Written in response to my blog on the killings by Sgt Robert Bales and whether Afghan lives are less important than Western ones. She was in Kandahar at that time and took care of the those wounded by Sgt Robert Bales. Please read as there is pain, patriotism, understanding compassion and questioning in this letter , and written from the heart in the middle of the battlefield, which is why I am putting it up as a blog :
“The writers ( thats me) point was made very clear- and received.
As a female solider- I have another question for you-
I did take care of the wounded that survived that awful day near Kandahar (my note: when Robert Bales went on a killing spree) – but also just this week I took care of a multiple wounded from an Afghan boy about 12 years old that walked into a military collation formation with a suicide vest on and detonated himself…
What was is name? Does anyone know? No I do not- but where is the media of that coverage of carnage over here, near Kandahar? Or in the States. I see many Afghan wounded ANA, ANP that we take care of- and no mention of our medical service- we did not shoot them- they were shot by their Afghan brothers. Again where is that in the media?
How did that boy mentioned above get that suicide vest? If it wasn’t from an adult Afghan male to serve a purpose? Death is never justified. Definitely not to use the innocent as an explosive device.
Media will always be one sided… but understand- there are plenty of Americans being killed- from trusting their “afghan counterparts” and the children that we try to teach and give supplies to- where is that story? I spent a year up North embedded with the Afghans as well prior to this deployment- I have had to put my trust in them as I worked with them- solider to solider- but even their lives were threatened for wanting us to help them.
No life is better than the other- just different. Many Americans have been beheaded and placed on display on Al Jazeera TV as justified killings- no one side is perfect or with out blame in this war.”
If killing innocents were to solve this world’s problems, then it would have become heaven eons back. Many saints have come to this world preaching love, yet they were treated in such inhuman ways. Prime examples are Jesus Christ, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Teg Bahadur, Maulana Rumi, Sarmad etc.,
My Spiritual Master asks, “What do you want to do? Do you want to clean thorns of this world or to wear strong shoes and be unaffected by them?” That is the essence of our living.
We should bring in that love in ourselves which helps us face all obstacles cheerfully.
War itself has no justification. An eye for an eye does make the whole world blind !
An eye opener… thank you.
Has she questioned herself as to why they are there in the first place? Why are they in need for this kind of medical attention and aid? Here she is thinking she is doing the Afgan people a great favour and service?? Before the American were in their country, did they strap their young with bombs in desperation to retaliate.
And above all, where are these poor people getting their bombs from. Do they have the sophistication, the resources and the technology to make it themselves?? or are they being supplied and further robbed off whatever litlle they still have.
As I’d said earlier sir that this is the business of war. some greedy and selfish people had made these thresholds of country, religion etc to hold humanity and affection.
and the underprivileged peoples who are depressed by there problems like
will my family survive the next day, how my son will eat tonight, how can my wife will deliver my unborn baby, how my husband will reach home safely, how my sister will avoid the extreme abuse, how my old parents will take their last breath in peace, will i see my mother nurturing me like old times…
have no choice but to follow some fundamentalist leader who preaches poison to generate suicide bombers
or to go to war in a DESERT on the word of some president of the first world who provoke people in the name of false patriotism and how the 3rd world is a threat to their country’s great dream.
we need to understand that i, we do not need war.
we need joy of brotherhood which always lead to happiness
why is my comment not being published Mr Sekhar Kapoor.
I have been an admirer of urs and hence subscribe to ur blogs. Pl dont disappoint me by not publishing my point of view
Dear Sir,
I am watching your Great Film BANDIT QUEEN in FILMY channel…Everytime I watch it I am moved by every aspect of that Film…Thank You for your Creativity…
– Your No.1 Fan,
Pankaj M
The interesting point to note is why is a 12 year old boy not in school, playing with his friends, riding a bike or climbing trees? Isn’t that what we want our children to do? If they do not have proper roads or electricity, where are they getting the technology to detonate bombs?
As an American, I think the troops belong @ home, and not abroad. The people of Afghanistan have to take control of thier lives and destiny without interference from outsided forces, talibans or americans.
Why are the 18 year old american kids who come home in Body bags not shown in the media? Would the then jongositic American, screaming “We are the most powerful and we will kick your A**”, still want a war?
And for What?
Lives on both sides are precious, we get just one. Losing my life for a worthy cause would be honorable, for a unjustified war, A Sin.
That should read “Jingoistic”.
Don’t presume to understand doings of the One. Kar kar vekhe keeta aapna jiv tisdi vadiaee – Sri Guru Granth Sahib (The One/Ek does what One deems fit, we human beings cannot understand with our imprisoned and narrow minds.
