LOVE & WAR (Wed 17th Feb 2010)

Inside My World- LOVE & WAR
February is the month of love, or so we are told. Valentine’s Day has been stigmatised as being all about sharing love, enjoying flowers, cards, chocolates and gifts galore. However, all over the world, as some are receiving red roses as a symbol of love, others are forced to give white lilies to their loved ones who have passed away. On 13th February 2010, at least ten people were killed when a power cable fell on a bus in Port Harcourt and electrocuted passengers. Although police are unable to confirm how many people were on board the bus, locals and members of the press confirmed sightings of unidentifiable charred bodies in the hospital. Twelve others who attempted to assist the victims also suffered severe burns and were hospitalised.
The day after Valentine’s was the last for twelve civilians in Marjah, Afghanistan. Two ‘stray’ US marine rockets fired from a truck a few miles away suggests something more than an unfortunate blunder in the heart of the battle when civilians are killed. Air Chief Marshal Sir Jack Stirrup said the aim of Operation Moshtarak was to provide security for the Afhgan population “and you don’t protect them when you kill them.” Lt Gen Nick Parker, the most senior British officer in Afghanistan, told the BBC it was absolutely unacceptable to have civilian casualties, whatever the circumstances, and that announcing the offensive well in advance had helped save lives. "There is still sporadic Taliban firing from residential areas in the north of the town, but we are not using air power or heavy bombardments to dislodge them because we want to avoid civilian casualties," he said.
How many times have we heard the US pledge to minimise the possibility of accidental fire on civilians? It seems to me that US troops find it difficult to discern if groups of Afghans are gathering to engage in war, celebrate a wedding or merely families foraging for food and fuel. The difficulty to differentiate comes from the technical equipment used- IMARS system. The systems of batteries of six rockets are the latest precision weapons of the US marines and Infantry. In theory, the IMARS is capable of pinpoint targeting images of about 8 to 10 miles by satellite and radar. However in the fields, groves and muddy ditches that make up the confused terrain around Marjah, “precision” weapons like IMARS are far from precise. How can a machine tell whether a huddle of humanity sheltering inside a mud walled compound are mother and children hiding from the fighting or Taliban preparing a counter attack? The simple answer is that they cannot because no machine can look into men’s minds.
The deaths of the Afghan civilians are a serious setback and there are now talks of banning the use of rockets and artillery. This means more soldiers would have to put themselves in harm’s way, to go to the centres of population rather than wait outside to see what the Taliban will do next. In Helmand for instance, at least 32,000 more soldiers will be needed for a year to help local people rebuild their lives and to secure their trust for the future. This may conflict with the much publicised speech of US President Barack Obama, to withdraw troops from the frontline. Perhaps the US military are stuck between a rock and a hard place: use more artillery and risk lives of innocent civilians, or send in more troops and risk the death of more soldiers at the hands of the Taliban enemy. I would personally choose the latter and abide by the mantra of Horatio Nelson- “engage the enemy more closely.”
So, this February, I will not be reflecting on why I am single, what my ex-boyfriend is doing, or who is dating who...Love goes beyond that. The love I want to express will be towards everyone in my life that I care about. I will tell my parents and siblings how much I love and appreciate them, my friends will know how much they mean to me and how they have positively influenced my life. For me Valentine’s Day is a reminder that I am loved but unfortunately some have also lost their loved ones. Just like any other month, people fall in love and sadly to say people pass away. Love and grief are two emotions that cannot be confined to a specific time of year; as we mourn death all year round, so too should we celebrate and express love. I believe that we should spend as much time as possible giving unconditional love, because we do not know what lies around the corner. Parents, when was the last time you told your children you love them- Six children were among those killed when two US missiles struck a house on the outskirts of Marjah on Sunday. Husbands do not wait until Valentine’s Day to shower your spouse with gifts. Do not wait until it is too late to give roses and your loved one can only receive lilies. Why put off till tomorrow what can be done today? After all for thousands all over the world, tomorrow may cease to come.