We usually think of it as soldiers with rifles and pistols, tanks and mortars, airmen in fighter planes or bombers and now drones dropping bombs and ships shelling or firing rockets at other ships or land positions.
\nOf course it hasn’t always been this way. War has “progressed” from being fought with clubs, axes and knives to spears then swords and shields, horses and chariots, knights in armour, muskets, bayonets, gattling guns to machine guns and land mines.
\nThat is the classical application of the principles of war. But will it always be this way or is war being redefined or the principles of warfare otherwise applied?
\nWhat is war? According to Mirriam Webster, was is “a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations”. I think that a very narrow definition of war.
\nA broader definition might be the application of force by one group\/nation against another group\/nation to coerce compliance, acquire land or other resources or to protect the people, land or resources of the protagonists.
\nWith all the talk of and focus on present armed conflicts, are we majorly neglecting the morphing shape of war?
\nOr is it even still being exclusively fought this way. When we look further we see it hasn’t been for a while.
\nFor centuries we have had espionage and counter-espionage.
\nFor at least decades, perhaps longer, we have had “propaganda” being employed against the population by their own government and foreign powers to bring about a desired point of view. Sometimes true data is used, often not.
\nWe have had covert funding of other allied or aligned groups, some of whom are engaged in armed conflict.
\nOn a less than international stage and changing to a “war of words” we have had the “war of the sexes” for some time now and at present we have the apparent war in Australia between the people who want same sex marriage and those who don’t.
\nFor decades last century we had the Cold War, an ideological war between Capitalism and Communism for the hearts and minds of men. Not a war always overtly fought with weapons but fought no less aggressively by the communists and their symapthisers with propaganda and hidden influence aimed at the perversion of moral standards, destruction of education techniques and standards, undermining of religious and moral values and ethic levels, economic destruction of the middle class and so on. And while on the surface of it, communism would appear to have failed as an economic alternative to capitalism, their initiated destruction of the West continues to this day, funded by George Soros.
\nThe West also funded opposition to non-aligned regimes, orchestrated or conducted assasinations of national leaders, channeled funds through multiple entities that ended up purchasing weapons for armed insurgents and terrorist groups. So they are not at all lily white.
\nOK, that’s war between countries, states and groups. What about “war” in a broader sense engaged in by commercial interests. This is not commonly spoken of in general conversation but exists nevertheless. Perhaps it is not as readily contemplated or discussed because the body count does not appear on the 6 o’clock news.
\nOr is it because our worst ability is being able to confront eviil and only evil we are forced to confront makes it past our “I don’t want to even think about that” filter. Let’s raise our confront level abd look closer at this.
\nFor some time now we have also had war-like tactics being engaged in by commercial firms. Last week I saw one Australian hardware chain accused of industrial espionage against its rivals.
\nAnd in my Healthelicious newsletter of Monday 9th October is an article reporting where a judge ruled Merck, the makers of the MMR and Gardisil vaccines guilty of “systematic and outrageous deception in conjunction with unethical business practices”.
\nIn the past I had also heard of paid trolls, people employed by companies or government agencies to post comments on social media promoting a propaganda line.
\nAs I look around the posts I see on social media and the clips reported there of what politicians say I see a great many lies spoken and written in support of things I observe to be destructive.
\nOK, so before we look at those things, let’s define what is our ideal scene for the people of a nation.
\nA nation of intelligent, well informed, aware and free people enjoying an abundant, civilised and cultured life, in harmony with each other and their international neighbours, free to pursue their vocational and leisure interests in safety and free of domesic or foreign interference, be that military, economic, financial, medical, mental or spiritual.
\nSo, how are we doing against that ideal scene, what is the current scene:
\nEnvironment
\nThe use of depleted uranium in ammunition,
\nThe use of Australia’s shorelines for military exercises with the aforementioned depleted uranium munitions,
\nThe fracking of gas under farm lands and water sources,
\nPoisons being approved for use as pesticides that are destructive to human and animal life and the environment.
\nMassive pollution continuing relatively unchecked while false threats are used to distract and divide the people and make money for a select few.
