Author: Sergio Mascarenhas (---.74.162)
Date: 04-17-2003 00:57
I am an Angolan (a white Angolan actually) and never heard of the myths you mention. This is not to say that they don't exist since I can't claim to know Angolan myths in depth. At least, they are not very commonly known.
You say:
"Its an interesting concept, that of Man standing against God, and it is one that has not gained a real foothold in contemporary belief and Myth"
I may be wrong but it seems to me that this is one of the strong currents in Greek mythology.
On your examples of heroes:
"Coalition Military Personnel:" skip the rest
I personally don't consider them to be heroes otherwise we have to accept that anybody that faces a risk to his life is a hero. Why not? Because of the military inbalance between the coalition and the Iraqi forces. The coalition forces had such a better equipment, training and support systems that they faced a very small thread. A hero is someone that faces overwhelming odds. It was not the case with coalition forces.
"Surrendering Iraqi soldiers? Cowards? I do not think so, I do think they are Heroes to an extent" etc.
It seems that to you someone that is nto a coward is a hero. I think this is not correct. Just because one is to a coward it does not mean one is a hero.
"Iraqi Homicide/Suicide Bombers? That's tough, though if your friend or family member has been killed by one of these, I can easily see where they would not be Heroes."
So being a hero is relative, depends on the side you are. From this POV no American can be a hero to Iraqis because Americans are the offenders. I'm not saying that you are wrong, I just mean that you make the discussion of heroism futile since there's always to sides to a fight.
"Some are forced and some are true believers but the very idea of driving a car into enemy soldiers and blowing it up is a waste of a military resource i.e. soldiers and explosives."
Well, any usage of military equipment is a waste of military resource. And suicide attacks present a more balanced usage of those resources than normal attacks. I mean, most often than not you kill more enemies in a suicide attacks than the losses to your forces (the suicide attacker). So your death balance is better than a conventional fight where you are not sure if you are going to suffer more casualities than the enemy.
This may sound callous but if you go the accountant way, there's a rational for suicide attacks.
Sergio
|
|
