Demonic Violence

Verbal violence

2010-02-17T11:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.mercatornet.com/sheila_liaugminas/view/6626/

Verbal violence
Sheila Liaugminas | 17 Feb 2010 |

We're in a bout of unusual Press introspection again, because someone High Up mis-spoke, and touched off another war of words.

There is a long tradition of religious and moral reflection on the words we choose to speak. According to the Hebrew scriptures, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Jesus of Nazareth argued, “It is not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

Some things just need to be said, and that pull-quote is the perfect summary of this WaPo opinion piece that speaks volumes about the war of ideas behind the war of words, with the ultimate casualties being humans and human dignity.

There is not an exact correlation between vileness of speech and vileness of character, but there is a rough correlation. Words such as the r-word and the n-word often reveal aggression, contempt and hatred. They are a form of verbal violence. In these cases, what [Professor Christopher] Fairman calls “self-censorship” is really kindness and moral judgment. And what he regards as free expression is just rude, abusive and cruel.

Boys who see porn more likely to harass girls

2010-01-26T12:35:00.000-08:00

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6999874.ece

January 24, 2010
Boys who see porn more likely to harass girls
Maurice Chittenden and Matthew Holehouse

BOYS exposed to porn are more likely to indulge in casual sex and less likely to form successful relationships when they grow older, according to research carried out in a dozen countries.

The report, Harms of Pornography Exposure Among Children and Young People, also found that young boys who see pornography are more inclined to believe there is nothing wrong with pinning down or sexually harassing a girl.

Michael Flood, who carried out the study at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, said: “There is compelling evidence from around the world that pornography has negative effects on individuals and communities.

“We know it is shaping sexual knowledge. Some people may think that is good. But porn is a very poor sex educator because it shows sex in unrealistic ways and fails to address intimacy, love, connection or romance. Often it is quite callous and hostile in its depictions of women.

“It doesn’t mean that every young person is going out to rape somebody but it does increase the likelihood that will happen.”

Research in the UK suggests that 60% of boys under 16 have been exposed to pornography, accidentally or deliberately. The average age at which they first saw porn has dropped from 15 to 11 in less than a decade. The average amount of time they watch porn on the internet is 90 minutes a week.

John Carr, an adviser to the government and secretary of the Children’s Charities’ Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS), said: “We had a case in west London where a boy in the first year of primary school was bringing pictures to school and was acting them out in the playground during the break. When they did a home visit the dad was downloading it and it was all over the house.

“It is not an argument for banning it but it is an argument to find better ways to make it harder for kids to get hold of it.”

Such is the international spread of porn through the internet that youngsters in Asian and African countries see blonde white women on screen and then regard tourists with the same attributes as sex objects, Flood says.

However, Thaddeus Birchard, a psychotherapist who runs a sex addiction practice in London, said: “We are entering a period of moral panic and this is part of it. Children are not receiving sex education at home. Sexually explicit material on the net can even help educate them.

“The internet is a way of being sexually addicted but it does not cause the addiction. What causes it is the relationship between the child and their parents. Almost always they are maternally deprived.”

Petra Boynton, a psychologist, said: “Children are not necessarily looking at porn for gratification. They are doing so because they are bored and not supervised. Often when children look at more extreme porn it is done for bravado so they can laugh and say how disgusting it is.”

Saudi girl, 13, sentenced to 90 lashes after she took a mobile phone to school

2010-01-26T12:29:00.000-08:00

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1244689/Saudi-girl-13--sentenced-90-lashes-took-mobile-phone-school.html#ixzz0dDNfSojJ

Daily Mail
Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:01 EST

A 13-year-old Saudi schoolgirl is to be given 90 lashes in front of her classmates after she was caught with a mobile camera phone.

The girl, who has not been named, was also sentenced to two months in jail by a court in the eastern city of Jubail.

She had assaulted her headmistress after being caught with the gadget which is banned in girl schools, said Al-Watan, a Saudi newspaper. The kingdom's use of such punishments has been widely condemned by human rights organisations.

Three years ago 16 schoolchildren, aged between 12 and 18, were each sentenced to between 300 and 500 lashes for being aggressive to a teacher.

Under Saudi's Sharia or Islamic law, flogging is mandatory for a number of moral offences such as adultery or being alone in the company of an unrelated person of the opposite sex. But it can also be used at the discretion of judges as an alternative or in addition to other punishments.

