Get Blogged @ Cybergate9.Net

It has oft been observed, sometimes as criticism, that I spent a fair amount of time absorbing history, and more specifically, modern war history. I would propose, in my defence (should I ever need one), that in order to have an opinion about any current or historical events one should actually know something about them, their context, and their history.

I am sad to say, that along with E=MC², landing on the moon, and many other positive events, the 20th century will be historically notable for its wars, their conduct and technologies. The last four generations have lived in societies soaked in the blood of war. It therefore seems logical that if we wish to understand the families we come from, and the societies in which we live, an understanding of this part of history is, even though unpleasant, necessary.

This thread of thought was started by recently watching “Whicker’s War“. Whicker himself reminds me of my Uncle Eric, English gentlemen of ‘that’ generation. And they are fantastic, with a lovely command, and elegant use, of the english language being just one of their endearing qualities for me. Whicker served throughout the Italian campaign from 1943 to 1945.

“Then, we all knew, that young infantry subaltern’s had short, sharp, military careers. Usually leading to instant death.
So, when at this lunch, I was offered the chance to join the new Army Film Unit and direct battle cameramen…
I stepped forward sharply and volunteered”

A couple of Whicker’s insights struck particular chords. The first was that some large armaments used by the Germans (12 inch howitzers) against the Commonwealth forces in Italy had been manufactured by an English company, Vickers-Armstrong.

The second was that Mussolini, despite being a range of things including an egomaniac, had managed to basically remove all power from the mafia in Italy. And then, as swiftly as Italy was re-captured by US and Commonweath forces, the United States began releasing mafia criminals from jail in the US and using them to ‘help rebuild’ Italy – effectively giving them power over Italian civil administration of the time. And ‘the rest is history’ as they say…

These are but two of historys repeating patterns. The first being overtly, or covertly, arming future enemies – the US has this down to a fine art it seems (sarcasm intended). The second being colluding with any ‘power base’ because they are convenient at the time – pretty much with reckless disregard for matters of future implications, legalities, morality and the like.

As these patterns currently repeat ‘so loudly’ it can legitimately be asked – exactly whos ‘war on terror’ are we fighting today?