We need to remember that Greed leads to War

Last night I was reading a novel by Australian Peter Temple, called Identity Theory.  It's the kind of dialogue intensive narrative that can make it feel so immediate. I came upon this passage:

"And then came Angola , sad , ravaged Angola , cursed with oil . At least 300,000 people — many of them civilians — have died in the civil war since Holden Roberto of the FNLA first took the CIA’s coin in 1962 . Together , Holden and the agency held a small war and the whole world came : the US , South Africa , China , the Soviet Union , Cuba . South Africa was invited in by the US and it came with alacrity . In August 1981 , given the nod by a Reagan Administration foaming at the mouth over the Cuban presence in the country , it invaded southern Angola . The South African force of 11,000 men , supported by tanks and aircraft , laid waste to Cunene province . Some 80,000 Angolans fled their homes . How many died is unknown . The South African army settled down for a long and murderous stay . From 1981 , the US used both military power — South African troops ( and their proxies ) and Savimbi’s UNITA forces — and economic pressure as it set out to destabilise countries in the region . As a result , some estimates put deaths by starvation at more than 100,000 in 1983 alone . Along the bloody way , there have been many chances to end the Angolan conflict . But , until last month , the US turned its face against any settlement that did not fully replace Soviet with American influence ."

We are complicit in this I read the story that Germany is increasing its military budget. Sweden as well, probably a few others, and I think. "Exactly what the billionaire arms suppliers want." I read that the price of oil is going up and I think "Exactly what the oil executives want." I read that Inflation is raising consumer prices, and that companies are reporting record profits. Wall Street has a few ups and downs, but only the inexperienced traders will lose out.

State-owned media pump out falsehoods, exaggerations, pure lies and misdirection where the state can do this. Where it can't, privately-owned corporations build media empires to pump out the same.  It doesn't matter what side we're on, we're all being manipulated to feel fear and insecurity. To see some other poor manipulated folks as the enemy.

Because people who are afraid and insecure spend more money than people who are well-adjusted.

ALL the division and strife in this world is profit driven, ultimately, because the billionaires have discovered that division and strife lead to bigger profits. Greed is the enemy.  Of Humanity.

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