Who has gained from the endless “War on Terror”, as it is called, 10 years on? Not the people of Iraq or Afghanistan, or now those in Libya, with threats to take “shock and awe” to other theatres. As one writer points out the threat to security of western countries is economic rather than military, so spending on dropping ever increasingly sophisticated and horrifying weaponry has no point. That is unless you work in the arms industry or have shares in it, as many proponents of the endless war tend to do.
Modern warfare is made endless because of the use of weapons which are supposedly illegal. So cluster bombs continue to kill and maim years after they are used, often deliberately sown towards the end of a conflict to reap a grim harvest of life and limb of the young and innocent for years to come. The US and Israel did this in Vietnam and the Lebanon. An increasingly widely used menace is the drone. Just sit back in your arm chair thousands of miles away and find your target. Kids do it in their living rooms, except they are playing games. Actually they are being programmed to become the next murderers as fantasy becomes a reality. What is the difference?
Yet David Cameron is still able to spout about how everyone has benefited from unleashing terror upon terror. How the wretched in Iraq and Libya have been helped to democracy, their overthrown leaders replaced by unknown, untested, shadowy figures who will bow to western governments demands for the worlds limited resources. The cost? Enough in monetary terms to settle the economic crisis many times over I would guess, but this doesn’t begin to look at the human misery in terms of lost and damaged lives. It doesn’t consider the environmental damage, which has been enormous but hardly registers as a concern in media coverage.
Obama told the world he can change things. He can stop the war. He can close Gitmo. Apparently he can’t, and egged on by the likes of Cameron continues with yet more. A once settled Libya is now open for the taking. Yes there may have been serious concerns about life and liberty there, but this overlooks the concerns that exist in these hypocrites’ own back yard.
Ten years ago Tony Blair bared his chest and placed an image of Britain on it saying “shoot here”. They heard him and obliged!

Across the United States and Europe the battle over the assault on the public is taking off, with a firm response to Britain’s attack on public services, jobs and pensions planned for 30th November, Around 30,000 assembled in Manchester to register their displeasure with the Con bit of this appalling government.
When we take to the streets however can we expect more heavy handed policing to crack down on us for having the temerity to protest against loss of pay and poorer, less safe working conditions? Which of the weapons will you choose to use against us: water canon, rubber coated bullets, cs gas?
What is happening to us as a result of the austerity measures imposed on us by a rich, well-fed elite? More are growing hungry as food bills rise with food supplies controlled by profit-hungry corporations. More will be feeling the chill as energy prices spiral upwards so many will have to choose between going hungry or enduring the cold – probably both. Public services are no longer able to pick up the pieces as councils dispense with experienced staff who ran our “essential services”. No longer essential the most vulnerable are suffering the consequences. Yes Mr Cameron we will fight back you are assured.

Two big questions addressed in articles in today’s Independent. Not new questions and pretty obvious to many of us, but I put them here as markers.
The continuing battles for oil and the hacking down of rain forests are both suicidal projects, long recognised as such. Turning round an oil tanker has long been a description of a difficult task. Given the drivers of today’s controllers of wealth there isn’t even a will to stop the beast. It is being driven forward at an increasing rate of knots taking us towards oblivion. The US is on board, and so in the European Economic Union. Will any individual countries be able to jump ship? Looks as if Greece is about to be pushed with Spain also visibly suffering.
Who is control? Added to this is the power of the corporations with once again Money at the centre.