Benazir Bhutto: When Hope Speaks with Human Voice

Her mother was a Pakistani of Iranian Kurd descent and her father a powerful man. She grew up in a political dynasty well-versed in political intrigue. The underpinnings of her education were from the West. She was part of one of the two most powerful class elements, the landowner class of Pakistan. The counterbalancing power bloc is the military officer class. While her husband spent greater than one of the last two decades in jail, having earned the nickname of “Mr. Ten Percent” for his wheeling and dealing corruption, she alternated between the Muslim intellectual community and dining with the aristocracy of Western Europe. But even in exile, the woman still retained political rule. There is a distinct sub-class of Muslim majority nations, and we would do well to recognize their power. It is the intellectual and political diaspora of Muslims living abroad.

Returning to Pakistan and seizing a narrow window of opportunity she sought to move again within the power grid with her foot upon the sovereign soil. She knew the stakes. And in the end she was buried in manner fit for the class and station in life which was fated to her. She was Benazir Bhutto. And the dead still speak.

Unless you have grown up in an impoverished nation you will not grasp the psychology of her death on the greater population. This psychological dynamic is based on understanding a very simple premise: The impoverished are also usually illiterate. They depend upon a spoken word, a human voice, to galvanize them into action.

I grew up in the Oaxaca valley, one of the poorest regions of Mexico. Housing nine major Indian tribes across the valley and into the mountains of the Sierra Madre, most of the village dwellers were functionally illiterate, speaking their own dialect as a primary language in the home. The poverty was raw and real. The rolling waves of rage across Pakistan do not surprise me as I reflect on my childhood. Squawk boxes ruled the day. Mounted onto old cars they traveled across rutted roads and paths delivering the news of the day. Families would leave their meals and stand outside their doors to catch the words from the raspy commentator. This was how they received their news and formed their opinions beyond the confines of village life. The sound of hammering of nails to erect a platform in the village square for a visiting dignitary would draw an ever-increasing crowd. With one hand-held microphone and a flag in the background the local political party whip would impress upon the illiterate their civic duty. This is the way things are done among the poor.

Mrs. Bhutto represented a voice of hope. Charismatic and with the symbolism of both her bloodline and previous government experience in hand, she looked pretty darn inviting to the crowds who gathered to hear her words. It is interesting how sometimes the same individuals who have done the best job of raping a nation of its wealth and making a mess of things also exhibit the most compassion in the public square. Maybe it is because in their own hearts they know that they are partially to blame for the continued lack of baseline government provision (clean water, education, basic medical care) for the poor of their own nation? Mrs. Bhutto had both successes and failures, but to the poor she represented hope.

Now maybe I am a simpleton. I do know that in the spectrum of options that restoring public order must be the first priority for the Musharraf administration. But having grown up observing the poor nestled into village enclaves high within the mountains of the Sierra Madre I learned one thing. A chicken in every pot certainly does much to power down radical sentiment. Warm and filled tummies are less likely to roam the streets seeking political redress.

Restore order. Let the nation mourn Mrs. Bhutto. But then set up the microphones and send out the squawk boxes. Send the military out not with guns drawn but shouldering fifty pound bags of rice. Throw in a gift of dates. Prophet Muhammad liked dates. See the people trudge home with their gifts. Let a mother send her child to bed with a full stomach. Let a father ponder whether his government might actually give a rip about him. Give the poor a window of hope and then expand the horizon. Impact the poor with a practical display of hope.

Ask America for help, Pakistan. Our hand is extended.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

A Lot to Sift on the Bhutto Assassination

In this information age there is an overwhelming amount of news and commentary flooding the internet regarding the death of Benazir Bhutto. Her own political party, the PPP, has declared forty days of mourning.

With the Chairwoman of PPP gone, Nawaz Sharif's political nest, the PML-N has declared that any election would be null and void because they will boycott the process anyway.

Election be damned at this moment in time. Pakistan has battalion strength military called up and out on the streets trying to quench the rage. Certain areas have a shoot-on-sight allowance to try to quell the unrest. Banks have been looted and torched. A Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut have been set ablaze, as have government buildings and homes. A train track has been blown to smithereens and Hyderabad is seething, while people in other areas have wisely locked themselves in their homes as charred bodies are carted to the hospitals. Cars numbering in the hundreds have been torched. What do you do if a nation moves out on a march?

Rumors and conspiracy theories abound. We really just don't have the facts. But early on, an al-Qaedah commander out of Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu Al-Yazid claimed the glory of the hit belonged to his organization. He claimed that a death squad of the anti-Shia military wing Lashkar-i-Jhangvi was al-Qaedah's calling card. Since then, all militant groups are distancing themselves from this murder and pointing toward an inside job. The truth is out there somewhere and the handful of the few who know, have lip zippers in place. But the damage is done and what has been set in motion with the death of Mrs. Bhutto has lit the fuse on a keg.

I will cover this situation again tomorrow from the angle of psychological dynamics in play for Pakistan. Meantime, things will probably get worse before they stabilize.

Tammy Swofford

Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund

Well folks, it is not too late to make that end of year donation to a charity. Naturally, my recommendation goes to the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund. You can either make a monetary contribution directly to the organization or you can just encourage the man in your life to smell a bit better. Click on this link to purchase Semper Fi Cologne. Twenty dollars of the purchase will be allocated to the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund.

I was looking at the cologne description and was a bit surprised. Personally, Marines in the field usually smell like sweat and gunpowder. Picking up Marines off the hilltops via helo at 29 Palms one summer those guys really needed a good scrubbing with a bar of Ivory soap more than anything. The wet bulb temperature was cooking hot. But a splash of Semper Fi might have helped.

That day I was already sick from the fuel exhaust coming off the back and those crazy pilots were playing map the world and flying at angles that had my spleen thrown up into my chest, and slamming my stomach up to my nostrils in the next maneuver. Flak jacket on and the only enemy in sight was those two damn pilots in the cockpit.

Did I ever tell you that Marine pilots really like taking Navy nurses along to show off their skills? Yeah, they like to make us nauseated and see if we throw up on our boots. Those guys are some sick puppies. Another reason that maybe even a Navy gal needs to carry along some Semper Fi in her cargo pocket.

Anyway, let me post the link again, and consider making the purchase.

Click here for the cologne of the few and the proud!

Tammy

Bhutto Assassination

Readers are interested in my thoughts on the Bhutto assassination. Coming off a sixteen hour shift, there are barely two neurons making a synapse in my brain at this point. Beyond that, I am interested in reading some websites from the Middle East to see how this is playing out on the page from different sources across the world. But off the top of my head and without much forethought, here goes....

Is it a surprise? Not hardly. There was a finger on the trigger long before the foolish dunce got the call to duty and martyrdom. Naturally, all the discernible fingerprints of the guilty-yet-still-living will have been wiped off. And the number of go-betweens from trigger puller to plan-hatcher will be more than the layers of an onion. These things must be done very discreetly, of course. The successful planners will attend the funeral, pay their respects to the family and go on with their lives. They will return to their own homes, tuck their kids in bed and think the world a better place with Mrs. Bhutto now departed.

Our government will be in a diplomatic scramble pattern to come up with a viable "Plan B" for this latest scenario in Pakistan. It is a bit hard to continue glad-clapping for a billion dollars a year aid package for a nation which appears to be flushing its future right down the toilet. What kind of men find it so easy to gun down women in the street?

