Guernica Iraq
January 30th, 2007
The YouTube description:
“Guernica” was painted by Picasso in 1937. It depicts the senseless massacre by the Nazi Luftwaffe in the Basque city of Guernica, Spain. The attack was ordered at the behest of fascist Spanish General, Francisco Franco, during the Spanish Civil War. Guernica was a non-military target, the innocent people of the town were attacked in an attempt to psychologically break the will of those who opposed Franco’s fascistic nationalist pursuit.
Picasso captured an intense scene reflecting the deeply unjust suffering, agony and despair experienced by the people of Guernica. And in doing so he produced one of the most iconic, powerful and affecting pieces of anti-war artwork ever put to canvas. It is little surprise then that a reproduction of the painting, which hangs outside the entrance to the UN Security Council, was covered while Colin Powell was attempting to sell the Iraq War to the world.
The people of Iraq are suffering what amounts to the similar unjust brutality inflicted on the people of Guernica, except it’s practically on a daily basis. A more accurate comparison would be to imagine having the London Tube and Bus bombings everyday. And have them happen so often that they become a predictable daily occurrence and part of life.
Entry Filed under: Film, Iraq, Middle East, War and Peace
2 Comments Add your own
1. Mike | January 30th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
The Guernica analogy for Iraq (Fallujah probably fits the bill, only more so) is very apt. There is very little consideration for the lives of ordinary Iraqis in what passes for the sensibilities of the Coalition commanders, never mind the ‘terrorists’, in that benighted country. As with Spain in the Civil War, truth is hard to come by but at least we can all safely reject almost anything that emanates from the Coalition. The most recent spin on the slaughter of the ‘Army of Heaven’ Cult is falling apart by the hour and what amounts to another Guernica-style massacre is, I fear, unfolding. There will be another one next week, and the week after that, when Dubya’s surge gathers some steam.
2. Mike | January 31st, 2007 at 6:34 pm
More on the massacre from later reports.
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=15&ItemID=12016
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/17964
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