Media is always biased always.
They always show what generates maximum TRP.
Not far in Kashmir news is generated when a millitary personnel kills a millitant, but does anybody know what happened to Kashmiri Pandits who were killed & expelled from their homeland.
On One’s scale, the reason Afghan people and even Sikhs often suffer* is the same youth suffers, for, this is the only way One can push them to be the Men of Reason rather than of Emotions. Recall how, a youth lost in emotions, does not listen to reason but how after much suffering he begins to understand the same things in an other way, the way all youth become reasonable by the time they reach middle age.
*On cultural scale these races are on the same footing or in the same phase youth is in individual life. They are emotional persons. So are in fact many more who seem to suffer from the men of reason, i.e, America. America in turn seeks solace from the men of intuition/spirituality as from India (remember Steve Jobs wishing to learn intuition from India?), which is why men like Deepak and many more are liked by the reason-lost Americans. Remember again Bertrand Russel in his book A History of Western Philosophy yoked the Age of Reason with Anxiety and called it the Age of Reason and Anxiety because of the simple reason that reason in turn breads anxiety as emotions breeds suffering.
Osho,
On the fortieth anniversary of the UN, the one-cent American postal stamp has the message, “We the peoples of the United Nations determine to save succeeding generation from the scourge of war” Can the UN save humanity from war?
It is just keeping people consoled: “Don’t be afraid, we are going to save you. “In fact, from whom are they going to save us? They are the people we have to be saved from!
The UN has not been able to stop the increasing amount of nuclear weapons. That should be the first step if you don’t want the third world war. why wait for the last moment? Why not start it now? And the basic step will be that no war preparations are made. When everybody is prepared to fight….in fact they will be forced to fight, just because each country has invested so much energy and power, and it has piled up nuclear weapons sky high: what are the nations going to do with those weapons? And they have pour such immense amounts of money into them. At what point will the UN stop them? and the Soviet Union can just veto it, America can veto it.
But this is how politicians have been cheating humanity all along, throughout the hole history of man. They say one thing and they do just the opposite. It is very easy to publish a postal stamp that says,
“We the people of the United Nations are determined to save humanity from the scourge of war.”
Who are these “we”? Have you asked the people of the world?
From Osho, Joyous People Don’t Want War
The world needs to go beyond the temporal ebb of reactionary sentiment that follow singular incidents of tragedy, reflect on tough questions, and collide head-on with ugly Truths.
Consider this:
The REAL cost of war — over US $4 trillion + 224,475 lives lost + 365,383 wounded + 7,815,000 refugees and internally displaced + social, political, environmental costs (PS: no distinction here between American & non-American lives)
WHY? WHY? for what purpose?
http://goo.gl/2ZEV2
I wonder, in all naiveté, if there’s ANYBODY on this planet who has been even remotely connected to decisions/actions that led to these statistics who can revel in a sense of accomplishment or leading fulfilling/fulfilled lives. ANYBODY?
Consider this:
http://goo.gl/jdy6k — WHY? WHY? for what purpose?
Why were these religious scriptures burnt? There may well be two sides to the story — but short of knowing the whole truth, the communities whose religious sentiments were offended as a result, & the world, may only interpret this as an inciting act fanning the flames of stronger anti-US sentiments and many more 9/11s!
Dear Trucolors: do you have a perspective to share from the front lines?
I am youngster with vision. I think its god gifted, because in other way round I am normal guy. I read your blogs from long time. they are exceptional. I seen India’s Got Talent and finds you have respect for art and artists and their passions. I always imagine visuals. I often finds me in others place through a window of mind. You are a great filmmaker. and I also wanted to be from long six years. Main aapka shishya bannana chahta hu. I write alot, think alot, listen alot, see alot. how can i be. If there is any chance to meet you. har insan kuch chahta hai, jo wo kisi se naa baantta hai, mene aapse kahi zustzu apni, kyuki 1 khuda hi zindagi chantta hai. It is a informal request as i have no other options available. please say on it. waiting……..
Please so read the blogpost – http://rohit-ghosh.blogspot.in/2012/04/discovering-shekhar-kapoor.html
I feel LAdy Soldier is RIGHT .
Commentor Sharifa is also RIGHT .
How can every body be right & yet wrong is being done against humanity & nature .
Because we Humans are evolving towards distruction
Our evolution will kill human race .
Has anybody seen evil dog or tiger for that matter any animal …no.
There aare no evil or criminal animals only found in humans
Why ….
Iam searching …..