Tammy Swofford

Osama bin Ladin: A heartbeat away

"Time keeps on slippin, slippin, slippin, into the future."
*From “Fly Like an Eagle" by Steve Miller


Does it hack off anyone else that Osama bin Ladin still retains the breath of life in his lungs? The song by Steve Miller has been roaming through my mind the last couple of days, thinking about justice for a man who is morally corrupt but awfully smart when it comes to tactics and evasion. And like the song, he sought revolution. But he has not fed the babies, put shoes on children or provided houses for the people. If seeds of revolution do not bring the flower of government and infrastructure, than the revolutionist and the band who followed with blind, unthinking obedience must be condemned. Failures, all of them.
Look at America's revolution for independence. End of discussion.

So I remain somewhat comforted with the obvious: Time is slipping into the future for this man. Whether he is handed over by his own through a process of duplicity, captured or brought into custody by other means counts less for me as I sing the words to Steve Miller's song today. Time is slippin' for the man.

Historical timeline is an interesting concept. Osama bin Ladin certainly understands it. I believe he chose the date of 9/11 based on historical timeline. September 11th was the anniversary of the death of another “freedom fighter”, one whose hands were not to be remembered in such bloody state. M. Ali Jinnah, considered the Qaid-i-Azam of Pakistan, died on September 11, 1948.

Already holding ties to Jamaat-e-Ulema-Islaami, Osama bin Ladin undoubtedly considered himself both a scholar and on matched intellectual scale with men such as Ali Jinnah when the date for the attack went from anti-West political thought to vigorous thrust on the planning board. Undoubtedly any future attack proportionate to 9/11 will be tied into the immense psychological need this man has for recognition. Why else are we subjected to the churned out videos of Al-Qaida and the gang reminding us of why they are right? Anyway, when another attack is waged successfully we won’t recognize the date for what it is. But the significance will exist within a timeline. Betcha ten bucks.

But back to the time slippin into the future.... The first breath of life is also the first breath toward eventual death. Not trying to be morbid, but human historical timeline is a degradable product because, well, we are biodegradable. The time line which is corruptible within the finite confines of mortality does encounter the gatekeeper into the next timeline, which is eternity. Death equalizes all men in the end. So time is a product of the past but it also slips into the future for most of us when we are caught unawares. We enter the parallel universe of the Eternal. One heartbeat away from death. Yeah, I like to think of Osama bin Ladin in such manner. The gatekeeper will catch up with the man. Time is slippin'.

Surah al-Zalzalah

Tammy Swofford

Grief-Snatchers at the Graveside

After reading the link posted here, let me throw out the usual caution to the readership. Always read with a filter. This news item is murky and possibly misleading in a couple of areas. It states, "....about 150 nurses and community members rallied...." It is interesting that the nurses were placed first in this sentence, which would make the reader believe that the vast majority of the crowd consisted of nurses. Personally, I doubt it. The article also mentions four physicians making appeal to the insurance carrier. It does not specify specialties or subspecialties. In my mind, that would have a bearing on the case. Now on to the blog.
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What is one of the worst things a family can opt to do when leaving the graveside of a deceased child? Think about it a moment. Is it possible that securing a lawyer to file a wrongful death lawsuit brings a grief-snatcher to the graveside?

When a child dies, parents have lost something precious. There can be an overwhelming sense that a robbery has taken place. Not only has the child been robbed of their future, but the deposits into the memory bank of life come to a skidding halt for dad and mom. No more birthday parties to plan, need for a college fund or money for a daughter's future wedding dress. No more hockey sticks or trips to the dentist. The last shopping trip for clothes was accomplished alone. The mortician awaited that last outfit to be placed on the young human who died prior to adulthood. Another ritual follows. Favorite items of the child are placed into the casket in tender memory. But now the hearse has moved off. It is time for the family to go home. It is time for a season of grief.

Since you can’t sue God, someone must pay for this emotional assault which is hard to bear. But is any family thinking clearly when a child has just been placed into the ground?

I believe that lawsuits brought early in the grieving process can delay and prolong grief. I think they can also bring unhealthy response to derail family dynamics in place that can assist in healing the emotional wounds of death of a child.

Grief needs expression and it requires time. It is a journey that must be walked out both alone and at others times with someone holding our hand. But it is a step by step process toward a destination. And the end-point of grief can be a return to wholeness and enjoyment of life for those who choose the right path. But it is a tricky path with a lot of curves. An early lawsuit, is like staking emotions into the ground. The journey ceases. Bitterness comes. The destination is no longer restoration of emotional health but focuses on “winning” for that which has been “lost” and cannot be replaced. The family member can become stalled in the anger stage of grief and neglect moving toward resolution.

In this particular case it is my hope that the lawyer will have a bit of integrity and realize that he is dealing with a grieving family, not an insurance company which has intentionally dealt with malice toward a client. Nataline had leukemia that was overwhelming her body. She had a failed bone marrow transplant. She was not a good candidate for a liver transplant. To give her a donated liver, would be robbing another family with a child with greater chance of survivability and longevity a real shot at life. Even should Nataline have survived the liver transplant, it is likely that the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent for transplantation, aftercare and immunosuppressive drugs would have been to no avail. Nataline would still die, but just along a slower, prolonged and futile experimental medical path. Cigna made the right decision based on realistic scientific outcomes, not lack of compassion. I can't fathom the desperation of a family fighting for a child. I have viewed it from afar with a friend whose own son died of leukemia after a bone marrow transplant and last-ditch trip to Mexico for experimental Laetrile. The little boy succumbed to his leukemia. Nataline succumbed to her leukemia too.

Mr. Sarkisyan needs to take his family home. The family needs to cry, take long naps, eat nourishing food and as soon as possible resume their routines. They need comfort. They won’t find that comfort moving through the legal system giving depositions during a time of acute grief.

There is plenty of time to file that lawsuit in the months after you have buried your child. But if you find yourself in the same situation please think long and hard before contacting a lawyer in the early stages of loss.

Go home and grieve. You owe it to your own heart. And in the quietness of safe passage through grief after the shadows have lengthened, the darkness been fought and light dawned again, move forward.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

In Response to Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of the heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' Therefore since we are God's offspring we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone - an image made by man's design and skill. In the past god overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent."

Book of Acts, 17:24-30 (NIV)

Merry Christmas, friends!

Tammy

JESUS

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be
upon His shoulder.
And his name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
there will be no end.

Isaiah 9:6,7 (NKJ version)

Saturday Blog

Next week Christians move into the celebration of one of their most joyous of holidays. The Monday and Tuesday blogs will reflect the Christian faith. It is my faith, and the faith of my fathers.

Beginning Wednesday, the blog will return with its commentary style of analysis. But the posts will be running three or possibly four days a week for two reasons:

*I am writing a political brief.

*Already, a request has been made for a speech in 2008 to a large group. Things of such nature are not usually on a short lead time, but I need to research quite a bit to match the target demographic, which is made up of CEO's who do business on a global scale. My brain is small, so it will require a growth curve for me. smile

Best of wishes to all my community, especially the working class: women who will cook a huge meal, host families, and clean up the mess whilst the ruling class watches football and reaches for a third piece of pie. smile

Tammy

Somalia: Least Desirable Flight Destination

“The white man came to Africa and gave us the Bible. He taught us to pray. While we prayed he stole our land. Now we have the Bible and he has the land.”

The first time I heard this quote was from a dear friend, an Islamic scholar. Since that time, I have seen this quote in various forms and attributed to different recognizable names. This commonly known saying, especially in the sub-Saharan regions of Africa, is part of a resentment-laden chip upon the shoulders of many Africans today for the history of British colonialism in previous centuries.

