Blood Money, Bombs and Broken Bodies

How can it be that the best way we can think of in the 21st century to solve problems is war?

The repeated images in our media of the miserable processions of coffins down the main street in Wootton Basset and glossy photos in the colour supplements about our brave servicemen and women, smiling from their wheelchairs, remind us of the cost.

The smiles disturb me. These people have staggering injuries that will keep them struggling to cope with day to day life, all the way into 2069 and beyond - why do they smile?

We are the lucky ones. We can turn the TV off if the howls of grief stricken families become too harrowing. We can turn the page in the newspaper to something less demanding if the photograph of a twenty year old with no limbs disturbs us. We can absolve our responsibility because, after all, it's up to the politicians - isn't it?

How about the others we hear less about? The ones who will never have a good night's sleep again because they wake up screaming in terror from the horrific things they have seen? The families that become fractured by stress and depression? What about the Afghan casualties, the children and civilians that have parts of their bodies blown off by our bullets and bombs? Is it because these don't make such good photographic based stories? Or is it that the emotive sight of coffins and brave young people in wheelchairs raises support to continue an unpopular battle?

Why do we trust our politicians, many of whom have been shown to be corrupt in the way they manage even their own affairs, to send these brave and selfless people into an Armageddon that will last way beyond the political war?

Some people will be getting very rich on trading the arms to keep the battles going. Who exactly are they and what is their influence on this confusing conflict?

Do their consciences keep them awake at night?