,
My Dear General:

What you order your soldiers to do, most of us would never dream of doing. The vast majority of us could not inflict these horrific injuries on the people of Iraq ourselves.

But the specialization of function in modern society allocates that task to those we call our "armed forces." Allowing the rest to wash our hands and pretend we are not responsible.

That compartmentalization is no moral defense however, and unless we have at least dissented --or at best tried to thwart-- those like you, who order these atrocities, then moral responsibility lies with us. As equally it lies with you, my dear General.

The blood stains our hands as fully as if we did these acts ourselves. For there is no just war. The concept is anathema to Christianity and humanity itself.

It matters not what theological nitpicking is used to find exclusion clauses in "Thou shalt not kill." For, there are no exceptions. How can we claim to liberate humanity from the likes of Saddam simply by joining him in the cesspool of human depravity? Your efforts are mere delusions of the Prince of Lies. Just death piled upon death.

So, here we are and here you are, General Franks: The Butcher of Basra now meets the Butcher of Bhagdad. I hold no hate in my heart for you --only love. And preach not to you, for once I justified these acts in my own mind and heart.

Yet, I grant that you are at least less hypocritical than those who sent you to the desert to kill. But to die is the reverse of to live. And live spelt backward is "evil."

You General, who deal death, and those who follow you and cheer you on --are but tools of evil. Cease I beseech you. In the name of God cease!

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