John Pilger: Breaking The Silence – Truth And Lies In The War On Terror
This was sent to me. I am exploring the lies that we believe creating war within that projects out into the world. It is interesting to reflect on the many faces of power politics. The emperor has no clothes comes to mind.
Questions for me are – what is true democracy? what is terrorism? what is truth? what is security? what is decency? what is bullying? what is fair? and lastly and importantly what creates true peace and freedom?
Do we really live in a democracy. I know for me I have never been asked what I think or want in terms of society or governance. Yes we vote, but that is not a say. Whenever I am not asked as part of a group, then I know I am not in democracy. I know it is the sharing of power. How do I know a person has a right to say something, it is affecting them. When we are met with silence that is the true face of control and it is the real issue. When we see it in ourselves we will realise that we inhibit freedom whenever we control others and demonise them. When we can stand with someone who is different from us and allow them to speak without silent contempt. Then we are learning about diversity and this is the true face of democracy, embracing all and accepting all life is free to be. When we come into the understanding of what we do to others we do to ourselves, then we get closer to the idea of e=mc2, what we put out comes back. Some call it karma or energy response. When this is lived the shadow will disappear like mist on a chilly winters morning. Suddenly the clouds part and we feel the sun shining as realisation opens the eyes to love in all its forms.
A few comments on the film overviewing US foreign interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan and questioning the mirror/morality of decisions and actions. Andrew Wilkie who was on the Iraqi desk in the Office of National Assessment in Canberra made some comments. I met Andrew Wilkie and interviewed him as he was a whistleblower stating there was no hard evidence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq. The weapons issue was the core reason to justify the war. I saw a lecture by Scott Ritter (US senior weapons inspector, Iraq) he also made the point there was no real weapons program. As a whistleblower he raised questions democratically about the case for war, his experience and conclusion that it was an illegal war of aggression in Iraq. In this film a NATO commander confirms his view that there was no evidence to support the WMD claims. So experience told those who know that there was no evidence to justify going to war in Iraq. So this lie was used to justify war. What I find interesting is watching some of the interviewees evade responsibility for innocent deaths, it is clear the questions are viewed as sensitive and they don’t want to go there. This is the mirror that one doesn’t want to look in to, it is the mirror that leads to the true freedom. For when one truly looks at the other in truth, they will see themselves reflected back. At this point in history we are still in a mindset of war that justifies killing others and feels justified given the rhetoric of ‘good’, ‘democracy’, ‘freedom’, ‘holy’ as reasons why war is unavoidable or an imperative for security. In my view it reflects a separation consciousness that only sees itself and has a single minded determination to reach its economic goals no matter the cost (I think of all sides here). Yet if that innocent person killed was a family member of the politician/business person/soldier/tribal leader, would the rhetoric be perceived in the same context or would there be outrage, hurt and pain? Would empathy arise? When it is viewed impartially and impersonally using words to cover the reality it is a form of intellectual disconnection or dishonesty that is not prepared to question the morality/ethics/values of their actions that impact on others, as the imagination creates the war (in the 2D mind) but real experience in a war is a very different experience (3D). I met many soldiers who are still in the war and still feeling guilt for killing innocent people (typically 90% of casualties of war are civilians). One has to believe the thoughts that justify cruelty in the name of democracy and freedom to be able to engage in violence. It has to be one sided to be believed, for if we were able to bring in other sides, the vision/image/picture would change. In truth violence can never teach peace. Violence will never get another to listen. Violence will never make another feel safe. Violence does not feel anything for the other. Violence sees an enemy and gives vent to its ideology, rage, fear, anger, revenge, hatred and these feelings are destructive abusive emotions that shut down empathy, responsibility, fairness and truth. In the general picture violence shuts down democracy, openness to listen, transparency as violence is the shadow of humanity. Each of us has this shadow. It is like a cloud that descends over the other, you see something you don’t like in that other and you project a negative image, yet what you are seeing is in you (you can’t see that). It is not dissimilar to a picture theatre where the mind is the projector and the projected screen is what you see on a person or situation. It seems real when watching the movie, but in truth it is not real, it is a projected reality. When we are living in the shadow we cannot see the other side, we become blind. I remember teaching peace and getting the children to do a blind spot test. I had two dots on a card and the child covers one eye and allows the other eye to relax (fuzzy) eventually one of the dots disappears. I explain that when you think you are right you cannot see the other dot (other side). Therefore it no longer exists. This is how psychological disconnection works. It is disembodied (I feel to write that word) from emotions. Disembodied means not grounded in the body, not feeling the emotions within in a grounded natural way. Emotions/feelings (intuition) are trained out of soldiers because they are the very energies that will point to independent thought, that will inspire conscience, will naturally show the individual what feels good and what does not. Narratives and story lines designed to convey obedience can suppress emotions, yet it can never get rid of true feelings beneath the mask of the soldier or politician. They will come up in dreams, at night when the person is silent. They will sweat and scream out reliving the horror of an unnatural act over and over. That is why Post Traumatic Stress Disorder appears, that is the emotional response to committing atrocities, it is traumatic to kill or harm another, it is not our true nature. The mind is in truth not in total control although it can brainwash (through training, education) a person to not believe their own inner sense (innocence). When one questions for inner truth, innocence naturally arises as well as humour as we realise that our projected vision of the world was never true. The evil seen outside ourselves was really the shadow from within that lives in deep fear and insecurity and this is the mask often hidden from view. Some call it vulnerability and shame. Yet when faced the person will heal the past and release it. Some may return to the scene of the crime and seek to give reparations through kind acts. Forgiveness is the greatest peacemaker.
Thus speaking truth to power is challenging for them as there is another world that can be uncovered and for some the exposure of this may be too much for them to bare they believe, so denial will be another mask. They will search for the narrative to justify actions and keep myths alive to feel okay within themselves, yet it is a lie they are believing and that will surface in time. Imagine if people decided it was time to face their own truth, to question their minds for truth, I wonder what they would discover within themselves, what they would learn, what they would become? Until we are willing to face our shadow (individually and collectively), our fear we will continue to run us all using violence to get what is perceived to be wanted or needed. Yet in truth ultimately people will face the truth. I know from my work in near death experience that people when they pass over are shown a life review where they see not only their own reality but others. So eventually we must look into the shadow in this life or the next. Each are responsible for the world they create. We are the creators of our reality and in truth this means that we create how we choose to see events (imagined or real). We can see threats through intelligence looking for a problem or we can see opportunities for growth through intelligence looking for solutions and possibilities. My choice is to see opportunities for growth, to learn from the past and create a better future where all win. In conflict resolution we call this a win/win. When one loses, all lose. That is the old paradigm. The new paradigm is we are One (earth, family) and Love (peace) is who we really are when we step away from our stories of fear. We step into an insane mind when we hurt or harm others or ourselves, we step into sanity when love is all we see. I am starting to really get this. It is not rosy or wishful it is the reality of our true nature. We are all incredible and I do feel we are moving towards a brighter future out of what has been a dark age.
Documentaries like this are to shine the light to reveal the shadow people believe is real and to see the real enemy is fear and it is within. When we face that we will make a new decision based on questioning for inner truth. Do we want a world frightened in terror or loving what is without judgement? The latter is the real meaning of freedom. If you want to really get this go to www.thework.com and watch the interviews. When you change your world will surely change.
Here is a documentary providing another perspective on the creation of the war on terror. When we listen to two sides then we can make decisions. Perhaps we can consider using our taxes to fund peace education to educate for a future that more than survives living to its highest potential with endless joy. Lets move from wars of endless terror to lives of endless joy. I like the sound of that. Feels go(o)d.