Emerging from these shadows of thought there exists today a resurgent counterculture theological backlash which seeks radical and violent attainment of long-since decolonized plots of land in Africa for reestablishment of Islam as both seat of government and way of life. But the tribalism of the past which functioned in an environment where only the strong survived, and the weak died off is now being fueled by a jihadism which is bringing absolute butchery to a nation. No more clearly can this be seen than by taking a look at Somalia and their current state of upheaval. This Horn of Africa nation is in complete chaos. From the mortar fire being rocketed into the marketplaces of Mogadishu to dismembered bodies on the street, this is a populace out of control, in the streets and on the run.

Historically, Arab and Persian tribes began to settle along this area being drawn to the Gulf of Aden as a desirable region to establish trading posts and caravan routes. Many of the Somali people today find their ancestors in the genetic pool coming from the people of Yemen who migrated into the region.

Great Britain took possession of this chunk of change in 1839 to protect their own trade routes and in 1887 this area became a British Protectorate administrated through the British Foreign Office as a dependency of Aden. The Portuguese, Italian and even Chinese found the real estate valuable for a time. The U.N. brokered Somali independence on July 1, 1960 when the former Italian Somaliland combined with the British Somaliland to create the nation of Somalia.

But as we all know, “independence” does not always equate with “gift for governance”. The British missionaries may have brought the Bible to the continent, but those poor souls who slaved among the Africans, many of them giving their blood, sweat and tears to the soil of Africa, bear no personal blame for the miserable state of affairs in Somalia today. Having the optic nerves wired to the backs of the head is not the solution at this point. Somalia needs solutions, in real time.

Things have never been politically stable, merely minimally politically manageable for the nation of Somalia. Somalia is made up of a 98 percent Sunni Muslim demographic which is further subdivided among six major clans. Tribalism and a nomadic herdsman way of life are the norm for the vast majority of these people. But the upheaval in current years has caused overgrazing of herds and decreased crop yields to feed the local population. After President Shirmarke was assassinated on 15 July 1969, Major General Muhammad Siad Barre took the reins of the nation declaring Somalia a socialist state. In the late 1980’s a coalition of tribal leaders began to formulate plans to overthrow the government and this was accomplished in January of 1991. Mr. Barre fled Mogadishu, landing in Nigeria, where he died approximately four years later of a heart attack.

This nation is in a continuous political free fall. If you have read “Black Hawk Down” the book gives a glimpse of the hurdles of tribalism which made outside assistance to the region nearly impossible. The tribal war lords controlled the access to outside food aid and support and government corruption was rampant. Beyond that, they were unable to establish any effective coalition government and they turned on each other with more vengeance than they had poured out on President Barre when push came to shove. No ability to govern beyond the constraints of the clan or subclan existed.

The current Ethiopian-backed government retains control of probably less than twenty percent of the nation. Hussein Mohamud, a government spokesman, states that the fighting which rages in central Somalia between the military wing of the Islamic Courts Union (which had previously held the southern regions of Somalia) and Ethiopian-backed troops is bad enough. More worrisome is the reconstitution among the ranks with indigenous and foreign fighters who are joining hands for the fight for the glory of Allah. Unfortunately, all of this stupidity has allowed for 700,000 displaced persons, mortar attacks hitting the capital of Mogadishu, and the things we just don’t like to think about like the rape of women and starvation of children. Personally, I think about half of them have no idea “what” they are fighting for, but anarchy and the lack of an effective centralized government does make for poor choices on the ground.

Tammy Swofford

Practical Blessings: From America to Iraq

My brother John has cerebral palsy and has resided in a wheelchair since early childhood. Before he had his first wheelchair my parents would prop him in a little box surrounded by pillows. He was unable to hold his head up for several years and was a floppy little guy. I remember putting on his long leg braces and having bruised and bloodied fingers from trying to lock the knees into place. Unless you have lived alongside a handicapped child, it is hard to fathom how medical equipment and supplies make the lives of these children and their families more bearable. My eyes were moist with tears after these photos were sent to me. I know first hand, what a wheelchair means to a child who has previously just been carted around in a parents' arms. The wheelchair, makes them feel autonomous and more independent.

Some stories are just better told with pictures.

Please view this link today.


Tammy

Mike Huckabee: Not a Political Shape Shifter

Mike Huckabee is not a political shape shifter. That is why this former governor of what is considered by some as a backwater state now closes the gap for the lead in the GOP presidential race. Three times now, I have received the debate clip from YouTube in my mail with Mr. Huckabee hammering the moderator when asked about his stance on a Creationary God. He delivers hard and fast and makes no apology. It appears the blog readership is taking a good look at him.

Scanning his website, Mr. Huckabee does not mince words and he speaks his mind. Gays are homosexuals, divorce is a disaster and the man is downright pithy saying things like the following under his section on marriage: “What’s the point of keeping terrorists at bay in the Middle East if we can’t keep decline and decadence at bay here at home?” The man has a point. Honest Abe, and people gravitate toward that type of person.

The other day reporters tried to create a political scandal pulling up an old quote where MickeyBee mused that people with AIDS should be placed under quarantine. How do I feel about that? Yawn…. Pass the plate of cookies. I think stupid people should be quarantined. But there are not enough acres in Kansas to house all of them, so I guess we just let them roam around. Next question?

You know, I much prefer that the next president of the United States not be embroiled in weeks of defending his stance that he did not have sex with a woman. We found out soon enough that he was getting a send up in the Oval Office by a woman young enough to be his daughter. I haven’t purchased a blue dress since then. I certainly didn’t buy anything from Ms. Lewinski’s purse line when it came out. I figured they all had little inside zipper compartments to hold condoms.

I certainly prefer that the ultimate shape shifter, Senator Hillary Clinton, not put us through hell during the next term with her own political style. Pro-NAFTA or anti-NAFTA? Which one is it, Hillary? Pro-partial birth abortion or against? Selective bad memory or is it changing "beliefs" for political leverage? She and Bill just need to take care of their billion dollar foundation and Bill can keep giving speeches in Dubai. Hillary needs to see a therapist to find out why it took her so long to find those F.B.I. files and maybe Bill can also write another book. Lord knows former President Jimmy Carter keeps writing books for no apparent reason.

Mitt and Rudy have done their fair share of shape shifting. Edwards and McCain have managed to stay a bit more on track. I appreciate them both for their integrity. Obama will continue with his "American Idol" show and Thompson will continue to be the steady plodder. He seems to be a decent man who reminds us that across America, we retain a great treasure in voting and expressing our national voice at the polls.

Mike Huckabee brings something unique and wonderful to this election. He brings tension. Yes, a healthy tension among all of the candidates to just spit it out and be honest with us. Don’t tell me what you “believe” after the Catholic Diocese in Dallas tells you what to believe or after the NAACP threatens to pull away their vote. Don’t harden your stance or soften your stance on anything. Please don’t hit me with any political crap. Just tell me the truth as you see it. Mr. Huckabee will force all of the candidates to be more forthright. Honesty is always a decloaking device. And there are just too many Klingons in the race.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Hajj: Part II

"And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways." Qur'an 22:27

Ahmed stepped off the stifling hot, cramped bus onto the equally hot streets of Yalamlam. Carrying a small satchel which contained his clothing for proper Ihram and his prayer mat under the other arm, he made his way toward the nearest bustling marketplace stall to buy a small meal. Forty-nine years old, a devout Sunni Muslim, this was his first opportunity to make the pilgrimage. He had scrupulously saved money for two years. Toward the end, he had borrowed a month's wage from a more prosperous cousin. Today he was at meeqat, or the designated place where he was required to adopt Ihram prior to entering Makkah.

