Why isn't war obsolete?

I am digging more deeply into the issues that underlie the news and analyses of the news on blogs, i.e., the “fresh hell”* I read each morning.

In order to learn more about what’s going on in the Middle East, I’ve read Robert Fisk’s 1000+ page Great War for Civilisation -The Conquest of the Middle East and Pity the Nation - The Abduction of Lebanon, Richard Ben Cramer’s How Israel Lost- The Four Questions, and most recently Trita Parsi’s Treacherous Alliance - The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran and the United States.

Joe Conason’s It Can Happen Here - Authoritarian Peril in the Age of Bush has helped me understand the slow and steady erosion of the underpinnings of our democracy.

Currently I’m interested in why human beings continue to engage in or support war. In my October 1st post I asked Why isn't war obsolete? I think this is coming up for me because I’m spending a lot of time with my twin grandchildren. I see their chubby little legs and feel their soft, silken skin and can’t imagine them growing up and heading off to war to either have their legs blown off or to die.

In order to understand the why war has endured throughout human history, I’m rereading Chris Hedge’s War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning. I’ve dog-eared half the pages to return to again and again.

Hedge’s describes the enduring attraction of war: “Even with its destruction and carnage it can give us what we long for in life. It can give us purpose, meaning, a reason for living. Only when we are in the midst of conflict does the shallowness and vapidness of much of our lives become apparent.” War gives our lives meaning because we have become disillusioned with “…a sterile, futile, empty present.”

My question: Why are our lives shallow, vapid, sterile, futile and empty if we don’t have a war to fill the void? I’m so full of purpose with my family, my work as a mediator, and my passion for this country that these adjectives don’t describe my life. Yet I sense that meaningless exists for many, many people. My next question: If lives lack meaning unless there’s a war to be fought or launched, what can I or what can we do about this underlying condition?

* As I read the news and my favorite blogs, I say to myself, "What fresh hell is this?" attributed to Dorothy Parker

I'm off for a two week road trip: suggested reading while I'm away

Earlier today I posted a book review of IT CAN HAPPEN HERE, by Joe Conason. Before I leave for a two-week road trip, I want to make sure you have plenty to read while I’m away. Just in case you’ve already read Conason’s most recent book or are a fast reader, please read on.

I can’t think of a better place to send you than the American Empire Project, which has been developed by Tom Engelhardt (TomDispatch.com) and Steve Fraser, two editors with long and distinguished careers in publishing.

It’s obvious I’m a Tom Engelhardt fan, having posted about him on February 2nd. He’s my favorite blogger, has written three books and has edited well over 250. My lifetime goal is to read all of them.

If you’re not quite ready to join me in my ambitious project of reading everything Tom has written and edited, start small by going to the American Empire Project booklist. That ought to keep you busy for the next couple of weeks.

And with that, I bid you adieu:

Preview of a review - IT CAN HAPPEN HERE

On March 5, I posted IT CAN HAPPEN HERE -By Joe Conason - My first book review and I'd like your help, and about ten people responded that they would be interested in reading the book and contributing their comments to my review of the book.

My initial impression of the book:

1. In "Acknowledgments," Joe listed 92 people whose writing “informed the book” That’s impressive. I could spend a great deal of time finding out more about all of these people. I recognize about half the names and respect these writers, except for George Will (conservative Washington Post opinion writer).

2. Each chapter stands alone, i.e., you can select any chapter and read it without reading the other chapters at the same time. This is a real plus for those of us who don't have time to sit down and read a book from cover to cover.

3. The book appeals to people who haven’t spent a lot of time keeping up on the “authoritarian peril in the age of Bush,” as well as those of us who read everything we can about the risks to our democracy as long as Bush remains in office.

June, my first-cousin-twice-removed and almost 87 years old (see my February 9 post), sent me her comments. If you’ve read the book, I hope you will send me your comments to “inform the book review,” Gail@GailJonas.com. Because each chapter stands alone, you can send comments limited to one chapter. My plan is to have the review ready to post the first week of May.

IT CAN HAPPEN HERE - by Joe Conason - My first book review and I'd like your help

I’ve decided to write a book review, with the blessings of the editor, Mark LaFlaur,* of Joe Conason’s IT CAN HAPPEN HERE - Authoritarian Peril in the Age of Bush.

This is the first book review I’ve ever written, but if it’s good enough, it will be posted at OpEdNews.com and perhaps elsewhere.

Want to help me? Read the book and send me your comments by April 15th. I like the idea of asking for your input because it appears that Joe got a lot of help from others. In the book’s Acknowledgments, Joe listed many people who “graciously assisted with advice, research, clippings and miscellaneous requests.” He then added, “This book was informed by the work of many writers,” and listed 92 of them!

Like Joe, I plan to do the challenging work of writing something worth reading, but I’m convinced the book review will be much, much better with your help.

*Mark LaFlaur contacted me by e-mail in 2004 as I scoured the country looking for help with challenging the results of the 2004 Presidential election in Ohio. I had no idea who he was or how he found me, but we’ve stayed in touch. Mark became very involved in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. With his wife, Janet, he organized LeveesNotWar.org.

In July of 2006, I learned that Mark is the Senior Editor at Thomas Dunne Books because he sent me The Case for Impeachment, by David Lindorff and Barbara Olshansky, as a thank you gift for my citizen activism. I feel very fortunate to know this man.