Blackwater Down
By Dennis Peacocke

As many of you know, in Washington D.C., the political establishment often refers to the Democratic and the Republican parties as, “the evil party and the stupid party.” You automatically lose ten points if you can’t figure out which one is which. Be that as it may, all experienced realists know that both the so-called “left” and “right” strategically handle media communication within the spectrum from bending the truth to outright lies. Essentially, our reaction to this reality is based upon our commitment to the agenda of one side or the other and the perceived strategic usefulness of the communication. We’re not talking about right and wrong here. We’re talking about real politics.

In the film “Blackhawk Down”, the historic and universal tactic of the “bad guys” using civilians as human shields as they attack was clearly depictive, because it was a true fact in the Mogadishu battle to retrieve the crew of the downed helicopter.

This “human shield” tactic has been used throughout history virtually always by either amoral opportunists or idealistic zealots whose perceived goals countenanced the annihilation of mere “people” to establish their view of idealistic ------. Most recently, the Marxists in Russia, China, Cambodia and beyond used this rationale to usher in their “Utopia” through the elimination of more then 100 million obstacles. Those of us who lived through the Vietnam era discovered after the war how extensively this “human shield” tactic was used by the Marxists. On occasion, I’m sure it has been employed by U.S. allies or our covert operatives but very, very seldom by our official military forces. The Muslim extremists all over the world use it as a common practice against the naive Western world.

Let’s move now to the most recent case in hand involving the charges against the private security company, Blackwater, protecting U.S. business people, diplomats and V.I.P.’s in Iraq. Did they shoot down “innocent civilians” as charged in Iraq? Better question yet, why would they? It’s possible, but extremely unlikely. These are almost all retired military Navy SEALS, Green Berets, Rangers and the like.  That level of discipline and experience produces few “malicious cowboys”. Only arm-chair, never-been-excruciatingly-trained dunderheads believe that “cowboys” are the product of that kind of lifestyle.  Be that as it may, this “set up” will begin the process of making V.I.P. targets all the more “delicious” and elective in the propaganda war which, since Vietnam, has proven so effective against the naïve, ignorant, self-absorbed, and gutless West.

As a critic of our ill-conceived “nation-building” strategy in Iraq, I am hardly speaking as a hawk or an apologist.  My point now follows: As long as this war is used for political purposes by either party; as long as the liberal press still clings to its core view that America is habitually wrong and that our critics are habitually right; as long as Americans actually believe that those who perceive themselves as our enemies will eventually go away if we give them what they want; Muslim extremists and ideological extremists will continue to use human shields and we will continue to be bamboozled and manipulated into isolated ineptness.  Mercy, when does the “real debate” begin? And that is...