Moving on through side streets which mazed along in haphazard fashion he soon found himself in front of a small home which doubled as a hotel during the month of Zul-Hijjah. Being directed to a closet-sized room with a small bed, chair and not much else he was suddenly overcome with homesickness. Missing his wife he was glad to be traveling alone. Forbidden during this time, was sexual intercourse with his spouse. (2:197 translation by Shakir) Having such a small bed on which to stretch his frame, helped. His wife was big with child and not much in the mood anyway.

His hostess with her stooped back and weathered hands had placed a rusted tin pail with water next to the chair. Using a siwaak to clean his teeth he then proceeded to perform Wudoo (ritual cleansing for prayer). When he was done he gave Du’aa. Allaahumaj-‘alnee minat- Tawwaaabeena waj- ‘alnee minal-mutatah-hireen. With his supplications completed he reclined to sleep.

In the morning he took two pieces of unstitched cloth. Carefully wrapping the first from the waist to below the knees, in keeping with proper hijab, he then took the second and wrapped it around his shoulders and covered the remaining upper portion of his body to the waist. Seeing a small mouse in the corner observing his actions he thought to himself, “Even the mouse knows the season and is unafraid.” Hunting is forbidden during this time. No predatory actions are to be taken. The mouse was momentarily safe. (5:1 and 5:95 translation by Pickthal) Moving quickly to the street Ahmed began to recite Talbiyah as he moved toward Makkah.

Approaching the Ka’bah, Ahmed began Tawaf. This is the action of walking seven times in counterclockwise direction around the Ka’bah, using the black stone at the corner, as the count off point for the rotations. It was beginning to be very crowded so this action took some time. After Ahmed finished he performed Salat and drank a bit of Zamzam water for his health. Next, was the task of walking between the hills of Safa and Marwah, as did Hajrah, the wife of Ibrahim. (2:158 translation by Rashad Khalifa) Completing these tasks allows for the abbreviated “Umra" or a lesser Hajj. Those less physically capable have now fulfilled their duty and the head is shorn or the hair is shortened, the Ihram clothing is removed and one is done. The remaining throng moves on to Mena, to spend the night. It is believed that this is the location where Ibrahim took his son, for sacrifice. (2:203 translation by Khalifa)

The next morning the crowd walks to the plain of Arafat. An imam gives a Khutbah (sermon) and the people spend time making supplication, asking for Allah’s forgiveness. (Qur'an 7:199,200) After the sun sets the people move to Muzdalifah, perform their evening prayers and go to sleep with the sky their canopy if they are not within a tent. In their possession, each man now has 49 small pebbles for the task of the next day. It will be time to stone Satan. After the pebbles are thrown, animal sacrifices made, (Qur’an 22:36) the hair is shortened or shaved, and the special clothing is removed.

Tawaf Ifadah (departure walk-around of the Ka'bah) is performed by Ahmed and he then prepares to journey to Madinah to see the Prophet’s Masjid. (mosque) Although tired he is also exhilirated. It is beyond the feelings he had when his firstborn son was placed into his arms and he recalled the sacrificial obedience of Ibrahim. Beyond the joy, when his first daughter was born, recalling the words of the Rasool regarding baby girls, that they were not to be buried alive. He would return to Yemen. He would proclaim the Da'wah of Allah.

*Muslims believe that this monetary expense, which is extremely sacrificial, is not only a duty, but of benefit. (Qur’an 22:33) Beyond the expense is the emotional investment and reward for the Muslim to gather with upwards of a million fellow adherents to the Islamic faith during the month of Dhul-Hijjah for the Hajj.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Hajj: Part I

Read! In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher who created – Created man out of a clot of blood. Al ‘Alaq 1,2

This is where the the Qur’an begins. Surah 96:1,2 (Al ‘Alaq) is translated as “The Clot”. In more progressive translations into English, such as the one by Dr. Rashad Khalifa, it is titled “The Embryo”.

So as we move through two days of learning about Hajj, you will find Qur’anic reference in parenthesis with both surah and ayat in numerical form. The Surah is the chapter and the ayat is the verse or verses. You will see more usage of Qur’an in the second blog as the riturals of Hajj are described. But for now, let’s take a historical glimpse back to one of the revered prophets of Islam. To do so we need to look at the Muslim story of Prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar and son Ishmael. (Ibrahim, Hajrah and Isma’il, in Arabic.)

Taking components of both the Biblical and Qur’an story of Ibrahim, Muslims believe that Ibrahim, rejecting the idolatry of his father’s people was sentenced to be burnt alive in the city of Ur of Mesopotamia. Allah miraculously saved him by cooling the flames of fire around him. Initially Ibrahim settled in Palestine. Allah later tested Ibrahim by direct command. (amr) He was to travel by southward pilgrimage to an area now know as Makkah. Once there, he received the word to leave his wife Hajrah and his infant son Isma’il there alone. Hajrah soon became thirsty, exploring between two small hills looking for water. She noticed a small spring coming from the ground, known today by the name Zamzam. According to Islam’s history, this spring still flows and thirsty pilgrims performing Hajj still quench their thirst from this source. After approximately a decade, Ibrahim returned to Makkah and found his wife and son alive. It was here, that he received a dream to sacrifice his son. Satan appeared in fleshly form to dissuade Ibrahim. Both he and his son threw stones at Satan to drive him off. This act figures today in performance of Hajj. Satan appeared three times and each time, received the same response. All three spots where temptation came are marked with obelisks to symbolize Satan. Rocks are thrown at Satan to this day.

Ibrahim did not sacrifice his son. Allah provided a ram and Ibrahim was given the promise that from his loins would be a great nation of people. Asking Allah if this promise was to be for all his progeny Ibrahim received response. The promise was for the children of Ibrahim who did not transgress the law of Allah. (2:124).

Tradition dictates that each pious Muslim must seek to perform the pilgrimage to Makkah at least once during their lifetime. The exemptions are financial hardship, disability and concern for personal safety. Money for the journey must be earned in lawful manner and not borrowed. The participant must provide for remaining family members in his absence. (In other words, don’t leave the wife and kiddies to starve while you are gone. smile) Those with poor health can sponsor another in their stead. And during times of war or if there is concern for safety, the journey is not to be taken.

Tomorrow we will look more specifically at the clothing and personal hygiene for Hajj, things which are prohibited, and rituals which are observed. The complete Hajj ritual takes a total of five days and begins on the 8th of Zul-Hijjah and ends on the 12th of Zul-Hijjah which is the 12th month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. Many Muslims take a full two weeks vacation for this event so that while they are in the area they may also visit Madinah to take a little side trip to the Prophet's Mosque.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Islamic Distance Learning

It is time for our monthly Islamic Distance Learning. There is nothing more pressing for the Ummah (Muslim community of believers) at this moment than the pilgrimmage to Makkah, or the Hajj.

Beyond viewing a sea of white standing in rank, bowing and standing erect and knowing that over a million Muslims are engaged in throwing stones at the Devil, what do you know about this event? What are the rituals, why is it done? Who is allowed to participate and what exemptions apply? What are the dates? For the next two days we will cover this topic.

It is also big business anytime over one million travelers move into one locale for one event. Here is the link of information from the House of Saud. See you later today with the first blog!

Tammy

Life According to Epictetus

Everything can be said to have two handles; one by which you can bear the thing, and one by which you cannot. If, say, your brother commits some unjust act against you, do not grasp the affair by the handle of his injustice, for you can't bear it that way; rather grasp it by the opposite handle, that is, that he is your brother and has been raised up with you; thus you will grasp the affair in such a way that you can bear it.

