Democracy Uprising
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      Provoking an American Climate Crisis

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      Meet the Bailout’s New Slush Fund for Corporate…

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      Democrats Won Power in Several States. Will They…

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      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

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      Reviving the General Strike

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      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

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      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

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      There’s More Than One Way to Strike the…

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      Changing the ‘world as it is’ into the…

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      Movements are vying for political power — is…

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      What If America Had Six Political Parties?

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      What Happens After Movement-Backed Politicians Take Office

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      Does It Make Sense to Protest a President…

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      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

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      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

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      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

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      Translations

      Jordlösa kombinerar radikala visioner med praktiska reformer (Swedish)

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Português

      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Deutsch

      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Chinese

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      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Deutsch

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      Deutsch

      Mikrokredite: Die Entlassung eines Nobelpreisträgers

      Deutsch

      CAFTA – am besten stillschweigend beerdigen

      Deutsch

      Bush in Mexiko

      Deutsch

      Das globale Duell in Evian

      Deutsch

      Die Rückkehr des Daniel Ortega

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Español

      ¿Adoptará el nuevo papa la teología de la…

      Español

      Wall Street quiere que les estemos agradecidos

      Español

      Si Las Monjas Se Fueran a una Huelga,…

      Español

      ALEC retrocede; a la derecha le da un…

      Español

      ¿ALEC disgustado ante la pérdida de patrocinadores? Se…

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      Français

      La révolution non-violente a-t-elle échoué en Egypte?

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      Hong Kong Phooey

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      Bush Nuit Même Aux Compagnies U.S.

      Français

      Le dynamisme du mouvement pour la paix

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      La déroute de l’ALCA dans une Miami en…

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      Ceux qui ne comptent pas

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      La guerre en Irak : une expo des…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

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      La strategia di Gandhi per il successo –…

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      IL BANK TRANSFER DAY: UN SUCCESSO

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      Come il movimento Occupiamo Wall Street si sta…

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      ガンジーはどのように勝利したのか? (Japanese)

      Japanese

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      Mark Twain in Iraq (Japanese)

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      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

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      Outro pretexto?

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      Abandoning the World Bank (in Arabic)

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Democracy Uprising

  • About
    • About Mark Engler
    • About Democracy Uprising
  • Books
    • This Is An Uprising
    • How To Rule the World
  • Topics
    • All Book Reviews Environment Essays / First Person Global Economy Immigration Labor Latin America Social Movements Religion U.S. Politics / Elections War / Militarism
      Latest Articles

      Democrats Won Power in Several States. Will They…

      Social Movements

      Changing the ‘world as it is’ into the…

      Social Movements

      What’s the problem with taking state power?

      Latest Articles

      Is Los Angeles Creating a Model for Fighting…

      Social Movements

      What If America Had Six Political Parties?

      Social Movements

      Movements are vying for political power — is…

      2021-2023

      How movements can maintain their radical vision while winning…

      Social Movements

      What Happens After Movement-Backed Politicians Take Office

      Book Reviews

      The Pan American

      Book Reviews

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Book Reviews

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Book Reviews

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

      Book Reviews

      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

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      Ordinary Outrages

      Book Reviews

      No Better Place

      Book Reviews

      In God’s Country

      Environment

      Why Wendell Matters

      Environment

      The Gulf at the Gas Station

      Environment

      Climate Disobedience

      Environment

      Farming the Everglades

      Environment

      The Winter of the Climate Denier

      Environment

      Climate of Change: An “Inside-Outside” Strategy Against Global…

      Environment

      Provoking an American Climate Crisis

      Environment

      The Real “Farmer” Story: So God Made High-Fructose…

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      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

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      Meet the Bailout’s New Slush Fund for Corporate…

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      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Global Economy

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Global Economy

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Global Economy

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Global Economy

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Global Economy

      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

      Global Economy

      The World Is Not Flat

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      When Undocumented Activists Infiltrated ICE

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      The Children of Intervention

