Numb

Was watching the news a night or so back, and they had a quick report on progress in Fallujah.

They had a few seconds shot of a US soldier saying they were going systematically from building to building, making each street a "kill zone". My mind heard it and moved on.

And then stopped.

A "KILL ZONE"???? Why didn't that immediately bother the heck out of me? These guys are systematically going door-to-door and killing. Other humans. Their own species. And no-one bats and eyelid.

Yesterday I was randomly blog-browsing and found someone who HAS batted an eyelid. Killing bugs him, just as it bugs me. I don't feel so alone anymore.

I'm sure there are many who feel this complete and utter annihilation of a city is justified. Many want all the terrorists dead, no matter what it takes. But I can't help but feel for the side-effects. An entire city wiped out? Come on! What about the other residents? The ones whose homes are demolished or gutted or have unplanned views through massive holes in the walls? What about the children fleeing in terror at the arrival of these scary men bristling with weapons?

What's left when they leave? Nothing? A ghost town of crumbling buildings and destroyed lives?

Yes, I'm aware of the home-made prison cells, of the emaciated men and corpes they found. Yes, I'm sure they're terrified of the terrorists and wish to eliminate them before being eliminated themselves (you have only to watch any post-9/11 American programme such as NavyNCIS, Sue Thomas FBEye or CSI to learn that Americans are scared/suspicious of anything that comes from the Middle-East and have only one enemy - Bin Laden - with apologies in advance to any American who may now be seething at me, but that's the impression the rest of us get).

But still....

We've become so mind-numbed by the images that flicker on our screens, lulled into acceptance of atrocious acts by leaders who say "it's all for the best, go back to sleep now", hardened by too, too many pictures of nations destroyed, kids maimed, thousands abused and hurt and left to fend for themselves (Sudan's only one of these). New images of more war, more violence, leave us cold. It's just a picture on a screen - it's as real as the movies.

Sometimes the newsreader will say "the images in this next report may be disturbing to sensitive viewers" - yet strangely I'm not disturbed. Shouldn't we ALL be sensitive viewers? Shouldn't these things bug the heck out of us, reduce us to tears, shred our hearts?

Shouldn't we care?

::update::
And then there was this.