Epictetus


Epictetus was the son of a slave woman born in Hieropolis in Phyrgia somewhere between 50-60 A.D. After obtaining his freedom he started a school of philosophy in Nicopolis. One of his students was a Roman citizen of note, Flavius Arrian. Some of the words of Epictetus are preserved for us in “The Enchiridion” which is a compendium of thought on Stoicism. It makes for short actual reading but requires long moments of reflection.

Which handle are you holding today? I have contemplated this matter and assessed my own life. Injustice comes to all. Humans are not inherently just in actions and attitude. Life is also not fair. Life is not about being birthed into beauty but being birthed into existence and experience. We don’t get to control either the length or crooked turns our lives may take along the way. But we do get to live. What an incredible gift!

Life always happens when we are making other plans. We can plan a wedding and receive the news that our daughter has been killed by a drunk driver. The plan can be to have a child and then find that a husband has an incurable illness. I sat with a dear friend at the bedside of her hospitalized husband while she talked of the death of hope. Days later, this young husband died from leukemia. My friend was a childless widow at 22 years of age. Easy to grasp the wrong handle on that one. It all seemed so unfair.

Sometimes there is no one to blame. But the crooked finger of accusation must point to something lest we lose our wits trying to sort it all out. So if nothing else, we blame God. Someone has to take the hit for an absolutely miserable state of affairs. Things happen in our lives that are unbearable. Absolutely.

I have always cringed when people have given me a salted offering to irritate an emotional wound: “God will never give you more than you can bear.” Too many times such words have been empty comfort in time of sorrow. I prefer a hug. Life IS more than we can bear some days. My own life enters into and out of those seasons. It is part of the human experience. But I have found the stoicism of Epictetus to be a small part of the key to moving through grief.

It is always easy to stir the pot of bitterness. The harder course of action is to find the ladle of hope. It is easy to harbor unforgiveness. The harder task, to forgive those who have failed and dealt with us in poor manner. And it takes exemplary courage to not blame God for things not understood.

There are times when I look at my own life and see a Greek tragedy. Other times my life is sheer comedy. I love those moments on the stage best. Life is never tied up into a neat little bundle. Hardships come. But it is inherently better to remain within the bundle of the living, in spite of it all. The trick is to grasp the right handle.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

It’s Fleece the Suckers Season

One person’s tragedy is another’s opportunity, which is why so many so-called veterans’ aid charities are keeping so much of what they raise for themselves. Like Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) recently said “Nobody is happy about losing lives but remember these are not draftees, these are full-time professional soldiers.”
The gentleman from Kentucky was, as usual, spouting falsehoods. Most of those full-time professionals are reserve and National Guardsmen, Cincinnati who left their plows when their country called. Something else that the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky knows nothing about, having never bothered to serve in the military.
The senior senator is not alone in his disrespect for the men and women who have stepped forward. Roger Chapin, a 75-year-old veteran of the Army Finance Corps and a San Diego real estate developer is another. Chapin created Help Hospitalized Veterans in 1971. Last year, the charity raised $71.3 million and gave less than a third of that to the people it claims it is helping. Mr. Chapin pocketed $426,434 in salary and benefits while his wife was paid $113, 623 for editing the “charity’s” newsletter, according to the American Institute of Philanthropy.
Then, there is Soldier’s Angels, a Pasadena Calif. based fund founded by Patti Patton Bader, niece of Gen. George S. Patton. The deal here is that people can buy things on the Soldier’s Angel website which will be shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan. Among the items are boots and a backpack filled with t-shirts, shorts and health and comfort items for wounded soldiers in field hospitals. Neither item is necessary. If a soldier or Marine needs new boots, he can “survey” the worn out pair at no cost. Field hospitals have clothing, tooth brushes and razors for the troops.
The Institute tracked 29 charities which claim to benefit veterans and found that 12 of them were doing a completely unacceptable job of passing any of what they raised to the people they said they were raising it for.
The 12 conned $266 million from an unsuspecting public that actually thought it was supporting the troops. These include: the Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, the AMVETS National Service Foundation, American Ex-Prisoners of War Service Foundation, American Veterans Coalition, American Veterans Relief Foundation, Disabled Veterans Association, Freedom Alliance, National Veterans Service Fund, NCAO National Defense Foundation, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and VietNow National Headquarters. Not all these outfits are crooked. It is just that the people they say they are raising money for don’t see more than one-third of what is raised, if that.
On the other side, the Institute gives an A to the following: Air Force Aid Society, Armed Services YMCA of the USA, Army Emergency Relief, Fisher House Foundation, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.
If you are feeling charitable, make sure your money is going where you want it to.

Tom Gordon

Tsg0008@sbcGlobal.net

Hatf VII

What did you accomplish on Tuesday? Did you wrap up a project or watch the stock market all day? Shuttle kids to soccer play and harp lessons? This lowly nurse worked thirteen hours and collapsed in bed after eating a bowl of Cheerios for dinner. Meanwhile, on the international stage things of greater importance unfolded.

India last tested their missile defense system on 6 December. Bound to India by a history of territorial fights and reciprocal hatred, Pakistan fired off another test launch of the cruise missile Hatf VII five days later on December 11th. This indigenous nuclear-capable flying carpet claims near magical powers. With a range of approximately 700 kilometers, 1.5 tons in weight and and 22 feet in length the configured payload capability will be a 250 kilogram nuclear warhead when Pakistan gets all of the design modifications into place. Terrain-hugging and tricky enough to avoid detection, they have added a nice product to their armament shelf.

Pakistan is not near the strategic deterrence capabilities of nations such as Israel, where back in 2000 is believed to have conducted an exercise using their Dolphin class subs to test retaliatory response against pre-emptive nuclear attack. A submarine-based launch of cruise missiles is off the scale compared to any land-based capabilities. Although the Hatf VII has a state of the art guidance system, good maneuverability and accuracy of target acquisition, a SAM (surface to air missile) suffers the constraints of a geographic land lock compared to any submarine running silent and deep through international waters with their own missile launch silo. Pakistan continues to lag behind their competitor, India, with regards to strategic sea and air capabilities, but will obviously continue to make strides toward equilibrium of strategic power.

Egypt has their Romeo class subs, Iran has their Kilo-class and Israel's acquisition and possible modifications of the Tekumah continues to put them at the top of their game. But it is the U.S. which maintains the lead with the most efficient attack sub community and Fleet operations available for a multi-tiered response to threat and strong deterrence.

But any nation with ability to bring its science community together and move from design table, to development and launch of cruise missiles with an updated look places that nation within a select community where nation observes nation. And what looks like a twitch to the general community can create a spasm among the players. In the case of Pakistan, it is important to understand the words of Chairman JCS General Tariq Majid. With the launch of the Hatf VII he vowed strong response to any international pressure placed upon Pakistan to gain control of his nation’s nuclear arsenal.

Tammy Swofford

India

A blog reader just returned from a trip to India. He treated me to his photo album which chronicled his adventures. Many of his pictures capture moments in time of ordinary life in agrarian regions of India. This picture, was taken at a boys school. This is the school cafeteria and shows their free lunch program! smile Check out the paper plates which also double as place mats! Not only are they pleasing to the eye, but they can be returned to Mother Earth.

The bowls are sturdy enough to hold liquid. They are sewn together with little splinter-like "needles". They hold the dal, which is the curry which accompanies the rice. These children prefer the dal on top of their rice. They receive this same meal, twice a day. Not a grain of rice is left.

Some of our brightest Americans enriching our nation today came from humble beginnings in small local schools in foreign lands. From poor families, yet gifted with intellect and tenacity, they have sacrificed much to become American citizens.