      Immigration

      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

      Immigration

      Science Fiction From Below

      Immigration

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

      Immigration

      Treated Like a Criminal

      Immigration

      When Sanctuary is Resistance

      Immigration

      The Massive Immigrants Rights Protests of 2006 Are…

      Labor

      Democrats Won Power in Several States. Will They…

      Labor

      The Case for a Social Distancing Wage

      Labor

      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Labor

      Reviving the General Strike

      Labor

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Labor

      There’s Still Power in a Strike

      Labor

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Labor

      There’s More Than One Way to Strike the…

      Latin America

      How movements can maintain their radical vision while winning…

      Latin America

      The Pan American

      Latin America

      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

      Latin America

      The Children of Intervention

      Latin America

      Against Shithole Nationalism

      Latin America

      The Last Porto Alegre

      Latin America

      Kissinger Is Not Our Friend

      Latin America

      Even If You Have Nothing to Hide

      Social Movements

      Changing the ‘world as it is’ into the…

      Social Movements

      What’s the problem with taking state power?

      Social Movements

      Is Los Angeles Creating a Model for Fighting…

      Social Movements

      What If America Had Six Political Parties?

      Social Movements

      Movements are vying for political power — is…

      Social Movements

      How movements can maintain their radical vision while winning…

      Social Movements

      What Happens After Movement-Backed Politicians Take Office

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      Should we disrupt the Democratic Party or try…

      Religion

      In God’s Country

      Religion

      Reverend Billy’s Holiday Shopocalypse

      Religion

      Toward the “Rights of the Poor”

      Religion

      The Pope and the Poor

      Religion

      Will the Next Pope Embrace Liberation Theology?

      Religion

      Remembering Romero

      Religion

      John Paul II’s Economic Ethics

      Religion

      Against the God of Free Trade

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Democrats Won Power in Several States. Will They…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      What’s the problem with taking state power?

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Is Los Angeles Creating a Model for Fighting…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      What If America Had Six Political Parties?

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Movements are vying for political power — is…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      How movements can maintain their radical vision while winning…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      What Happens After Movement-Backed Politicians Take Office

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      Should we disrupt the Democratic Party or try…

      War / Militarism

      Does It Make Sense to Protest a President…

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      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

      War / Militarism

      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

      War / Militarism

      War: The Wrong Jobs Program

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      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

      War / Militarism

      Those Who Don’t Count

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      Six Essays About War and About Peace

      War / Militarism

      The Dangerous Dignity of War

  • Translations
    • All Chinese Deutsch Español Français Italiano Japanese Português Arabic Thai
      Translations

      Jordlösa kombinerar radikala visioner med praktiska reformer (Swedish)

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Português

      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Deutsch

      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Chinese

      Why Wendell Matters (in Chinese)

      Chinese

      Globalization’s Watchdogs (in Chinese)

      Deutsch

      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Deutsch

      Als Martin Luther King seine Feuerwaffen aufgab

      Deutsch

      Mikrokredite: Die Entlassung eines Nobelpreisträgers

      Deutsch

      CAFTA – am besten stillschweigend beerdigen

      Deutsch

      Bush in Mexiko

      Deutsch

      Das globale Duell in Evian

      Deutsch

      Die Rückkehr des Daniel Ortega

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Español

      ¿Adoptará el nuevo papa la teología de la…

      Español

      Wall Street quiere que les estemos agradecidos

      Español

      Si Las Monjas Se Fueran a una Huelga,…

      Español

      ALEC retrocede; a la derecha le da un…

      Español

      ¿ALEC disgustado ante la pérdida de patrocinadores? Se…

      Español

      La vida en la nación prisión

      Français

      La révolution non-violente a-t-elle échoué en Egypte?

      Français

      Le pari risqué du populisme au Pérou

      Français

      Hong Kong Phooey

      Français

      Bush Nuit Même Aux Compagnies U.S.

      Français

      Le dynamisme du mouvement pour la paix

      Français

      La déroute de l’ALCA dans une Miami en…

      Français

      Ceux qui ne comptent pas

      Français

      La guerre en Irak : une expo des…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Italiano

      La strategia di Gandhi per il successo –…

      Italiano

      Le promesse infrante di Obama

      Italiano

      Guantanamo deve sparire

      Italiano

      IL BANK TRANSFER DAY: UN SUCCESSO

      Italiano

      Come il movimento Occupiamo Wall Street si sta…

      Italiano

      Economia tabù

      Japanese

      ガンジーはどのように勝利したのか? (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Truth Versus Superpower (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Revenge of the Combat Cartoonist (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Uneasy Mexican Visita (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Mark Twain in Iraq (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Globalization’s “Lost Decade” (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Hawks Say the Damnedest Things (Japanese)

      Português

      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

      Português

      A vida na Nação Prisão

      Português

      Outro pretexto?