\nEconomy
\nThe overt dismantling of Australia’s manufacturing industry as a result of the Lima Ageement in 1972,
\nThe unfettered purchasing of Australia’s farming assets by Chinese firms going on today.
\nThe permitting of the country as a whole to live outside its means.
\nThe government borrowing of massive debt.
\nThe selling off of public assets.
\nThe export of energy resources with consequent price hikes domestically.
\nThe allowing of local banks to recklessly invest in derivatives while not protecting households from risk.
\nMedicine
\nUndue influence by a medical monopoly aligned with a pharmaceutical cartel.
\nVitamins, herbs, and natural therapy practitioners under restriction or attack.
\nDrugs and vaccines approved, promoted and mandated that cause more harm than the diseases for which they are promoted to prevent while not conferring immunity while at the same time suppressing natural and effective, non-drug treatments.
\nFood
\nThousands of toxins allowed into our food supply.
\nUntested, genetically altered foods being approved by agencies tasked with protecting our health and later being found to cause harm and death.
\nNutritionaly deficient, food like substances allowed to dominate the food supply leading to avoidable ill-health, disease and early death.
\nEducation
\nThe deliberate dumbing down of the population by lowering the education standards and not developing or applying a workable technology of study.
\nThe introduction and promotion of concepts and ideology antipathetic to the survival of the individual and the family unit.
\nPolice
\nThe progressive militarisation of local police forces.
\nThe increased use of lethal force by the police against a more upset and sometimes drug-crazed populace.
\nJustice System
\nA Judicial system that has nothing to do with Justice for the individual and seemingly an enforcement arm of government and big business interests.
\nIf you broaden the definition of an act of war to be something more like, “Any action taken against an enemy to reduce their assets and resources, power, influence and effectiveness, survival potential or longevity.” and look over the above list of departures from the ideal scene could you not be forgiven for coming to the conclusion that we the people are at war with commerce and the government of the country as a result of them not just allowing but in many cases promoting the above conditions?
\nAnd, as a result of this recognition of an undeclared state of war, could you not be forgiven for wanting to reorganise your life so the that the destructive influences listed above have as little impact as possible on you and yours while also warning others and seeking more effective action to increase awareness of more people and defund those who are so antipathetic to our survival?
\nAnd how do you do the above while having to remain part of the very system antipathetic to your survival?
\nHere is a start. I wrote this a few months back.
\nMost of us would not knowingly, deliberately fund a terrorist organisation.
\nMost of us unwittingly do, every day, through the purchases we make.
\nTo avoid this, take the following steps:
\nMAJOR TARGET:
\nTo reduce the power (income, personnel and influence) of the multinationals and increase your awareness, competence and survival potential.
\nOPERATING TARGETS:
\nBecome more aware. (Ignorance is never bliss. It leads to unpleasant surprises, often with disastrous consequences.)
\nInform and educate yourself as to the way The System works and tread a different path.
\nAdd your voice to the campaigns promoting sanity over vested interests, government power, tyranny and corruption.
\nStart by reading labels and understanding what is in what you eat and who is the owner of the business from whom you are buying.
\nDon’t buy things you don’t need.
\nPay down your debt.
\nGet more competent at communication and selling and marketing.
\nTransition to a job that is on your basic purpose line. (Chances are it won’t be working for a multinational.)
\nPRODUCTION TARGETS:
\nBuy local, patronise mum and dad business and local farmers organic markets.
\nHave 50% of my weekly expenditure go to non-multinationals within 3 months.
\nHave 70% of my weekly expenditure go to non-multinationals within 6 months.
\nMake the time to make more of your own food rather than buying preprepared and packaged food.
\nHave 70% of my food made at home within three months.
\nHave 90% of my food made at home within twelve months.
\nSell what you have that you do not need.
\nClear out non-used items and garage sale or otherwise sell them – 3 months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We usually think of it as soldiers with rifles and pistols, tanks and mortars, airmen in fighter planes or bombers and now drones dropping bombs and ships shelling or firing rockets at other ships or land positions. Of course it hasn’t always been this way. War has “progressed” from being fought with clubs, axes and … <\/p>\n