We have all heard this countless times, that someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But not since the Vietnam War has being in a certain place been as dangerous as it is today in Iraq. Yet not only there danger rules, as entire countries and regions around the world are sliding into daily violence, destruction, diseases and death. Occupied Iraq is only the pinnacle of localities turned from bad to worse. Magnitude and sheer regularity of human suffering is mind numbing as daily bombings and counter-attacks ravage an already exhausted and distressed population. When natural disasters strike such as the unprecedented Tsunami disaster or earthquakes as just recently again in Iran, tragedy is no less than in man-made suffering. But an obvious and fundamental difference is that the man-made ones are politically induced or even worse, initiated. Many if not most are definitely avoidable were democratic decision-making in place and genuinely enacted. As it is, man-made suffering is frequently equated with fate of as some obscure 'price to pay'. One has to wonder why mostly the poor and politically marginalized members of society are supposed to pay prices that are equivalent to losing a limb, getting paralysed or killed.
Most people living in places subjected to regular violence and disruption of livelihoods have no other choice but to stay put and wait things out, go on with their lives knowing perfectly well they could be dead and gone by evening. There is no place else to go, no option at hand but to stay. Some, as the Sudanese people of Darfur region manage to flee to refugee camps in neighbouring countries and reach relative safety in temporary abodes that only too often become makeshift homes for years to come. But amongst those who bring about the human tragedies and misery, there must certainly also exist some individuals opposed to or at least filled with some degree of resentment against the violence and crimes they bring about. Armies, gangs, militias, mercenaries or contractors, all associations of individuals with social bonds, families and lives outside of their cruel and destructive line of business. Organised hierarchies in which commanders themselves simply 'function' and fall into abstract 'chains of command' before carrying deeds most of them would be ashamed of to talk about to their children. Once 'the order from above' is given, they mobilize, leave the lives they know behind and embark on missions, crusades and operations that are designed around violence and brute force.
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