Al-Watan said a court in the northeastern Gulf port of Jubail had sentenced the girl to 90 lashes inside her school, followed by two months' detention.

The punishment is harsher than that dished out to some robbers and looters.

Saudi Arabia, a leading US ally in the Middle East, is an absolute monarchy controlled by the Al-Saud ruling tribe, and lacks any legal code.

Cinemas and music concerts are banned, while many restaurants and even some shopping centres cater to families only, especially on holidays.

Religious police roam streets to make sure no unrelated men and women mix.

The Saudi court system is exclusively controlled Wahahbi/Salafi clerics, and bans the employment of non-Salafi citizens, especially as judges.

Saudi Arabia is the world's leading country in the use of torture-by-flogging, public beheadings and publically crucifying condemned prisoners.

The country crucified two people in 2009, including one in the capital Riyadh during President Barak Obama's visit last April.

In September, 20 Saudi teenagers who ransacked shops and restaurants were publicly flogged.

Newspapers reported that the teenagers received at least 30 lashes each in a public square.

Most of the hijackers in the September 11 attacks in 2001 came from Saudi Arabia.

Through our faith, we must conquer violent impulses

2010-01-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2010867837_junejo23m.html?syndication=rss

Friday, January 22, 2010 - Page updated at 09:25 PM
Through our faith, we must conquer violent impulses | Faith & Values columnist
By Aziz Junejo
Special to The Seattle Times

The recent killings of six law-enforcement officers, of a Seattle mother and her baby, and of countless others over the past few months remind me how essential it is for good people of all faiths to work harder to promote nonviolence and encourage respect for human life.

Muslims believe human life is sacred and that the primary and most basic right of human beings is the right to live.

The glorious Quran says:

... If anyone slays a human being — unless it be [in punishment] for murder or for spreading corruption in the land — it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind.

— Quran 5:32

Muslims believe the first act of bloodshed on earth involved Qabil (Cain) and Habil (Abel). Their story of anger, jealousy and murder teaches us about the horrible consequences of unbridled human emotion.
The covenant between God and mankind is rife with reminders that life is God's divine gift to us. The precept "Thou shalt not kill" is well established in civil laws around the world and confirmed in the holy scriptures of Muslims, Christians and Jews.

Unfortunately, the entertainment industry has glamorized murder in violent movies and video games such as "Grand Theft Auto," in which players decapitate police officers and use sniper rifles to kill.

Many people believe this game, in particular, caused a teen to kill in our own country. Devin Moore, 18, had no criminal history. In 2003, after playing "Grand Theft Auto" for hundreds of hours, he killed three people in Alabama: two police officers and a 911 dispatcher.

All of society suffers when there is a murder, because the psychological well-being of everyone is permanently damaged. We fear for our safety. We distrust our fellow citizens.

It is true that everyone gets angry. Anger is a natural part of being human. But we must learn how to manage anger in safe and healthy ways. When we familiarize ourselves with and practice techniques to control and avoid anger, we benefit our families, communities and, ultimately, society.

In Islam, the required regular prayer helps. Among other things, prayer serves as a simple relaxation tool that reduces stress and enables us to have quiet time with the creator, seeking strength through patience. Relying solely on God for ultimate justice is a great way to manage anger, and it puts us at peace with family, friends and fellow citizens.

It is everyone's calling to be a peacemaker in some way, by fostering harmony at home and on the job, and by advocating nonviolence and dialogue to resolve conflicts. Former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt spoke of this universal responsibility in a Nov. 11, 1951, Voice of America broadcast when our country was fighting a war in Korea:

It isn't enough to talk about peace, one must believe it. And it isn't enough to believe in it, one must work for it.

Genocides in places such as Bosnia, Rwanda and Cambodia are harsh reminders that senseless killing can and does still happen in our time. We must pay attention to such tragedies and use them to strengthen our commitment to peace and to fostering mutual respect and tolerance for people of different beliefs, lifestyles and cultures.

From the beginning of human existence, killing has been considered immoral and unlawful by God, the creator of life. Suppressing anger when we have the power to show it is a real sign of self-restraint; it is a quality to be admired and aspired to.

While consoling those victimized by violence, let us all become instruments of peace by strengthening our resolve to cherish life.

Islam, like all the Abrahamic faiths, advocates the fundamental message of peace and tolerance, in which human life is treasured and must always be protected.

