The Thin Blood-red line
It has never been easier to hate America, Zimbabwe, Iraq and North Korea. The root of aggression, however, has little to do with political justice and everything to do with ego, testosterone imbalanced judgment and the formidable behavior of men seeking power and rule

Back due to popular economic demand, Big Brother Iraq is now bigger, better, rougher and tougher than ever before. A war was once fought between men who angered in the same ways; now it's a radio-controlled case of psychopathic Allied commanders pressings knobs and buttons in Washington, breathing every moment of this precious time they're actually allowed to kill something. In less than 100 hours of war, both sides with their tin pot Colonels and despot leaders, have managed to contravene The Geneva Convention. Which is fine if you're Iraq.

If you're America, you're spelling out to the world something that you don't actually want them to know, but something the vast numbers of media lackeys riding on the back of tanks in the hope of becoming the next Larry King or Dan Rather will inevitably expose. The Allies hope that the media will play a vital role in turning the mass wave of criticism; the truth, however, will nigh and there will be no visual justification or substantiation on Fox, nor CNN nor Sky - these hacks will only serve two specific purposes: 1) To illustrate the fact that of all the most pointless wars ever, this has to be the prize 2) America, with it's principles deeply rooted in democracy, are completely 'untouchable' by important universal regulations, like The Security Council (Nicaragua, during the Reagan administration, was another example of complete and utter arrogance on the side of the Americans; after killing hundreds and thousands of priests and nuns, the Americans earned themselves a guilty verdict at the International War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague. So they completely overlooked it's importance to the world and undermined it's authority). In other words, and what they say is true, America doesn't really give a fuck about the rest of the world.

And that's fine. The parallels that one can draw from this re-surfaced, egotistical behavior are few and far between, but, against that, unsurprising. For decades, the Southern African city of Cape Town has waged an impossible war against gangsterism. The origins are unclear; it does appear that apartheid's infamous Group Areas Act had much to do with it's significant growth and popularity. No-one can justify the sins of the previous Government in creating so much poverty; the gang ridden areas of Mannenburg, Mitchell's Plain and Athlone somewhat resemble the slums of Mumbai or Karachi. In recent years, the Cape Coloreds, a unique people, have tried to uplift the areas, with help from the Government. The appearance of PAGAD (People Against Gangsterism and Drugs) has confused the fight irreparably; for a group of people whose mission involved the discouragement of youth potentially attracted to a life of guns, free sex, fast cars and belonging, they have become a gang themselves, assassinating various drug lords and kingpins. In what, far too often, is confused as a religious thing, PAGAD have made it clear that although they are officially banned, recognized by the Foolish Blind Idiots (FBI) as a terrorist organization, they will continue to promote awareness amongst 'their' people about the pitfalls of gangsterism. Which is fine on paper, but catastrophic in reality.

The question is not of colour or religion but of gender.
In exactly the way that Bush and his bright little spokesperson Blair behave, gangsters upon the Cape Flats have always seen power before anything else. The rule of rule, followed by respect, followed by jewels. This is the basic shell; something that various sociologists have never been able to address - their focus is upon the low self esteem that poverty brings with it - the dire need for recognition and belonging. But above anything else, violence in any way you look at it is perpetuated by men who seek power or respect. There are a few women involved with gangsterism - a few more who join their respective country's defense force and even more involved in the continual tomfoolery of international politics. But the buttons and knobs are ultimately pressed by men.

Condolezza Rice, the American National Advisor for Security Affairs, wrote a speech the other day which effectively shut out any fence sitter for life; in one sentence, (if you could read within the lines of your typical American political jargon) she said that people who support peace have to support Saddam Hussein's regime - people who are against this war are ultimately siding with Osama bin Laden. Once again, America has made the fatal arror in trying to rally international support - 'you're either with us or against us.' She's on the ball completely - because I support peace in greater Iraq (along with the assassination of Saddam Hussein) I must be a supporter of Zanu - Pf and Robert Mugabe. Because I think that an administration is toppled by 1000 snipers and not by the benevolent bombing of an entire country filled with hopeless and dying people, I must be a fan of Fidel Castro and his Cuban regime or the butcher of Tajikistan. Those judgments of which she speaks reek of Reagan's attitude toward The Hague; today, it's impossible to disagree with both the United States and it's enemies as it once was and should be.

It is a thin red line, a thin blood red line, where American foreign policy, like the gangsters of the Cape Flats, intends nothing but it's determination and will for the rest of the world to subscribe to. It is your typical, alpha male mentality which loses rationality, balance and compassion the moment absolute power appear in it's sights. We should not be alarmed; we have, for a long time now, had the African Model as an education. If there is one consistency in the equation of Western Governance and African Politics, it is that the little people always get left behind, creating it's own vicious circle.

Upon the surface, history would dictate another consistency; a blind and horrific truth that leaders have never understood - men destroy and women are left to amend.

And that's fine, because, like the gangsters on the Cape Flats, 'you're either with us or against us.' America had the opportunity to review it's foreign policy following the tragic events of 9/11. Instead of researching, instead of asking itself questions, it planned revenge over and above anything else, the maleness of the Bush Administration showed it's true colors those it wears to this very day, proudly, trying to disguise itself as the victim - a crying beast fighting a handicapped child. In the quest for respect, complete and utter power, America has crossed this line that it never even saw; the line that separates judgment from good, ambition from fairness and peace from war. America now is stuck; how will it go about mopping up the blood that the Bush Administration has so eagerly spilled? In what must be the biggest parallel, five children (all under the age of 12) were gunned down in the suburbs of the Cape Flats last week - all innocent, caught in the cross fire of power and respect. These were all isolated incidents, unlike the industrial effort that the Allies are currently underway with. Both of these situations fit together beautifully but for what?

Well, that's something that no one wants to hear. Like PAGAD did to the unruly gang masses, so will one million Osama bin Ladens do to the Allies. One cannot perpetuate this violence without revenge - it's given and so America, with all it's democracy and foreign policy and basic discard for anything but itself should brace itself; suicide pilots, shoe bombers, suicide bombers and smallpox infections. They will not come from Afghanistan, but from the cracks in every single blood stained floor that is left behind in Iraq.

But, as is the second part of your stereotypical alpha male personalities, the big shots remain unaccountable; it's always the little people who lose, and then are left behind to clean up the mess.