      Português

      Imigração tem efeito positivo sobre emprego e salários

      Português

      O império hipotecado

      Arabic

      Abandoning the World Bank (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Return of Daniel Ortega (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Where’s The Jubilee? (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Last Porto Alegre (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Seattle At Five (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (in…

      Arabic

      Mexico’s Democratic Transition Still Incomplete (in Arabic)

      Thai

      Progressive Good Tidings of 2007 (in Thai)

      Thai

      2006: A Global Justice Year in Review (In…

      Thai

      WTO: Best Left For Dead? (In Thai)

      Thai

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (In…

      Thai

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (In Thai)

      Thai

      The Last Porto Alegre [Thai]

      Thai

      Globalizers, Neocons, or… ? (in Thai)

    • Other Translations
  • Appearances
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    • 2019-2020
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TranslationsCatalá

Els que no compten

by Mark Engler May 28, 2003
written by Mark Engler May 28, 2003
Els que no compten

Des de que va acabar la invasió a Iraq en el estat d’ànims nacional s’ha introduït un to de venjança i fanfarroneria. Els conductors dels noticiaris de televisió i el Departament de Defensa coincideixen: Els Estats Units estan encantats. Els soldats saluden amb la mà en alt. Els que ens vam oposar al President i als seus generals hauríem de sentir-nos avergonyits davant una guerra tan brillantment d’èxit.

Existeix una qüestió, per sobre de totes, que aquesta autocomplaença que preval està silenciant. En plena atmosfera de recriminació pocs s’arriscaran a demanar: “quin va ser el cost?”

A la televisió a l’estranger la guerra llampec marina i les bombes de la força aèria tenien un preu humà. Mentre que el cap parlant de Donald Rumsfeld es va convertir en la icona singular de la guerra als Estats Units, la resta del món va mostrar fotos d’Alí Ismael Abbas, el nen de 12 anys que va perdre als seus pares i altres vuit familiars, juntament amb els seus dos braços, al bombardeig de Bagdad.

Sense dubte alguns han explotat imatges com aquella amb fins propagandístics. Sense dubte la persecució de la carnisseria per moments es va convertir en sensacionalisme de mal gust. Però, quin va ser l’impacte pels nord-americans en veure a tan pocs, si de cas van veure a alguns dels que van morir?

Hi ha estimats disponibles del número de civils que van morir a la guerra. Un grup de 19 voluntaris a Anglaterra, els creadors d’una Web anomenada IraqBodyCount.org (Recompte de cadàvers a Iraq) dona un mínim de 2.050 morts. Aquest total reflexa les xifres més baixes brindades en informes de premsa sobre incidents fatals. Un recompte més complet hauria d’afegir els centenars, potser milers, les morts de quins mai van ser reportades per cap font els enterrats calladament a les runes, o els que van ser ferits i van morir més tard als replets i més tard saquejats hospitals d’Iraq.

Cap país, “coalició”, ni ningú s’ha dedicat a aquesta recerca. “Una iniciativa del govern suís llançada en plena guerra”, diu en John Sloboda d’Iraq Body Count, “va ser abandonada degut a la pressió política”.

El dilema que això presenta és vell i també perillós: Quin és el pes d’una vida? Quantes abans de que importin? Hi ha poques bones respostes. Els que miren solament als moments més sanguinaris de la guerra descompten altres vides. Centenars de milers de ciutadans iraquians van morir a causa d’una dècada de sancions, del que Saddam Hussein té gran part de culpa, però que els Estats Units tenia el poder per eliminar. Molts més haurien mort si les sancions continuessin. I no tenim manera de saber quants més moriran en futures invasions inspirades per la conquesta d’Iraq o als actes resultants de venjança.

Washington, per descomptat, va portar amb molta cura el compte dels 166 soldats nord-americans i britànics que van morir en acció. Tanmateix, es va oposar a la idea d’un recompte de civils. Molts periodistes, en especial en televisió, van adoptar aquesta posició oficial com una ordre.