Aziz Junejo is host of "Focus on Islam," a weekly cable-television show, and a frequent speaker on Islam. Readers may

send feedback to faithcolumns@seattletimes.com.

Is hating violence a hate crime?

2010-01-08T13:48:00.001-08:00

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-hating-violence-a-hate-by-Recce1-100106-376.html

January 8, 2010
By Recce1

The NYT article Hate Begets Hate (NYT Editorial 01-04-2010) (OpEdNews 01-05-2010) fairly describes the widespread violence against homosexuals in Uganda. However, its claim about the anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 in Uganda is disingenuous at best.

As reported by Scott Lively, "the proposed death penalty in the bill, just one of many provisions, is for "aggravated homosexuality," which is actually pederasty, pedophilia, homosexual parent/child incest, homosexual abuse of a disabled ward, and knowingly spreading AIDS." (AIM Column 01-04-2010, NAMBLA-gate: The Strange Case of Kevin Jennings, Part One) That's quite different from the implications of the NYT's editorial, which was by the way not signed. Could it seem that those who oppose the death penalty in the Act support pedophilia, homosexual rape, incest, rape of mentally disabled, and the spreading of AIDS? I not only would hope not but also think not. But perhaps they're just ignorant of the provisions of the Act, maybe willing so.

However, part of the unjustified overreaction against many homosexuals in Uganda is due to the history of homosexuality in Uganda. Perhaps people should look up the history of 19th century homosexual Ugandan King Mwanga who persecuted and killed Christians and was a violent pedophile. (NYT 01-12-1898) As reported in wanderingcaravan-bronzebuckaroo.blogspot.com 09-10-2007, "Historical records indicate that between 1885-1886, recently converted Anglican Christian young men were put to death by King Mwanga II of Buganda (now Uganda) for turning to conservative Christian doctrine and subsequently refusing sexual relations with him." All this despite the fact that King Mwanga was a Muslim. But then Muslims have used rape, both heterosexual and homosexual to degrade infidels. (islam-watch.org 08-01-2006) Then there's the problem of European and American activists trying to bring back homosexual domination of the country. (AIM 01-04-2010)

Nevertheless, one wrong doesn't justify another. Strong laws against sexual violence whether it be homosexual or heterosexual are justified. But bigotry and violence against law abiding people are not. As Lively implied, let's hope that the Act is modified so as to not be overly broad. Rape, incest, pedophilia, and the intentional spreading of diseases no matter what one's sexual inclinations should be strongly opposed by all moral people. I hope that's what the NYT was really advocating.

Afghanistan's Forgotten Women

2009-12-14T17:19:00.001-08:00

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1258880814692&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout

Mon. Dec. 7, 2009
Afghanistan's Forgotten Women

"Eight years after the fall of the Taliban, Afghan women continue to be among the worst off in the world," says the report. (Reuters)

CAIRO — Violence against Afghan women is "endemic" and the government is not doing much to protect them, the Human Rights Watch said in a new report.

"Eight years after the fall of the Taliban, Afghan women continue to be among the worst off in the world," said the report posted on the HRW's website.

"Their situation is dismal in every area, including in health, education, employment, freedom from violence, equality before the law, and political participation."

The report, "We Have the Promises of the World: Women's Rights in Afghanistan", details cases of rights violations against women.

"Women in public life are subject to routine threats and intimidation.

"Several high profile women have been assassinated, but their killers have not been brought to justice."

Read HRW Report (Document)
Sitara Achakzai, an outspoken rights activist and politician, was murder last April and the government has so far not arrested any of the perpetrators.
"[This creates] an environment of impunity for those who target women," the HRW said.

It added that physical and sexual violence against women are still rife in Afghanistan.

"One nationwide survey of levels of violence against Afghan women found that 52 percent of respondents experienced physical violence, and 17 percent reported sexual violence," it said.

"Yet because of social and legal obstacles to accessing justice, few women and girls report violence to the authorities."

The report cites the case of a woman who was gang raped by a group that included a powerful local militia commander.

Although she fought to have her rapists prosecuted, they were subsequently pardoned by the West-backed President Hamid Karzai.

Later, her husband was assassinated.

The United Nations said last week that violence and rape against women in Afghanistan was a problem of "profound proportions".

Forgotten

HRW said that though girl education was the declared main goal of the Kabul government and its foreign donors, girls have far less access to schools than boys.

"The majority of girls still do not attend primary school," said the report.

