Published

June 30, 2005

They Celebrated 1,100 miles of Pipeline,

while we mourned our Dead

By Vincent L Guarisco

"There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people
for a purpose which is unattainable." U.S. Historian ~Howard Zinn, 1993

As the war in Afghanistan and Iraq rolls onward like a well-heeled Greek wheel, a little under-the-radar event went unnoticed by the disserving mainstream news media. Less than a week before Memorial Day, while we as a nation prepared for another mournful day of remembrance of those who died while serving bravely in the Armed Forces, another special celebration was in the works: On May 25th 2005, with hardly a smidgeon of  news coverage, U.S. officials celebrated the completion of the first section of a 1,100-mile U.S.-backed pipeline bringing Caspian Sea oil to Western markets. British Petroleum (B.P.) Chief Executive John Brown, whose company leads the venture that built the pipeline, was in attendance and ecstatic (with dollar signs dancing in his head and in his bank account?). It was after all, a "pipedream" come true after years of denial from a Clinton Administration who prevented American businessmen from doing business with terrorist regimes.

The $3.2 billion project is expected to deliver 1 million barrels of "Texas Tea" a day from the world's third-largest oil and gas reserves, through Georgia to the Mediterranean. That's a lot of oil even by "Texas" standards.  And for those who stand to gain immensely -- undoubtedly, this venture is considered a pot of black gold at the end of a very bloody rainbow.

However, it's common knowledge that before you can enjoy a rainbow, you must first weather the storm, and no one can appreciate a depleted-uranium hailstorm more than the Afghan and Iraqi populations. I don't speak Afghan or Iraqi, but – the horrified expression on the many faces of young and old alike has served as a chilling interpretation of their reaction to the "hard steel rain" of coalition forces. I guess it's safe to say that "fear" is a universal language  that anyone can understand, sort of like speaking in war tongues, if you catch my meaning.

I want you to think about this for a moment: while thousands of Americans made painful pilgrimages across this vast nation to honor our fallen and to pay their respects at cemeteries and churches on Memorial Day, U.S. officials joined BP officials and other oil tycoons in celebrating their pipeline. And they continue to celebrate it even today as our sons and daughters continue to perish on multiple battlefields. I guess British Petroleum, and the rest of the shrewd gang concluded that oil is much thicker and far more profitable than the spilled blood of American soldiers and innocent civilians. Indeed. They must.

And logic dictates in the wake of this madness that if you want something bad enough, anything can be made to happen or be "fixed" in order to achieve that means, including Pearl Harbor events, manipulation of national foreign policy, and wars being fought under the pretense of lies. Hummm, a haunting phrase comes to mind as they celebrated their pipeline, as they count their blood money and as they continue on with their grim war agenda -- "Mission Accomplished."

Americans are not stupid; they are beginning to understand that this bunch of greedy warmongers is the worst collection of cowards ever to land on the throne of power -- in this "freedom-loving" country anyway.  It does not set well with the American people for a group to get away with murder just because they have the money and power to do so.  And they despise those who are willing to sacrifice the lives of their fellow citizens as well as innocent women and children for no other reason than to extend that power.

Generation after generation has always seen the yellow stripe that runs down the backs of rich preppies whom are shielded from the horrors of war by their rich and powerful parents. Even the village idiot in the White House can appreciate the fact of gentility.  He fully understands that, when the rich start their wars, it's not the rich who get sent to fight them. Oh sure, a few of them go as they put together a political career, but we know who toes the frontline. Hey George, can you say champagne unit three times real fast and keep a straight face? I didn't think so.

So remember, next time you see the commander-in-thief propped up in front of his corporate media teleprompter, blathering on about spreading bunker-buster democracy -- and how we must not retreat from war -- remember, he held the coats as others fought in his absence during the Vietnam War. And currently, while his oil buddies high-five each other in celebration of their new oil pipeline, our sons and daughters will continue to pay for their greed with their lives.  They will continue to die for the lies that were fixed to support their policy of greed, power and imperialism.

My motive in writing this essay is quite simple, I want you to get angry. I want you to get very angry and demand that this madness be stopped. History has proven time and time again that when the warmongers lose the mob (society), war comes to an abrupt end. Spread the word, peace is patriotic, bring the troops home now.

Vincent L Guarisco is a freelance writer from Bullhead City, Arizona, a contributing writer for many web sites, and a lifetime founding member of the Alliance of Atomic Veterans. Replies welcomed at vincespainting1@hotmail.com

© 2005 Vincent L Guarisco