Blood

This blog is dedicated to law.  Criminal law.

But I have a life outside law.  My life comprises things I may or may not acknowledge.

Obama wants to kill in Syria.

I, unlike many of my ilk, care nothing about death.  I don't even care about killing the innocent.  I've never been bothered by death.  Death is the only true peace.  It is suffering that bothers me.  And suffering, unfortunately, comes each time our government proclaims death.

A friend of mine, an old colleague, one with whom I share few, if any, values, is in the military.

Tonight, she asked on facebook of all places:

We are debating the beginning of a third straight war during the last decade, and talking about broken promises and money. When will we bring the debate to every American dinner table and focus on the most valuable American resource we use in these decisions--when will we debate bringing back the draft?

Draft.  Draft whom.  The brain dead of America don't want to die in wars the way they once did.  America likes its private military.  We make movies about how our Marines love to kill.  We tend to forget that other branches even exist.  Let's say they take a stand and win.  The Marines will likely take over.  As long as you can manufacture killing machines, you will.  Be they drone, or be they man.

Americans are a warlike people.  We want blood.  It keeps this nation alive.  We simply aren't limited by the draft anymore.  Not for something like Syria.  "War" has come to mean something far bigger and more terrible.  It requires a power capable of withstanding our vastly superior technology.  Few are left.

Rome went through a similar period.  I realize it is... unnecessary to point out that there's nothing to be done.  And yet, a voice in the madness, however few voices, can help ensure the end of such a period.

Americans, your government does not serve you.  It uses you to accomplish the goals of your privileged classes.  Your lives will not be affected by what goes on in Syria, save the few of you that are hired to work for the companies building weapons.  Americans, you'd be better served creating technology for surveying Mars, than creating a realm for him here.