The wastelands of war

ALTHOUGH I thought last week’s decision for Imams to lecture their Mosque followers on the wrongs of those who groom and defile young women was fairly commendable, it did somewhat surprise me that the sermons were necessary at all. 

Surely adult, presumably civilized males, shouldn’t need anyone to tell them these atrocious acts were not only wrong but despicable in the extreme? If a number of these followers are indeed so out of touch with common decency and the actions of civilized human beings, is it not time for their leaders to now stand up and, as I have frequently suggested, also inform their flocks that there is no guarantee they will enter paradise and be supplied with unlimited virgins should they meet their demise in pursuit of Jihad? I have always maintained it is the holy leaders of Islam who hold the power to prevent these acts of terror and destruction.

If they were now to come forward and deliver outright condemnation of these murderous practices, perhaps we could finally begin to break through the ever thickening barriers of suspicion and distrust and at last learn to live side by side in an environment of love and peaceful understanding. Don’t hold yer breath Leapy! 

When is some politician or another going to come out and admit that we’ve lost the war in Afghanistan? An outcome I actually predicted at the outset. I never could understand that, after the failure of the French and later the unresolved conflict and subsequent withdrawal of the mighty Russian forces, why the American and British contingents thought they would fare any differently?

The whole exercise has been an utter waste of time effort and its only success the production of utter misery and tragic loss of life and limb. When we finally withdraw, with as much dignity as our leaders can possibly salvage, the country will immediately revert to its original chaotic civil instability and violence.

Once again our leaders have been responsible for the deaths and maiming of thousands of our young men and women – and gained precisely nothing! Will any of these ‘leaders’ be held to account? Give me a break. 

The words of Bob Dylan’s ‘Masters of War’ are unfortunately as relevant today as they were fifty years ago. ‘You’ve never done nothing, but build to destroy. You play with my world like it’s your little toy. You put a gun in my hand and you hide from my eyes. And you turn and run farther when the fast bullets fly’. 

A curse on you all.

Keep the Faith.

Love Leapy.  Leapylee2002@gmail.com