In this painting, 'The Fall of Falluja' there is the obvious ethnic and religious differences between the crusading invaders and the indiginous people. What is not obvious are the spoils for which they are fighting. Ridding the countryside of future insurgents is always a short term and foolhardy strategy. Seldom can the victors claim a complete removal of a people and their ideas.

http://www.angelfire.com/md2/customviolins/gulfwar3.jpg


Looking closer one may see the idiot prince asking for the "nooculer' briefcase and his minister saying no while the rest of the war cabinet looks on dispassionately. The foot soldiers doing the work are not so emotionally removed from the slaughter. They will seemingly bear the emotional scars from each wound they inflict.

No war correspondent, no editorial words or paintings have ever overcome the folly of war and caused either side to rethink their positions and lay down their arms. So while this picture may be an exercise in the futility of saving lives, at least it adds a history to current events which is sadly absent in today's coverage of the real currents of bloody war. By the time Americans see any "news" the guts of it is sanitized, censored and surgicaly removed.

Be the weapons swift swords or Depleted Uranium at a snails pace, the killing is the same. The killing is aimed at the future generations and not the elderly.

War may contain deception and trickery but
the trick is, war is for kids to fight and die, for they are the ones who would carry revenge longest thier graves.