"A dismal 11 percent of secondary-school-age girls are enrolled in grades seven through nine. Only 4 percent of girls make it to grades 10 through 12."

The international rights watchdog said many girls are prodded into arranged and forced marriages.

"Surveys suggest that in more than half of all marriages, the wives are under age 16, and 70 to 80 percent of marriages take place without the consent of the woman or girl."

HRW accused the West and the Kabul government of failing to improve the conditions of Afghan women since the ouster of Taliban in 2001.

"While the plight of women and girls under the Taliban was used to help justify the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, women's rights have not been a consistent priority of the government or its international backers."

The US invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime, which was accused of violating women rights.

Eight years, many believe the West has failed to put the country on the path of progress as promised.

"Women are not a priority for our own government or the international community," MP Shinkai Karokhail told the HRW.

"We've been forgotten."

SPECULATING ON SENSELESS ACTS OF VIOLENCE

2009-12-10T07:31:00.000-08:00

http://www.wendymcelroy.com/news.php?extend.2920

SPECULATING ON SENSELESS ACTS OF VIOLENCE
Wendy McElroy - Tuesday 08 December 2009

Why does a normal person suddenly snap and commit acts of violence that appear to be senseless? For example, why did Major Nidal Hasan decide one day to shoot and kill 13 of his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas?

It is reassuring to dismiss the assumption that the person was normal to begin with. Typically, journalists and psychiatrists rummage around the person’s history, collecting life-details like a traumatic childhood, a drinking habit or terrible shyness around women. But next to no one would appear normal if their lives were held under microscopic scrutiny and, yet, shooting sprees are rare. If a person without a record of violence is normal enough to hold down a responsible job, etc., then the question should not be dismissed due to the presence of emotional problems that most of us have at some time.

So why does a statistically normal person suddenly snap? (BTW, it is annoyingly necessary for anyone who seriously explores the question to state clearly…”I am not apologizing for nor justifying in any way acts of violence.” Quite the contrary. I need to understand where such horrifying violence comes from so that, perhaps, it can be prevented.)

A specific set of circumstances seem to be a common theme. They include:

1) A personal injustice has been committed against the individual. With Hasan, I suspect he thought American soldiers were murdering people like him (Muslims) and he could not stand the imminent prospect of being forced to serve in Afghanistan – that is, of being forced to participate in the slaughter. The more personal the injustice, the more likely the eruption of violence. Frankly, this is an aspect of anti-male bias in the family court system that worries me. Good fathers are often stripped of all access to children they adore and, yet, at the same they are forced to pay ruinous, unreasonable child support. I frequently receive emails from fathers who are ½ heartbroken, ½ enraged…all of whom feel so helpless that they are writing to a stranger (me).

2) An inability to rectify the injustice through non-violent means. Often the person has gone through the court system – spending immense time, money and emotional reserves – only to be dismissed or further victimized. In the case of alienated fathers, the court system itself is the enemy. The person comes to believe “there is no justice” and, so, stops looking for fairness. The injustice has to be both big and blinding enough for the person to be unable to ‘move on.’

3) The injustice is continuous. That is to say, it does not happen once or twice but becomes an integral part of daily life and, so, it is impossible to “wait out” or avoid. I suspect the situation is similar to that in which people commit suicide; they lose all perspective and no longer have the ability to see a future that isn’t defined by “the blackness.” Indeed, in becoming a ‘shooter’ instead of committing suicide, the person may be expressing the opposite extreme reaction to the same devastating bleakness. But they direct the rage outward rather than in.

4) Factors that would restrain an act of violence are absent. When a person opens fire at a school, workplace etc., he demonstrates a willingness to throw away the rest of his life in exchange for one brief episode. A person who has something positive to live for – a child, a spouse, a cause – will not make that trade-off.

5) There is a sense of collective guilt directed at those who are targeted for violence. No one except a sociopath will kill people he views as innocent. A ‘shooter’ will target fellow-students who have tormented him…even if the specific students shot are strangers; to him, all are responsible for his misery, not merely the individual students he knows. Or all women. Or all soldiers, etc.

The foregoing is speculation, of course. Like most people, I do not really understand so-called ‘senseless’ acts of violence. But we are fast becoming a less civil, more violent society in which injustice is rampant and often committed by the institutions (police, courts) that are allegedly there to protect us. “There is no justice”…is an increasingly pervasive attitude. Which makes me think acts of ‘senseless’ violence will become more common. I intend to stretch my limited capacity to understand them as far as I can.

