MH17 RIP - Dedicated to the victims of flight MH17 and their loved ones
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Victims? What Victims?
There can be little doubt the downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17 over the Ukraine in July last year was one of the most significant events in a year that in geopolitical terms was something of an annus horribilus by anyone's measure.
When it comes to reflecting on the fate of MH17 though, such was the attendant and on-going controversy, many could be forgiven for thinking it was as unprecedented as the earlier disappearance of MH370. Of course in its own unique way it was, not least for those most affected by this disaster, the victims and their families. And at this point no-one can say what really happened to this ill-fated flight, doubtless compounding the grief for the families.
Yet despite the self aroused umbrage by many world leaders, politicians of all stripes, the mainstream media (MSM) and assorted Bear baiters over the event, the human tragedy exemplified by the victims and their families has all but been forgotten in what is shaping up in 2015 to be one of the most significant geostrategic dramas since the Fall of the Wall not purportedly involving Islamic jihadi terrorists.
To paraphrase U.S. President Obama's former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel then, one might suggest their tragic crisis was someone else's opportunity, not unlike those killed on 9/11. Or that that "someone" does not have enough terrorists on their dance card anymore and is out shopping for more bad guys for the ideological proponents and insatiable profiteers of its National Security State. In this case, the "bad guys" -- again like with 9/11 -- were immediately identified and suitably vilified. That they still remain "vilified" is self evident.
To be sure there have been a few commercial aircraft brought to grief by military misadventure over the years. America itself was directly responsible for a not dissimilar incident when in 1988 the missile cruiser USS Vincennes ' accidentally' shot down an Iranian passenger airliner killing all 290 people on board including 66 children. Moreover, the Pentagon even attempted to cover up the incident.
In commenting on the MH17 disaster not long after and presumably by way of drawing some parallels for folks to ponder, U.K. columnist Crispin Black noted that America has "never officially apologised" for this tragic blunder. In fact the "trigger happy" Vincennes captain (Will Rogers) was never held to account, and remained in command of his ship until 1989. He was then "honourably discharged and decorated" by president George HW Bush "for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service as commanding officer". Herein we might say Bush the Elder was thereby dutifully keeping faith with America's great and noble tradition of promoting, patting on the back and/or handing out medals to the otherwise criminally irresponsible, unforgivably arrogant, and dangerously incompetent! A bit like 9/11 then?
One thing that does mark out the MH17 event as 'unique' is the breathtaking hypocrisy epitomised by the righteous hand wringing, finger pointing and gasping, moral indignation levelled at the "bad guys" by selected members of the international community and the Western media. Black himself made mention of this with the following,
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