The Fanonite

‘Empire or Humanity?‘ is the question posed by Howard Zinn as he discusses what he didn’t learn about American Empire in the classroom.

With an occupying army waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan, with military bases and corporate bullying in every part of the world, there is hardly a question any more of the existence of an American Empire. Indeed, the once fervent denials have turned into a boastful, unashamed embrace of the idea.

However, the very idea that the United States was an empire did not occur to me until after I finished my work as a bombardier with the Eighth Air Force in the Second World War, and came home. Even as I began to have second thoughts about the purity of the “Good War,” even after being horrified by Hiroshima and Nagasaki, even after rethinking my own bombing of towns in Europe, I still did not put all that together in the context of an American “Empire.”

I was conscious, like everyone, of the British Empire and the other imperial powers of Europe, but the United States was not seen in the same way. When, after the war, I went to college under the G.I. Bill of Rights and took courses in U.S. history, I usually found a chapter in the history texts called “The Age of Imperialism.” It invariably referred to the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the conquest of the Philippines that followed. It seemed that American imperialism lasted only a relatively few years. There was no overarching view of U.S. expansion that might lead to the idea of a more far-ranging empire — or period of “imperialism.”

Read the rest of this entry »

“Hiroshima and Nagasaki, surely among the most unspeakable crimes in history.” Noam Chomsky

The Hiroshima bombing came at a time when the Japanese were negotiating peace with the USA. The United States however wanted to test its new weapon: demonstrating its power to the world, especially to the Soviets. When Gore Vidal was asked if he thought the Atomic Bombing was the end of the Second World War or the beginning of the cold war, he chose the later.

I visited Hiroshima in 2004 and entered the “peace park” museum without giving it much thought (put in quotes because I think the American post war Government had a propaganda campaign promoting “peace” in Japan - worried that people might want revenge). Perhaps I was a little ignorant because I was in for a gut wrenching, stomach churning experience.

One of the exhibits that I remember vividly was something quite odd. I was looking at it in its glass case and couldn’t quite focus on what it was. Rather unusual, so I looked at the little plaque beside it - which had a story. It said that there was a young girl - 8 years old I think - that had been caught in the bomb blast. Her first instinct was to run home even although she was covered in burns. When she made it to her mothers arms much of her skin had peeled off and there she died. I can’t imagine how the little girl or her mother felt, I can only guess. But to help convey the full horror to her partner - the woman collected the little girls fingers, that had melted off, to keep and show him when he returned. Reading the story I was quite moved. Hesitantly I looked back and could see that indeed they were fingers with recognisable nails - on top of everything else I’d seen I almost threw up. Leaving the museum also hit me hard, walking onto a busy street I realised it was people just like these that suffered so terribly.

The following film is based on the work of a manga artist in Japan, Keiji Nakazawa, a 6 year old survivor of the bombing. I think the film, made in the 80’s reflects the true horror of the atomic bombings and the true horror of war. All through a childs eyes and loosely based on Nakazawa’s own experiences. An interview with Keiji can be seen here (15 mins into the show).

Read the rest of this entry »

Powerful artwork by Andy Singer.

I’m not sure why but this cartoon also reminds me of the Orwellian use of the term “Humanitarian Aid.” Often the US has used it when it’s actually delivering weapons, in other words, the bombs in the top section of the drawing might have been “Humanitarian Aid” too! Here’s a good example from Noam Chomsky.

Ten years ago …. the International Court of Justice was found to be an inappropriate forum for judging Nicaragua’s charges against Washington. The U.S. rejected ICJ jurisdiction, and when the Court condemned the U.S. for the “unlawful use of force,” ordering Washington to cease its international terrorism, violation of treaties, and illegal economic warfare, and to pay substantial reparations, the Democrat-controlled Congress reacted by instantly escalating the crimes while the Court was roundly denounced on all sides as a “hostile forum” that had discredited itself by rendering a decision against the United States. The Court judgment itself was scarcely reported, including the words just quoted and the explicit ruling that U.S. aid to the contras is “military” and not “humanitarian.” Along with U.S. direction of the terrorist forces, the aid continued until the U.S. imposed its will, always called “humanitarian aid.” Public history keeps to the same conventions.

For more see Peoples Geography (Thanks Ann!).

The French were denounced by the neocons as ‘Cheese-eating surrender monkeys’ for opposing the war in 2003. Nikolas Sarkozy is on a mission to erase that legacy. He first flattered Americans, and now in almost identical words he flatters the Brits. Starved for anything other than the revulsion the Iraq war has been plying them with, government’s in both countries are lapping it up.

I thought this James song was relevant considering the 4,000 dead soldiers toll circulating in the press. I can’t say I like the video given that it suggests soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are somehow ‘heroes’ rather than criminals. I should point out that this isn’t the official video but another good example of remix culture.

Indie veterans James have unveiled the controversial artwork to their new album ‘Hey Ma’ which features an image of a baby about to pick up a handgun.

The hard-hitting image has apparently seen advertising execs give the album a wide berth, meaning that it is very unlikely to feature on major PR campaigns.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hi-Res | Latuff Iraq war archive

Carlos Latuff’s latest on the Iraq war - 5 years on.