Australian Youngsters Afraid To Go Outside, Fearing Assaults and Violence, Survey Finds

2009-11-28T05:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26402571-2,00.html

Australian Youngsters Afraid To Go Outside, Fearing Assaults and Violence, Survey Finds
News.com.au
Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:40 EST

The nation's youngsters are scared to venture outdoors - fearing assaults and violence - with personal safety one of their biggest worries, the largest ever youth study has found. A generation of anxious young Aussies has been created as parents pass on their fears, preventing their children from stepping outside.

The national survey, conducted by the charity Mission Australia, tested the views of close to 48,000 young people - its biggest group since the survey began in 2002, The Daily Telegraph reports. Topping their concerns, those aged 11 to 24 listed drugs, suicide, body image and personal safety.

The survey also uncovered 50 per cent of kids are participating less in hobbies such as dance and art, as families feel the effects of tough economic times.

"Young people are saying they are concerned about violence in the community," Mission Australia's spokeswoman Anne Hampshire said. "It can build up to a level of anxiety which can affect how they interact in the community.

"Feelings of being unsafe can have a long-term negative impact on a young person's well-being."

Despite crime rates falling, a quarter of young people are still fearful they will become a victim of violence. Teamed with alcohol and drugs, it is an area of concern that experts said needs "urgent action."

One 12-year-old-girl said: "I'm concerned about personal safety the most due to all the random people walking around the streets.

"When I am walking alone with just one of my friends and there is a total stranger that seems suspicious, I get out my mobile phone for security reasons as I feel that that person could do anything to my friend and I."

The survey also found the younger generation doesn't care about the environment. It ranks almost last, coming in below depression, family conflict and bullying.

Is Corporal Punishment Always Bad?

2009-11-19T11:30:00.000-08:00

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-Corporal-Punishment-Alw-by-Suzana-Megles-091118-736.html

November 18, 2009
Is Corporal Punishment Always Bad?
By Suzana Megles

Yesterday I received a newsletter from United Animal Action. I was incredibly
saddened by their beginning account of Zig Zag. In my opinion, it deserves
to be read by anyone who has compassion. And all of us who really care should
ask the question "Why?" Here is Zig Zag's story:

"Zig Zag was minding his own business in south-central Los Angeles on one
warm day when, according to police reports and eyewitness accounts, five
young teens approached the Rottweiler mix, caught him and tied him up.
They took wooden boards with nails and beat him. Then they beat him with
a steel pipe. Bleeding and howling, Zig Zag lapsed into unconsciousness. But
the torture wasn't over. One of the youths poured boiling water over him until
he woke up. As he regained his senses, one of the teens poured lighter fluid
on him and set him afire. Zig Zag tried to run, but he was beaten again until
nearly every bone in his body was broken. When the police arrived, Zig Zag
crawled into their squad car and died."

I hope the saying that "What goes around will come around" will apply to these
incredibly cruel punks. If any teens deserved corporal punishment, in my opinion
these did. However, per the newsletter- the perpetrators in this case received
scant punishment and were quickly back on the streets, free to harm more
innocent animals. What kind of criminal justice system do we really have?

If you are not ashamed of these horrible "punks" I am. If you are not ashamed
of a justice system which failed Zig Zag, I am. If you are not ashamed of the
parents who may have spared the rod and spoiled the child, then I am.

If anybody is doing a doctoral thesis in Sociology or Psychology and needs a
subject - Here's one- "Is there merit in forgoing the use of corporal punishment
in today's modern world?" I want someone to find out how these teens were
raised. I want someone to explore their background and determine if corporal
punishment or the lack of it may have played a part in their cruel behavior to
Zig Zag. Were they raised by parents who believed in some restrained corporal
punishment when the offense merited it? Or were they raised by cruel parents
who battered them relentlessly? Or were they raised by parents who didn't think
there ever was justification for corporal punishment?

I believe that we should explore how we raise our children- especially those who
have turned out incredibly "wrong." Investigating the lives of cruel youths like
this may help us decide if our modern child -rearing practices and principles
are really working. I think it is a mistake to adopt a "one fits all" type of raising
children. I believe some children will benefit from some restrained corporal
punishment. Maybe, some will not, but most of all, I want to know how the
perpetrators of such incomparable cruelty to Zig Zag were raised.

