Cluster Bombs Conference
Posted on Monday, May 19, 2008Engineering genius needs the chaperone of a moral compass. When design is placed in the hands of turbo-charged, but socially-limited, intellects, we get brutal, anonymous cities and a savage tearing apart of our planet for oil and iron and teak. We end up clinging like beetles to the edge of a cold, soulless dirtball in space.
But when engineering genius ventures out alone, unaccompanied by a moral compass, and walking along with corruption and greed, we get the likes of Halliburton. And then we get war. And then we get miserable warmongering self-serving governments.
That’s when our human design genius gives us abominations like cluster bombs, a vicious weapon that continues to attack and maim civilian populations long after the political conflict has ended.
Representatives of a hundred countries are attending the Dublin conference on getting rid of cluster munitions, but let me ask you something: who’s missing from the conference?
Who isn’t attending this conference on ridding the world of a weapon as repugnant to decency as any weapon ever conceived of?
Ah, you don’t need me to tell you that. It’s the usual suspects, isn’t it? The USA, Russia and China.
Who else?
Stumble it!
May 19th, 2008
This is a gorgeously crafted post with meaning and form joined seamlessly. I like how, visually, rhythmically and semantically, the paragraphs and the whole taper down to the sharp point of “who else?”
Who else indeed?
May 19th, 2008
That’s the point.
May 19th, 2008
“Engineering genius needs the chaperone of a moral compass. When design is placed in the hands of turbo-charged, but socially-limited, intellects, we get brutal, anonymous cities and a savage tearing apart of our planet for oil and iron and teak”
Horseshit. You have clusterbombs because the general public elect their representatives who run a military who in turn buy and deploy clusterbombs. Trying to pin this on “intellectuals” is passing the buck.
In a modern representative democracy you get war because you want and support it. End of.
May 19th, 2008
First. Don’t say “end of”. It’s childish and makes no sense.
Second. Don’t say “horseshit”. It’s mindless.
Third. I said nothing about intellectuals.
Fourth. I said nothing about supporting war.
Fifth. Fuck off.
May 19th, 2008
Fair comment indeed, bock.
Whenever I need reassuring about engineerings ability to soar with the angels I have a little look at the Falkirk Wheel, between Glasgow and Edinborough. 40 years to complete but a joy to behold.
Makes me smile.
May 20th, 2008
It is a fair comment. I could mention a thousand examples of human ingenuity that make the spirit soar, but sometimes, I get angry. The Falkirk Wheel is an astounding instance of what can be possible and I agree with you completely.
It pisses me off when I get condescending fuckers like that fool in the last comment. I have a technological background too, and it annoys me when people with skills decide to switch off their evil-detectors.
They can fuck off, as far as I’m concerned. Let them go to Lebanon and see what cluster bombs have done to the children there.
May 20th, 2008
Just one point when weapons or anything else are invented they are a permanent feature of life on earth,they cannot be uninvented.Cluster bombs will be used by any military who thinks they give them an advantage.Perhaps the best that can be done is to put inventivness into finding better ways to clean up after them.To put things in perspective the invention that is the greatest killer of humankind and perhaps wild animals as well,also does the most damage to the planet,is the car.No hope of that going away either.
May 20th, 2008
The only problem I have with this is the list of usual suspects. A more complete though far from comprehensive list of counties not attending are; China, India, Israel, Pakistan, Russia, Iran, Egypt and the United States. Also there are a variety of countries who want the language watered down. They are Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.
May 20th, 2008
“It’s the usual suspects, isn’t it? The USA, Russia and China.”
Yep … and Israel (oops, I see you’ve posted above me)
“In a modern representative democracy you get war because you want and support it. End of.”
God, does he even know (e.g.) that General Electric is both a a billion-dollar arms dealer and owner of the NBC network? I assume not …
May 20th, 2008
William: Thanks for your contribution, but this discussion isn’t about the car. It’s about cluster munitions. We can have a discussion about cars another time.
Brian: Excellent. I have nothing to disagree with there. Are we at one on cluster munitions?
Nora: He’s a fucking idiot. Ignore him.
May 20th, 2008
“It’s childish … Fifth. Fuck off.”
very grown up of you. Asshole
May 20th, 2008
Tom: This country doesn’t have cluster bombs, and I didn’t try to pin anything on intellectuals. You, on the other hand, tried to twist my words and to deliver a half-assed lecture on modern representative democracy, whatever you think that might be. So yes, you can expect to be told to fuck ioff if you come here and try to be a dishonest, condescending prick.
