By Chidozie Ehirim
Editor
Ever since North Korea conducted the trial launch of a nuclear missile earlier this week, there has been fervent and heated discussion about how the wider world should respond. Pyongyang hailed the test as a success and world leaders have been quick to condemn it. US President Donald Trump was scathing in his criticism, saying 'It's a shame that they're behaving in this way, but they are behaving in a a very very dangerous manner, and something will have to be done about it'.
The test of a nuclear weapon by any government should be cause for concern. After all, if what we have been told about their destructive power is true we should all be worried. Frightened even.
Or should we?
There are currently a number of world leaders who, if what we are lead to believe is true, are a threat. The Rogue's Gallery consists of Russian president Vladimir Putin, North Korean premier Kim Jong-un and Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad. World leaders far and wide who we are being told, are evil masterminds that take pleasure in plunging the rest of the world into outright fear and panic.
If only it were that simple.
Unfortunately, we don't live in a Hollywood production where the antagonists and protagonists are clearly defined, where the good guys ride white horses and the bad guys wear black hats. The world we live in is not so clear cut, instead it's a thick fog of grey.
Take for example former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In 2003, Blair joined US President Bush and others in the invasion of Iraq. Their intent was to enact "regime change" to prevent then Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, from using 'weapons of mass destruction'.
The West claimed to have won the war. It achieved it's goal of toppling Hussein and claimed to have freed the people from a despotic regime, making the world safer.
However, Saddam Hussein never had weapons of mass destruction. The entire WMD narrative was a lie, used merely as a pretext to invade. As a result, 1 million Iraqi civilians lost their lives and the use of weapons of mass destruction like Depleted Uranium by US military has resulted in children being born with a myriad of birth defects and cancers. The tragic and terrifying outcome of the war will be stamped on generations of Iraqis to follow. Terrorism in it's truest form.
The invasion blatantly broke international law and was waged against the wishes of the Security council. Tony Blair contends that he made the decision to go to war based on intelligence that turned out to be wrong and that he would do the same again.
Let that sink in for a moment.
Many were critical of the decision to go to war and still are. On the eve of the war, former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook notably resigned in protest. Former British Ambassador Craig Murray has been consistent in his assessment that many lies were told in the run up to to the Iraq War.
Loyal British soldiers who believed they were fighting for Queen and Country were cruelly mislead. US soldiers who believed they were fighting for freedom returned home, only to fight more battles, post traumatic stress disorder and suicide.
Elsewhere, Israel continues to brutally subjugate the Palestinians and has called for Iran to be dealt with. Israel though, is in no position to lecture anyone on weapons of mass destruction. They currently have an arsenal of nuclear weapons. The UN has called for Israel to not only sign a non proliferation agreement but to also allow inspectors in to view the weapons. Israel has refused. So why no alarm? Why no call to action? Why isn't Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu being condemned by world leaders and the mainstream media as an enemy to world peace? The reason why is that Israel finds itself in an exclusive club where the rules do not apply. It's called the Hypocrisy Club and it's members are untouchable.
Israel, the UK and US can count themselves lucky that they are above international law. After all, they are seemingly free to fight wars for resources, geopolitics and conquest without consequence.
Whether we like to admit it or not, whether we know it or not, we are being told who and what to be afraid of. We have been conditioned to consume without question the narratives being fed to us by our governments.
Our enemies are closer to home than we think and the real terror may well rest in the propaganda we are subjected to.
Editor
Ever since North Korea conducted the trial launch of a nuclear missile earlier this week, there has been fervent and heated discussion about how the wider world should respond. Pyongyang hailed the test as a success and world leaders have been quick to condemn it. US President Donald Trump was scathing in his criticism, saying 'It's a shame that they're behaving in this way, but they are behaving in a a very very dangerous manner, and something will have to be done about it'.
The test of a nuclear weapon by any government should be cause for concern. After all, if what we have been told about their destructive power is true we should all be worried. Frightened even.
 |
| Kim Jong Il (second from right) and missile |
Or should we?
There are currently a number of world leaders who, if what we are lead to believe is true, are a threat. The Rogue's Gallery consists of Russian president Vladimir Putin, North Korean premier Kim Jong-un and Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad. World leaders far and wide who we are being told, are evil masterminds that take pleasure in plunging the rest of the world into outright fear and panic.
If only it were that simple.
Unfortunately, we don't live in a Hollywood production where the antagonists and protagonists are clearly defined, where the good guys ride white horses and the bad guys wear black hats. The world we live in is not so clear cut, instead it's a thick fog of grey.
 |
| Tony Blair |
The West claimed to have won the war. It achieved it's goal of toppling Hussein and claimed to have freed the people from a despotic regime, making the world safer.
However, Saddam Hussein never had weapons of mass destruction. The entire WMD narrative was a lie, used merely as a pretext to invade. As a result, 1 million Iraqi civilians lost their lives and the use of weapons of mass destruction like Depleted Uranium by US military has resulted in children being born with a myriad of birth defects and cancers. The tragic and terrifying outcome of the war will be stamped on generations of Iraqis to follow. Terrorism in it's truest form.
The invasion blatantly broke international law and was waged against the wishes of the Security council. Tony Blair contends that he made the decision to go to war based on intelligence that turned out to be wrong and that he would do the same again.
Let that sink in for a moment.
Many were critical of the decision to go to war and still are. On the eve of the war, former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook notably resigned in protest. Former British Ambassador Craig Murray has been consistent in his assessment that many lies were told in the run up to to the Iraq War.
 |
| US troops |
Elsewhere, Israel continues to brutally subjugate the Palestinians and has called for Iran to be dealt with. Israel though, is in no position to lecture anyone on weapons of mass destruction. They currently have an arsenal of nuclear weapons. The UN has called for Israel to not only sign a non proliferation agreement but to also allow inspectors in to view the weapons. Israel has refused. So why no alarm? Why no call to action? Why isn't Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu being condemned by world leaders and the mainstream media as an enemy to world peace? The reason why is that Israel finds itself in an exclusive club where the rules do not apply. It's called the Hypocrisy Club and it's members are untouchable.
Israel, the UK and US can count themselves lucky that they are above international law. After all, they are seemingly free to fight wars for resources, geopolitics and conquest without consequence.
Whether we like to admit it or not, whether we know it or not, we are being told who and what to be afraid of. We have been conditioned to consume without question the narratives being fed to us by our governments.
Our enemies are closer to home than we think and the real terror may well rest in the propaganda we are subjected to.
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