I was also reminded today of the cruel case of Cheyenne Cherry which I wrote
about before on oped. This 17-year old and her 14-year old companion broke
into the home of a former roommate - trashing it and even much, much worse
still -the 14-year old put Tiger Lily - an 8-week old kitten into a 400 degree
oven. Cheyenne thought nothing of it, and they both left the apartment admitting
they didn't want to hear the cries of the kitten. If you go on the internet- one
of the links shows a smiling Cheyenne who was sentenced to one year in
prison. The 14-year old was remanded to Family Services for evaluation and
hopefully punishment.

These two also need to be studied re their up-bringing. Was either of them ever
spanked? It seems to me that probably not. Had they been- perhaps they would
not have meted out such a cruel fate to an innocent little kitten who did them
no harm.

I do believe there is wisdom in the Biblical injunction "Spare the rod; spoil the
child." You don't have to believe in the Bible to realize that history is on its
side. I would be the first to admit my mistake if there is a study done in this
regard and the findings show that the large group of people who are cruel to
animals were brought up in families which used corporal punishment reasonably.
I would also like to believe that the incidences of cruelty to Tiger Lily and Zig Zag
are rare. Please God, I hope so. But if we are raising teens of the calibre of
those who tortured Zig Zag and Tiger Lily, then we should look deeper into the
causes - whatever they are and one can well be the lack of corporal discipline
in early childhood.

I began to worry about our child-rearing ideas when I noticed a change
in the quality of students I was teaching. The elementary students I taught
in the 50's were very different from those in the 70's. The 50's children
were basically well-behaved, industrious, and above all - respectful of their
elders. I believe that these children had parents who didn't feel a deserved
spanking done with restraint would hurt and would even probably help them
develop a feeling of compassion for anyone feeling pain. I doubt that this period
spawned many bullies. At least I don't remember any being called to my
attention. Were there ever fights on the playground?- Probably, but nothing
even approaching the accounts of bullying cruelty I hear of today.

Substitute teaching in a high school in the 70's, I was saddened to see that
some of the students were less than respectful. This was culture shock for
me and yes, I realized then that I did not want to be in this environment
any longer. I didn't need to be subjected to their bad manners. What had
happened to the once basically well-behaved and respectful student? Was
this the time when the views of corporal punishment were being questioned?
I believe so. That's why I hope someone will someday undertake a study
re the wisdom of ignoring the Biblical injunction - "Spare the rod; spoil the
child." Of course this injunction is not meant to empower parents to
abuse their children. Always everything in moderation. Can't there
be a middle road with disciplining our children?

Mercenaries in the Marketplace of Violence

2009-11-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Mercenaries-in-the-Marketp-by-HPatricia-Hynes-091115-294.html

November 16, 2009
Mercenaries in the Marketplace of Violence
By HPatricia Hynes

They are a potent but barely perceptible component of U.S. militarism and foreign policy. Ceding armed conflict and ultimately national security to the private market of military companies is a dire and disastrous trend.

Overview

After 9/11 one of the few sectors to enjoy growth was the young market niche of private military contractors (PMCs). Peter Singer of the Brookings Institute was an early analyst of this new growth industry, generating a detailed taxonomy of their militarized services and a litany of case examples of their clients and covert activities in his book Corporate Warriors (2003). Private military companies are lean, nimble global businesses formed and managed in many cases by former military men and specialized in armed conflict services from combat and operating drones, to intelligence and spying, war logistics, training militaries, building and servicing military bases, post-war de-mining operations, and peacekeeping. Their clients include governments of all ilk from “democratic” to “rogue,” the UN and NGOs, rebel groups, paramilitaries, drug cartels, and human traffickers. Sometimes they contract with both sides of a conflict. Some garner business concessions in oil and natural resources in client countries, thus the cachet of conflict in resource-rich countries.

It's anticipated that military companies will continue enjoying generous growth despite current global economic contraction. According to Allison Stanger, author of One Nation Under Contract (2009), PMCs have made the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan possible, given the low support of Allies. In 2009, military contractors comprised half of the Department of Defense workforce in Iraq and more than half in Afghanistan. The vaunted U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq leaves in place a substantial, shadowy private military occupation. Stanger observes that the core pillars of national security – intelligence, diplomacy, development and defense – are increasingly handled by private contractors, a troubling trend unremarked by most Americans.

Caveat Emptor.