Fins i tot als nostres periòdics més responsables una idea es va convertir en mantra: “Un número precís (de civils morts) no està i probablement mai estarà disponible”, va dir The New York Times. “El compte final potser que mai es determini”, va dir The Washington Post. Una i altra vegada els reporters van comprendre la dificultat per fer un recompte exacte.

Va ser, a primera vista, una declaració d’humilitat, un reconeixement honest del caos inherent al conflicte militar. Tanmateix, en algun moment aquesta negativa a comptar o al menys a intentar-ho- va passar a ser una altra cosa. Es va convertir en una forma de negativa política.

Els pocs despatxos que van gratar la superfície de la posició del govern en quant a les morts civils van revelar un costat humà de la guerra en el qual els joves soldats temien per les seves vides i depenien de ràpides i difícils decisions-, però també una sorprenent insensibilitat a la vida humana. A un report esmentat sovint per The New York Times, el Sargent Schrump recordava un incident en què infants de Marina van disparar a un soldat iraquià que es trobava parat entre alguns civils. Una dona va morir. “Ho sento”, va dir el sargent, “però la ‘jeva’ estava en el mig”.

Un altre reporter del Times va escriure sobre una situació en la que infants de Marina van atacar una caravana de vehicles que es trobaven a distància, en no saber si podien estar plens d’enemics o, com va resultar ser, d’innocents:

“Un per un els civils van ser morts. A alguns centenars de iardes de les posicions d’avançada dels infants de Marina, un minivan blau va rebre els trets; tres persones van morir. Un vell que anava caminant amb un bastó per un costat del camí també va ser mort. No se sap què feia allà; potser estava confús i espantat i solament estava tractant de fugir de la ciutat. Alguns altres vehicles van rebre trets. Quan es va detenir el foc, hi havia gairebé una dotzena de cadàvers, dels quals tots menys dos no tenien roba aparentment militar o armes”.

“Dos periodistes que estaven davant meu al camí van dir que un cap de companyia va dir als seus homes que no disparessin fins que els francotiradors fessin uns quants trets, per tractar de detenir els vehicles sense matar als passatgers. ‘Deixin que els francotiradors s’encarreguin dels vehicles civils’ havia dit el comandant. Però en quant el francotirador més pròxim va fer els primers trets d’advertència, altres infants de Marina aparentment van obrir foc amb les seves M-16 o metralladores”.

“…(Un ) cap d’esquadra, després de l’alt al foc, va cridar: ‘Els meus homes no van tenir pietat. Extraordinari'”

El número de civils morts als combats importa, encara que solament sigui per recordar-nos que la invasió no és un joc de vídeo. Importa, perquè demostra que malgrat les seves eines sofisticades, la guerra sempre provocarà el seu “dany col·lateral”, els seus testimonis innocents.

Una indiferència insensible a aquestes vides no està limitada als sargents i caps d’esquadra a la línia del Front. És la posició promoguda per un govern que no compta les seves víctimes, fins i tot mentre prepara les seves pròximes conquestes: primer Síria, després vers Iran.

Es una actitud que sobreviu als temps de guerra, que guia els nostres prejudicis contra aquells que viuen en països dels que mai vam aprendre a pronunciar el nom, països que els nostres “humoristes” de xoc anomenen nacions del “Pitjor Món”.

Amb la finalitat de trencar el cicle de guerra i privació, odi i terrorisme, els Estats Units algun dia ha de començar a comptar no sols els morts d’aquest conflicte, sinó tots aquells que hem passat per alt regularment. I ha de començar per fer-se responsable d’ells. Perquè a mesura que ho faci comprendrem que no és un assumpte de dos mil, ni tan se val de dos cents mil.

La majoria d’aquest món resorgirà per ésser comptada.

Mark Engler

Mark Engler is a writer based in Philadelphia and an editorial board member at Dissent magazine. His latest book, written with Paul Engler, is entitled This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-First Century.

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Mark Engler is a writer based in Philadelphia and an editorial board member at Dissent magazine. His latest book, written with Paul Engler, is entitled This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-First Century (Nation Books). Mark’s full bio is available here.

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