Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser: 18th August, 2021.

18th August, 2021.

Yes: you’re right.

Me thinking, IS odd!

At any rate … ?

I’ve been thinking, recently: that Frank Herbert possibly had a point.

You’ll remember I’m a fan of his seminal novel, Dune: set some twenty-six thousand years into our future, in a galactic empire dependent on a hideously addictive drug to safely run the transport system.

The drug is from the fictional planet, of Arrakis.

The planet’s native peoples, the Fremen?

Are a tribal group of religious fanatics, funding their fight against foreign occupation/evil oppressors by bribing the right people with Spice … and on the income from smuggling it off planet.

Given its place in the Dune universe?

I believe Frank Herbert was using Spice as a metaphor for oil: and how our entire economy is reliant on it.

Good ol’ oil makes god knows how much fuel: and is the chemical source for so many things.

I think Herbert may have had other things in mind.

Or people, I should say.

You look at international events.

Afghanistan’s popular at the moment.

The Taliban have recently taken control of the country, after Western forces pulled out.

Famously, the group are extremely militant Islamic fundamentalists: having imposed an extremely conservative form of Sharia law, when they were in power in the 1990s.

And, although it’s something they tried banning?   The Taliban ending up controlling Afghanistan’s poppy fields: effectively controlling the country’s opium trade.

Religious fanatics, fighting for control of their land: and dealing in viciously addictive drugs in order to fund their fight … ?

I think Frank Herbert knew what he was writing about.

And that those who tell us science fiction had nothing to do with reality, should possibly read Dune … 

Before someone tells us we should ban the movie … 

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Hostages Lost In the Fog of War

You know, I think I’d like to make a confession, here.

Or, at least, put my tuppence ha’penny worth into the proverbial mix.

I don’t know if you’ve seen the news, today.

According to the BBC reports, Linda Norgrove, the aid worker captured in Afghanistan, and who died, during the rescue attempt, yesterday.

Didn’t die at the hands of her captors.

But, instead, died in — effectively — a friendly fire incident.

Dying as a result of a grenade thrown by one of the US troops who was attempting to rescue her.

The idiots …

Believe me, I’m tempted to use one or two far stronger terms.

Now, I’m very aware that the whole situation in Afghanistan is best described as ‘not good’.

I’ve a friend who’s a soldier, who’s been on active service out there.

But Linda Norgrove’s death?

First off, I can’t imagine what her immediate family’s going through: and can only offer my condolences — for whatever good it may do — to her family.

But Linda Norgrove’s death leaves me feeling both sickened and angry.

After all, the US Army — I’m told — is one that prides itself on being one of the world’s best: very different, of course, from being one of the world’s most advanced. Or powerful.

But for them to kill — however unintentionally — the hostage their trying to rescue … ?

Well …

Lets hope names get named, if nothing else.

David Cameron may well claim the responsibility for her death lies with those who kidnapped her.

Personally … ?

I’ve got a lot of salt I’m going to be taking that statement with.

|»✝«|

Oh, heck!

THAT’S a worry.

Or, at least, the news I’ve heard today, is.

Do you remember me mentioning, a little while back, the worrying news that an old friend had been posted to Afghanistan, on Tuesday?

More specifically, Greg’s with the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles.

What’s got me worried — although I doubt as worried as his immediate family — is the news I saw, this morning, on the BBC; that an unnamed soldier from that battalion was shot, yesterday morning, whilst on patrol in Helmand province.

Well …

Phew …

I can — and indeed, have — pontificated about the various wars, police actions, and engagements the British Army, along with others, have been involved with, in recent years. Both here, and on one or two other sites.

But I’m thinking that news like that really does being home a very simple fact.

Quite simply, the fact that people are dying, in Helmand.

And — arguments about helicopters and other equipment, aside — that’s a scary truth.

The War on Terror …

Hmm-mm … …

Well …

Where do I go with this one … ?

Probably to all sorts of places …

I mentioned, this morning, that I’ve an old friend who’s in the Army and being shipped out, tomorrow, to Afghanistan.

Which, if you’re in the UK, and have seen the news, you’ll realise is worrying for anyone with friends — or, God help us, family — who’re in the Army.

And, gods help me, I’m still none too sure about the whole chain of international events, leading here …

Well …

That’s not entirely accurate.

I can remember the biggie.

9/11.

Who can’t?

It was one of those events, wasn’t it, like the deaths of Kennedy, Diana, or Gandhi; we can remember exactly where we were when they died.

The Twin Towers getting hit was like that, for me; I can remember where I was.

Boy, can I remember. Which is a whole other story, in and of itself.

And seeing the footage, I can remember what I thought, too, to this day; quite literally, I thought to myself, “Dear God, I hope that’s local …”

Because, seeing the smoke coming out of the World Trade Centre, I know my next thought was “ … ’coz if that’s some bunch of loons in the Middle-East, there’ll be hell to pay.”

Boy, was I right.

And, while I can understand the US and UK government’s sending the troops into Afghanistan — even though there’s a part of me that doesn’t like the idea of war as a political tool — I didn’t approve of the Second Gulf War. However good Tony Blair and company claimed the evidence was.

The first Gulf War, we could point at Saddam Hussein’s actions in invading Kuwait, and at least say we had some sort of moral justification for sending troops in; and yes, before you ask, I heard a lot of speculation in the pub, about George Bush, Sr’s links with oil companies providing a good way of explaining his motivation for that.

But we could at least say something about big bullies invading the little guy, and look smug.

Hmmm.

That could’ve been better phrased, couldn’t it? But you take my point.

We could say a had a morally justifiably reason for the First Gulf War.

But — beyond the very dubious line about Weapons of Mass Destruction — I don’t think we could say the same about the Second Gulf War. I really don’t.

After, I as many other’s, quite quickly worked out that — if Saddam Hussein had some form of WMD’s — he’d’ve used them on the invading troops.

OK, so we toppled an evil régime.

I’ve an old friend who regards China’s Communist government as equally as evil — and, yes, I know China’s record on human Right’s isn’t squeaky clean, even though I don’t necessarily think ‘evil’ is a helpful word to use — but I don’t see us invading the gaff.

Go figure!

But here’s the point I’m trying to make; I think that whatever we’re trying to do in Afghanistan — spread democracy, overthrow the Taliban, guarantee rights and education for Pashtun women, what have you — wasn’t helped by invading Iraq.

Which means that, tomorrow, I’ve a friend going to fight a war that could have been finished along time ago.

And has taken more lives than it should. (Including, according to the BBC News Channel, three 18 year-olds. 18 years old? That’s to young to be a war hero!)