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Hunted By Corpses
Ghassan Charbel Al-Hayat 2004/03/25
The world seemed terrifying, frightened, and miserable yesterday. Worry was apparent on the faces of the leaders and officials who went to Madrid to participate in the prayer for the victims of the trains' tragedy. None of them could assure that his country would not drink from the same cup Spain drank from. Jacques Chirac, who opposed the war on Iraq, could not reassure his people that this stance was enough to protect them.
Tony Blair memorized reports saying that a terrorist attack was quasi-inevitable; the question was about its date. Italy, who participated in the Iraqi adventure, lives the fear of repeating the scenario that filled Madrid with blood. Poland realizes it is targeted, and is preparing itself for the challenge. Gerhard Schroeder certainly read reports stating that his country sleeps on a high number of suicide bombers. The Spanish ceremony reminded the King of Morocco's brother, of what Casablanca went through, even if it were less grandiose. Colin Powell, whose country went far in the "war on terror," could not assure that war would not take place on American soil again.
The world seemed terrifying, frightened, and miserable yesterday. Capitals chased by corpses scattered on their roads. Capitals preparing for scattered corpses at any time. The world seemed confused with corpses. What to do with them? It must go to war, but where and against whom? War might be a gift or a chance for those who started launching the scenario of corpses. It must succumb to bomb planters; in such a case, what about its decision and its sovereignty, and what about its interests? How could a war be won if the enemy is without an address, and had nothing to lose? Men hiding in mountain caves do not worry about the collapse of the current world, with its security, stability, and stock markets. Their strategy is to bomb it, and bomb with it. Security measures are not enough. However, is terrorism the product of injustice, poverty, and tyranny, or does it have a wider program?
The Middle East is also hunted by corpses. The Iraqi scene produced it with amazing swiftness. Putting the resistance aside; what about the corpses of Najaf, Karbala, Arbil, and Baghdad? These corpses would not only fill the present with blood; the future would not escape its impact.
What would the Middle East do with the corpse of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin? Did the expectations of peace leave him? Or is this phase a time to wait for corpses that would soon be scattered as a revenge for it, followed by the corpses of revenge for revenge? How could the production of corpses stop, if Palestinians do get a nation and a country on their territories? Is this enough to end the season of corpses in this region where the living could not escape the impact of funerals?
It is the new world war. What the world is living today is way more dangerous than the Korean War, and the American involvement in Vietnam. It is more dangerous than the Cuban missile crisis. An open confrontation on many fields, without safety means. A suicidal world in its strikes, fears, and identities written in blood, and hunted by the fear of extraction and annihilation. A world that carries on the funerals of today, and awaits the date of the coming funerals.
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