May 20th, 2008
Tom: I can see John McCain’s campaign posters now,
“Vote for me and I Garuntee more Clusterbombs!!”
What an Interesting view of the world you must have..
May 20th, 2008
I realise that he may actually support ClusterBomb production btw…
Just because we can invent something doesnt mean we Should..
May 20th, 2008
Ok sorry for wandering off subject a little on previous post.I agree completely with your article.The point I was attempting to make is that a conference to ban something that is already a fait accompli is very unlikely to succeed.Especially when it is mostly those that do not have them or are lukewarm about banning them attend and the worst users of them are disinterested.Perhaps a conference to set standards for weapon research would be better ie to try to prevent research into weapons considered especially cruel and inhumane.Perhaps hope to limit some of the most hideous products of the human mind ever coming into existence.Cluster bombs like landmines and napalm are an adbomination.But we are stuck with them now and there is a need to look at ways to negate the harm they do.The long term harm caused by cluster munitions could be solved by engineering them so that detonation is 100% reliable at moment of use.But perhaps that is not what those that use them want.If they are intended to sit around waiting for non combatant victims then those that use them should be classified as terrorists.
May 20th, 2008
No doubt about it, the engineers had better days. I love the well made comment above about an agreement to make sure they all go off at the one time, and where that might end up.
Ultimately it comes back to our own personal patch and how we conduct ourselves.
May 20th, 2008
“Ultimately it comes back to our own personal patch and how we conduct ourselves.”
There is some truth in that. But I often feel it’s a get-out clause for not getting involved in worldwide campaigns. Why can’t we do both?
May 20th, 2008
It’s a words and actions thing Nora. There are a bundle of excellent wordsmiths loitering with intent here abouts. And already we’re not too far away from the justified action, or the justified war. World wide overwhelms me, global makes me giggly. I think William’s point above the reliability is the most pragmatic but how mad is that, making weapons safe for use. It’s banal in the extreme, and defines an absurdity of life. No, let me work on my own patch please, I have my own huge challenges figuring out how to share and care within a parish where people actually know me. Generally speaking, if I have a good idea, then I have to back it up with some action.
But at a push, I’m with Bock here. Those who didn’t turn up are a shower of war mongering curs. Am I involved now?
May 20th, 2008
Every conference of this kind is another step along the way towards outlawing cluster munitions.
May 20th, 2008
“World wide overwhelms me, global makes me giggly … Generally speaking, if I have a good idea, then I have to back it up with some action.”
Each to his/her own. I’m not a preacher - I hope! I’m a member of Amnesty International since 1971 (harr! I typed 1871 …) and I can take action from my own living-room, if that’s what I want. Or I can take to the streets if/when appropriate. Global doesn’t make me giggly and I don’t see why it should. But that’s just me.
You’re quite right about the conference, Bock.
May 20th, 2008
What does global mean? Really, what does it mean.
May 20th, 2008
Global? Worldwide. Of the whole world.
Why?
May 20th, 2008
In the context of getting something done or stopped. Sometimes it’s easier to sign a petition ( just say ) for human rights in China, then getting the local area adequately policed.
May 20th, 2008
We could try both, I suppose.
May 20th, 2008
Not sure I would characterise Halliburton as an engineering company, it’s more of a sleazy middle man looking to assist people who want to turn technological tricks to their advantage. Perhaps, more a pimp for engineers than involved in active engineering itself.
May 20th, 2008
It does quite a lot of engineering work.
May 20th, 2008
well they engineered a nice little war for themselves didnt they…
May 20th, 2008
Sniffle&Cry:
True enough. As long as you don’t think we spend our time signing petitions. :)
May 20th, 2008
OrganDonor: They sure did. A nice little earner.
May 21st, 2008
Engineers became debased when every fucker with a screwdriver felt they had the right to call themselves engineers. It was a rapid slide down the slope from then on.
My little institution hands out a code of ethics to all engineers. Maybe it should be handed out everywhere. Trouble is getting the members to live by the code.
No 1. Members shall at all times place their responsibility for the welfare, health and safety of the community before their responsibility to sectional or private interests, or to other members.
Pretty straightforward, isn’t it…
There’s 8 more but you get the drift.