We need to reflect on our many blessings. Americans by birth do not always grasp the struggles of foreign nationals to make it to our shores. We do not always consider the plight of parents who give up their own dreams on the altar of sacrifice to offer their children a better life.

Tammy Swofford

The WinBama Show

Oprah Winfrey has assumed a new role: Surrogate mother. Impregnated with the ideals of a presidential contender, if she can carry this thing to the end, Ms. Winfrey will give birth to a man’s highest dream and Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States of America.

Packing in a crowd of almost 30,000 hyped and happy Americans into a football stadium over the weekend for the WinBama Show, Ms. Winfrey is exercising her right to free speech and entering onto a stage of advocacy for the candidate of her choice. This has certainly been done in the past, with various well-known Hollywood types entering the world of political endorsement. These things can be tricky though, because they can reach a point where they backfire on the candidate because of voter distaste for such things.

I much prefer the fire and passion of a candidate to carry their message from conception to birth without a surrogacy process. I enjoy reading the speeches of wonderful men who wrote messages with their own pen, in their own handwriting. Some of the greatest speeches of all time were written with pens dipped into inkwells placed on desks made of unvarnished woods. The succinct ideas of leading men of letters or political thought should not be accomplished with the craftsmanship of ghost writers or campaign leprechauns. There should not be a front man to deliver the message, and the messenger's own words must beckon our conscience and national thought. For those reasons, we remember the words of great men today. The words of Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and others ring out across the generations for present day Americans. What words will we remember from the Winbama Show? Or will we merely grasp an image devoid of substance? For me, Barack Obama is short on experience, long on charm, and too quick with a solution. These are not the "top three" on my list for consideration.

To remind you of an example of greatness of thought which leapt from a wellspring of emotion both seasoned from pain, and birthed from a furnace of mature political fire, take a moment and read the speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a great orator of his time. But as for the WinBama Show, may it soon sputter out.

Click on this link.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Mitt Romney: Democracy in Motion

"If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause and no one interest. A president must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States of America." Mitt Romney, 6 December 2007


Humans serve God. Governments serve humans. When will we get this concept right once and for all? Presidential contender Mitt Romney has brought the concept of democracy into focus within the confines of two simple sentences. His words need to ring clearly throughout the electorate in the coming months.

Government is an instrument of the people. When instituted lawfully, executed carefully and guarded prudently it brings much gain to the common man.

Our American government functions in such manner that each of us are afforded opportunity to serve God with both acts of worship and conscience if they do not harm our fellow man. But it is NOT the function of our government to preserve or elevate the belief of any one group above the other. We are a democracy, not a theocracy.

That being said, it is also the right of each citizen to work within the community structure, moving upward through layers of government for the common good. Each citizen must cast their vote for the candidate who best represents their views.

The words of Mr. Romney are a call for the political emancipation of our presidential contenders. I cut my teeth on politics within the ranks of the grass roots movement of the Moral Majority during the Reagan era. I remember the heady feelings of power as the Christian Right began to move out of the shadows and onto the stage of national politics. From phone banks, to marching in street protests,to passing out flyers and stuffing envelopes at campaign headquarters, I have seen and done it all at the community level. I still support the right of my Christian community to move into strong play in politics.

But now it is now time to let the political pendulum swing back toward the middle and needful adjustment. No candidate should bear the burden of being a political hostage to any religious group or for that matter, any power bloc or political action committee. I am weary of the handcuffing of our presidential contenders from speaking directly to us and from their hearts for fear of the Christian Right, a gay alliance, pro-immigrant group, etc. I am ready for political unity based on the raising of our national vision beyond religion or personal agenda to see the greater and encompassing needs of our nation met.

My vote will be cast for the one person whom I believe to have the broadest experience, wisdom and tenacity to assume the position of a powerful world leader. My vote will be cast as it always has been cast, for the person with a gift to govern the affairs of our nation.

Mitt Romney may not get my vote. It is too soon to make that decision. But he has my respect. He has stated a truth of which we need to be reminded: Governments serve humans. They do not serve God.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Keeping With the Highest Traditions

Beyond the news of Abu Ghraib, the subsequent court martials and penalties, there has been ongoing debate as to what are allowable interrogation methods. From the least to the greatest the public has pondered what constitutes torture. Senator McCain (R-Arizona) has been a strong voice on the stage, especially against waterboarding. We now find presidential contender Mike Huckabee falling in line with Senator McCain. My own reflection over the months has caused me to form structured conclusions which are not far removed the belief system I had prior to Abu Ghraib, and for that matter, prior to military service.

*We are Americans. We must not engage moral equivalency.

In presenting some of the brutality faced by our own POW’s in the past it would be simple enough to discount the actions committed at Abu Ghraib as those of inept fools without proper oversight within chain of command. Piling naked bodies into human pyramids can look like child’s play compared to what our own soldiers have endured when incarcerated in other wars. It is also easier to justify retaliatory brutality, when brutality was initiated on us with the events of 9/11 and subsequent images we endured such as the beheadings of Americans Daniel Pearl and Nick Berg. But the fallacy of moral equivalency remains, no matter the action or circumstance up for review. Moral equivalency allows for deconstruction of thought producing few solutions. It is the reasoning of lazy men. Personally, I am not able to degrade my own humanity to the level of some of the inhumanity seen in a post 9/11 environment. The days in which we live require keeping with the highest traditions. They require holding tightly to the values which have served us well in the past.

*We are Americans. We must not engage hypocrisy.

Using our core military document, the UCMJ, to legally prosecute the participants at Abu Ghraib was a necessary course of action to restore good order and discipline. But turning around and using other governments with history of human rights abuses to host some of our U.S. government’s detainees effectively erases the line of demarcation for custody and liability of prisoners under the Geneva Convention.

Is it remotely possible that our nation has moved forward based on bad legal advice? Do judges and lawyers need guidance in some of these issues themselves? In other words, did we hold our Department of Justice to be infallible in the decision-making process regarding treatment of prisoners? This has been addressed in broad legal manner in United States vs. Alstoetter. If our Department of Justice has fielded faulty advice, then it becomes necessary for others within the law profession to apply enough extrinsic pressure to correct the process. I am not smart on this particular front. But I trust those of the legal community to self-govern in this regard. For myself, I consider it a lowering of our national conscience to allow our detainees to fall into the hands of those with a known history of brutal torture of their own citizens. I find it incompatible with my military core values that any prisoner within our custody would suffer torture.

We are Americans: We retain the right to secure dangerous individuals who pose threat.

Our government is the first line of defense so that Americans may dwell in peace to conduct their business and seek a prosperous life. Part of this security package includes the right to properly interrogate any person who is detained and suspected of either coordinating, providing courier services, safe harbor or actual plan activation of another terror attack against Americans. We must also vigorously reactivate further use of HumInt (human intelligence) to thwart attacks prior to occurrence. So I support the detainment, without torture, of those within our custody who pose continued threat to our government. I support professional interrogation within well-defined and understood guidelines.

As a military officer I applaud Senator McCain and Mr. Huckabee for their stance against waterboarding and use of torture to secure information from detainees. I have pondered this question much: "What if through such means we gain information which saves American lives?" But my conscience echoes reply: "What if we lose what it means to be an American?" We will lose more than lives, at greater national cost in the end. For Americans are not pulsing flesh alone. It is the intangibles of America which make us strong. It is our goodness which makes us great and our honor which sustains our course. I wish to gift my children with such things.