Here are five caveats regarding military merchants in corporate clothing:

1. Corporate profit vs. public good. Making a profit from war, for company owners and stockholders, is the bottom line for PMCs. Being in the “marketplace of violence,” they rely upon, and are positioned to promote continuous armed conflict, with few, if any, public checks and balances.

2. Global glut in ex-soldiers and arms. Since the end of the Cold War, the market has been saturated with ex-soldiers and military weapons unloaded by governments to arms brokers. On the “demand” side of violence, the incidence of conflicts within countries has doubled since the end of the Cold War and zones of conflict have doubled as well, creating a perfect storm of opportunity for corporatizing war. “The consequence,” according to Singer, “is that governments no longer have control over the primary means of warfare.”

3. Under the radar screen and outside the law. Historically, the U.S. Uniform Military Code of Justice has applied only to U.S. military, a lacuna in law which left PMCs in conflict zones virtually free of the threat of disciplinary action, court martial or arrest for fraud, drunken and reckless behavior, assault, rape, insubordination, leaving the battlefield, and so on. In 2005, the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act was amended to permit prosecution of private federal contractors and their employees. However, journalist and author of Blackwater: the Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army (2007), Jeremy Scahill, testified in a 2007 congressional hearing that private military contractors are almost never prosecuted under U.S. military or civil law. In fact, in the international arena, PMCs are not covered by international law in warfare so that these armed mercenaries operate fairly immune from any justice system. This convenience for the military companies and their clients creates great risk for their victims, whistleblowers, and female employees.

4. Select history of abuses.

Working both sides of conflicts: According to Singer, the PMC Lifeguard allegedly supplied arms to rebel forces in Sierra Leone at the same time they were hired as security by mining companies to protect operations from rebel forces and their parent company Sandline was contracted by the government to defeat rebel forces. Another affiliate of Sandline simultaneously supplied aerial war support to the government and weapons to the rebels.

Sexual exploitation of women with impunity: As a KBR/Halliburton private military employee in Iraq, Jamie Lee Jones was drugged, gang-raped and brutally assaulted in the Green Zone by male co-workers in 2005. Halliburton labeled her rape a “workplace injury” and touted a contract loophole which stated that Jones' only recourse was to seek “mandatory binding arbitration” within the company (a contractual tactic that exempts the company from U.S. criminal law). In September 2009, Jamie Lee Jones won the right to take Halliburton to court. During the course of her multi-year legal battle, other women have come forward with accounts of sexual harassment and rape; their complaints resulted in threats or job loss while the rapist employees was protected. Former Halliburton /KBR employees have described the work environment as rife with sexual harassment.

Sex trafficking of women by peacekeepers: In the late 1990s, DynCorp Technical Services was subcontracted by the US State Department for military services in Bosnia, including recruiting American officers for the international UN police peacekeeping force there. Kathryn Bolkovac, a DynCorp employee, documented and reported that numerous UN peacekeepers were involved in sex trafficking of Eastern European women through Bosnia. The company's response was to demote and then fire Bolkavac. Subsequent investigations confirmed that sexual exploitation was fueled by well-paid military contractors but determined that, under the Dayton Peace Agreement, UN officials and contractors in the region enjoyed legal immunity from criminal investigations.

Militarized prostitution and trafficking in Iraq: In her study of military prostitution and trafficking during the Iraq war, Debra McNutt concludes that privatization of war – through heavy reliance on military contractors – has worsened the prostituting of women in war zones. According to McNutt, the “most thorough documentation of prostitution in Iraq is"the on-line “International Sex Guide” (ISG). The ISG Iraq site was up and running a mere 2 days after the war was launched. Rife with misogynist and racist comments, the ISG site sported private contractors brainstorming about setting up brothels and charging high rates – since it was pimp's market -- that would keep the lower-paid military “riff-raff” away.

5. Risk of militarizing governments and non-state networks. There are many risks to peace and security in the proliferation of PMCs, among them: abetting repressive and criminal clients; promoting and sustaining conflict; enabling covert warfare; and moving the military industrial complex even more centrally from the public sector to the private where the only checks and balances are shareholders. In the end, the use of private military may be more palatable to the U.S. public whose media reports the numbers of US military deployed, injured and killed yet rarely spotlights the number of corporate warriors employed in conflict, injured and killed.

The inevitable breakdown of social order within war has hazardous results for civilians -- most particularly the sex trafficking, rape and torture of women. Ceding armed conflict and ultimately national security to the private market of military contractors is a dire and disastrous trend.