“One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this.”
This quote comes from Omar El Akkad, born in Egypt and now living in the United States. In a book the author describes the strange ways that governments initiate wars, make up excuses for their behavior, how the public perceives the situation, and how history whitewashes the event.
The Vietnam War ended in the 1973-1975 period. By then the American people considered it a mistake, and the US government went very quiet but never apologized for its behavior.
George W. Bush’s “war on terror” included invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, although only a small group of mostly Saudi citizens had conducted the 9/11 attack. Most Americans were enthusiastic about the US military invasions, and slowly changed their minds as soldiers came back dead or injured. The Afghanistan war went on until 2023. Again, the US government never apologized. The private Costs of War project estimates that the “war on terror” has resulted in the deaths of about 4.5 million people directly or indirectly, mostly civilians who lived in Middle East countries.
There is now no war going on in Gaza, because there is little resistance by the Gaza inhabitants to the Israeli occupation and genocide. Public opinion is turning against the Israeli government, but based on previous experience this will have little effect on the outcome. One can predict the attitudes of people and governments years from now.
Coyote Vision 