The American military has a strong history of holding to the highest traditions even under the stress of war. My hope is that we will preserve our honor in this regard for the future generations of men and women who will follow in our stead. We owe it to each of them to stand closely ranked and in one accord on this issue.

LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC

When History Beckons in Quiet Voice

“What will I say in the future, when someone asks me and what did you do during this time?”
Letter of Helmuth von Moltke written to his wife on October 19th, 1941
This lawyer for the German Defense Ministry was later executed by the Nazi’s in 1945 for his stance and active resistance against unjust conduct during war.

How would you like to be riding your bicycle one minute, finding yourself as a POW moments later? That was exactly the case for Army Specialist George Fryett, who has the dubious distinction of being the first POW of the Viet Cong, snatched up the day after Christmas of 1961. Riding his bicycle to a swimming pool outside of Saigon, the enemy simply stepped out of the jungle, placed Specialist Fryett on a bus headed for prison.... mission accomplished.

Of the 771 Americans taken captive by the north Vietnamese 113 died during captivity. The years of brutality endured by our soldiers is a testament to their tenacity, will to survive and strong sense of community which developed within the “Hanoi Hilton” and “The Zoo” where many of them were housed.

Standing out from the crowd for me are remarkable military men such as Colonel Fred V. Cherry, USAF (Ret). The highest ranking black POW retained by the Viet Cong he was one of only a handful of black American aviators at that time. Shot down on his 50th mission on 26 October 65, after a brief stint at Hoa Lo, he found himself at "The Zoo" in SW Hanoi. Enduring 93 days of unbroken torture, unspeakable things were done to this man. He spent a total of 53 straight weeks in solitary confinement.

Our men were subjected to beatings for not bowing to their captors. Trussed up with ropes, vertebrae were cracked. Gasoline was poured onto wounds and infections raged when basic antibiotic care was denied. But through it all, they learned to care for each other.

Navy Lt. Porter A. Halyburton was placed as a cellmate with (then) Major Fred V. Cherry, having been carefully selected because he was from the South. The captors mistakenly believed they could create racial strife with this combination. Not understanding the oath that binds us is greater than the bond of blood, instead Lt. Halyburton tended to Major Cherry’s wounds, fed him by hand and tended to his other physical needs when he was too weak to move. Both men survived and retained the bonds of friendship after their release.

Our American POW’s also managed to keep their sense of humor throughout years of ordeal. USAF Captain Robert B. Purcell found himself blindfolded and cuffed to another prisoner for the infamous “Hanoi March” of 6 July 1966 and joked, "Oh boy, I love a parade." It is hard to break a group of men who retain their humor and secretly refer to their tormentors using humorous nicknames.

It is interesting in reading the stories of many of these POW’s that it is difficult to detect any bitterness, rather their stories are presented with grace and for some, gratitude expressed for lessons learned during years of confinement. Because they are men of great character and stature they chase their demons alone during moments of solitude, as do all great men. Things of this nature, are not shared upon Oprah Winfrey’s “Couch of Catharsis” as I like to call her show. Smile

Francisco de Vitoria was a Dominican Friar who taught at the University of Salamanca and added to the body of thought on just war. Bringing his theology to bear into the arena of political thought he contemplated the natural laws of things as relating to war and the treatment of civilians. He believed it to be a violation of natural law to kill women and children, clerics or foreign travelers during time of war. In looking at the treatment of civilians in war, to what extent do we believe humane treatment extends to prisoners of war? Where do we draw our lines regarding torture, or for that matter, whether we view a P.O.W. as retaining any rights at all?

We bring this week to a close. Having cast a glance back at the treatment of prisoners of war during different conflicts, reflecting on documents and formulation of thought on just vs. unjust aspects of war, just one task remains.

I wear the uniform of the United States Navy. For the final homework assignment, I have a simple request. Pull up this link and watch the clips from the movie “Old Glory”. Stop and reflect upon the honorable, courageous and generous service to our nation which has been extended by our men and women in uniform. And with humility of heart, tomorrow I will reflect publically on Abu Ghraib.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

World War II and the Korean Conflict

Sir Winston Churchill was an amazing man. While Americans retain the mental picture of a rather stodgy aristocrat seated at his desk, the man had a streak for adventure. Covering the Boer War as a correspondent for the Morning Post he was captured and imprisoned. Naturally, he did what all clever men try to do: he escaped. He also had a heart. After being elected in 1910 as the Home Secretary he introduced a few little innovations into the prison system. Concerts were provided for the prisoners and guest speakers were brought in to enlighten the hardened crowd. My guess is that his own experience as a prisoner, had a bit of bearing on his reforms on the home soil.

World War II was also a nasty piece of work when it came to the treatment of military prisoners. Although the Germans treated their American POW’s with a few minimal drops of human kindness, they were absolutely brutal toward their Russian prisoners. We know of their brutality toward civilian populations by reading books or perusing through actual primary source documents. Many are available to the public in some form or fashion.

The Japanese also inflicted much torture and heaping of abuse onto their prison population. This was starkly seen when the Japanese began to claim the islands of the Philippines. The heroism of military nurses, eloquently portrayed in the book, “We Band of Angels” by Elizabeth Norman is one of my favorite books. I heard this author speak at a Navy Conference in Washington, D.C. But the portrayal of medical care through the eyes of nurses in captivity is a historical vignette to the even greater backdrop of tragedy. What the Japanese inflicted on our American troops within the confines of the Davao Penal Colony, Palawan Barracks and other prison encampments makes me shed tears to this day. The worst fate was to be boarded onto any one of the Japanese prison transport ships (known as "hell ships" by our men) as they shuttled from island to island or on to Japan. On December 13, 1944 approximately 1,600 military officers and other men from Bilibad prison were sent to Pier 7 at Manila to board the prison ship Oryoko Maru. In less than 24 hours, death came for many due to heat exhaustion or suffocation as they were stuffed into the hold of the ship. The Hague Conventions of 1864 and 1899 and the Geneva Conventions of 1906 and 1929 had little impact on the manner in which the Japanese chose to treat their prisoners. Signatories or not, a higher law of universal morality did not prevail for the Japanese and vicious torture and abuse were the order of the day.

The Korean Conflict showed how national policy distinctly determines outcome and the effect on percentages in how many POW’s actually survive until the end of hostilities. Of the 173,219 North Koreans taken prisoner by the U.S. government only two percent died in captivity. Of the 7,190 American personnel taken captive by the North Koreans, the death rate was 38 percent. Contributing to the death rate was the severity of the cold climate and conditions under which our troops served. A U.S. Marine veteran residing in Durant, Oklahoma summed up the winter conditions in the Chosin Valley by telling me, "Even my bones felt like popsicles. I thought I would never be warm again." He claims to have served with temperatures at sixty degrees below zero.

Homework Assignment: View the photos on this link to see winter conditions that were endured by our troops.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

The Gavril Principle: How quickly things unfold

Gavril Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo. The political upheaval between Austria and Serbia opened the gates of history to World War I. It was an extremely bloody mess. If we were going to issue a “Gavril Principle” it would read something like this:

A regional flashpoint activity creating a ripple effect beyond sovereign borders which disrupts commerce and security of the adjoining nations is called the Gavril Principle.

Keep your eyes open, folks. This century, the Gavril Principle will be at full strength. And for that reason alone, we need to understand humane treatment of combatant prison populations residing under the care of the government of the United States.

But back to World War I. This war brought uncertainties and new concerns on many fronts. The Germans, well ahead of the curve with their understanding of theoretical and applied chemistry made the world wet their pants when they released an approximate 150 tons of chlorine into the air near Ypres, Belgium on 15 April 1915. The British were quick to change their underwear and ready at the helm with not only chlorine, but also chloropicrin and phosgene. Approximately two years later, the Germans offered up another incontinent episode shelling their sitting ducks in Ypres again, this time with sulfur mustard. While the chlorine attack had a modest success rate of less than 800 deaths, this attack caused 20,000 casualties. (It is a very nasty means of dying in slow manner. I would prefer VX gas.) Increased and improved design of a product to keep the angel of death at bay emerged: Primitive, but somewhat functional gas masks which were fielded in limited quantity by the British and French.

Beyond the new horrors of chemicals and the unknowns of adequate battlefield treatment for such injuries, this war produced large POW populations. Although the Hague Convention IV of October 1907 provided guidelines for the treatment of POW’s, the document contained a distinct deficiency. The Hague Conventions required unanimous signature for the document to be binding, and as such, the document lacked viability based on the terms of the document. So it was essentially in a legally non-binding status during World War I. This deficiency was corrected during the Geneva Convention of 1929 which held that all signatories were bound by the document. The United States and 32 other nations signed on to this.

World War I did prove somewhat successful with regards to our American POW’s. Only 3.5 percent died in captivity, and this statistic includes all causes of death. This was our nation’s first big leap onto the world stage for armed conflict so our government made a concerted effort to maintain humane treatment of our own combatant prisoners, hoping for a bit of reciprocity for our own retained American soldiers. Apparently, it worked.

Sadly, quite a few of the war's European POW’s who survived imprisonment during World War I suffered death attempting repatriation with their comrades. Cut loose from confinement in poor physical condition with disease and muscle wasting, not given provisions of food or adequate clothing for their journey, they died before setting their eyes on their families again.


Homework Assignment: Read President Eisenhower’s Executive Order 10631 which came about as a result of the work of his Defense Advisory Committee on POW's.

Also read this link on the Palawan Barracks, if you have the time.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

The Lieber Code: General Order 100

One of my pleasant memories when I served as 2nd Vice President of North DFW MOAA (Military Officers Association of America) was loading into a van with fellow board members to visit the Texas Civil War Museum in Fort Worth. The camaraderie of the day was wonderful and I still smile, thinking of the comment of our black officer, a retired Colonel, as we walked into the museum. Noting opposite walls which displayed the military uniforms and armaments of the “North” and the “South” he calmly stated, “I think I will just look at the Union Army displays.” He made all of us laugh.

None of us were laughing an hour later as we watched a documentary film depicting our nation’s Civil War. The brutality of brother against brother was hard for me to fathom. In light of what our members experienced that day, the tasking of Professor Francis Lieber by President Abraham Lincoln now makes sense. This war brought women into the field as nurses, chaplains to the battlefield for spiritual care, and young boys who functioned as scouts or couriers. The “Instructions for the Government of Armies of the United States in the Field” was meant to safeguard the greater population against the horrors of war, and also bring more of a standardization of treatment for prisoners of war on either side.

Published as General Order 100 in April of 1863, this is a remarkable document. Although the move to codify aspects of rules of armed conflict began late in the Middle Ages and men such as Rousseau and others began to draw the line of demarcation that unarmed civilians should not be retained as POW’s, it is Lieber's Code which lays out a very careful and easily understandable road map for the conscience of man functioning under the stress of war. Any young adult should be able to grasp the precepts as presented. But below is a bit of paraphrase to some of the specific articles which struck a chord with me.

Section II:
No. 44 Do not rob, pillage or sack. Don’t rape. It says “all rape”. Do not rape women, do not rape little girls, do not rape little boys. Do not wound, maim or kill non-combatants. In fact, if you do any of the above, your superior officer can shoot you dead, on the spot. There will be no trial and the bullet will be your judge. Swift justice for witnessed injustice. I like that!

No. 47 Just get it into your head once and for all that the uniform does not give you power. But it does bind you to responsibility and accountability beyond that of the non-uniformed citizen. Do not commit a crime while wearing that military uniform. You are an American soldier, not a soldier of fortune.

Section III:

No. 53 Chaplains, medical staff, pharmacists and hospital nurses are not POW’s. Wishful thinking….. Our category is actually “retained medical staff”.

No. 56 The prisoner of war should have adequate provision of food. They should be free from fear of mutilation or death while imprisoned.

No. 61 Don’t kick a man when he is down. You cannot kill an enemy who is already disabled and on the ground. Don’t bayonet the man you just shot. (The Japanese did this in the Pacific theater of operation in WW II.)

No. 74 This is of the utmost importance. The POW is a prisoner of the government. He is not “your prisoner” in the psychological sense. As his captor, you are merely the steward of your government in a role assuming his care, under secure means.


Homework assignment: Read an article on Unit 731. Let it sink in a bit as to the fate of POW’s when human conscience completely fails in the psyche of the captor. Will a reader please post the term applied to POW's who were being used for human experimentation at the facility, and take the lead in commenting on Unit 731 and what you have learned. We will all take it from there.

Tammy Swofford

Revisiting Abu Ghraib

It is time to revisit Abu Ghraib. Beyond the failure of chain of command and adequate leadership to prevent the events at the prison, there was a lack of fundamental training to bring historical context and precedence to bear on military bearing within the prison. Should your only grasp of such things be a foggy notion of the Geneva Convention of 1949, I will place you on a steep learning curve over the next few days. As such, you will be given an abbreviated homework assignment each day to better equip you to post intelligently.

We will move Abu Ghraib into focus with a historical look at the interplay of various wars, philosophers and world leaders who gave us the vast body of thought encompassing the law of war, specifically with the treatment of prisoners and non-combatants within a theater of operation.

Essentially, it was not until the 1600's that a body of literature began to be established specifically addressing international conduct between warring parties or nations, distinguishing treatment of POW's as opposed to civilian non-combatants. Up until that time, acts of war for the most part included intentional decimation of all living and breathing creatures in the path of the aggressor. Women and children met the same fate as the able-bodied male. It was easier to kill the enemy, than to capture, feed and secure a prison population. Much has changed.

One of the early thinkers about such things was Hugo Grotius. In 1625 he wrote, "De jure belli ac paci libri tres". A basic law of war and peace, it foreshadowed aspects of the Treaty of Westphalia of 1648, which laid out the release without ransom, or parole, of prisoners of war. From these early stages of political thought regarding POW's, the greater international community seeks to live within certain standards today when engaging war. We failed to hold to standard within the confines of Abu Ghraib. So let me put the skeleton on the page for you, and begin to add the flesh with your daily homework assignments. Missing from most commentary which followed the media release of photos from Abu Ghraib, was an educational process directed toward the reader. It is never too late, to learn.


*For your homework assignment today: Please read Sections II and III of The Lieber Code of 1863. You will find all homework assignments easily, with any engine search.


Tammy Swofford

Gilliam Gibbons

Yes, there are those who would like to "sort out the pieces" of this story via the blog.

On the one hand, there is the delicate diplomatic posturing, the balance and counterbalance that is being played out between a stronger and more diplomatically capable nation against a weak and ineffectual nation with not a lot to either offer or lose when it comes to Ms. Gibbons.

Moving to the forefront, we see the intense stagecrafting of message by national Muslim PAC's in the West seeking to parlay this situation to their advantage, offering sleep-aid media releases. No surprises here.

Photo-journalists make their way to Khartoum to provide pictures of Sudanese carrying swords large enough to behead a bull elephant, demanding Ms. Gibbons be released to the crowd of the faithful.

The free speech zone is open for business today. Post rationally, intelligently and passionately.

Tammy Swofford