I've had enough of black and white

Early this morning when I turned on my computer I read about a US airstrike killing about 80 Afghans, some of whom were civilians. Mistakes do happen.

A few hours later, the story had changed. No civilians. Just 80 dead. All Taliban. Those evil warriors who threaten the stability of the puppet-government in Kabul, but aren't actually strong enough to threaten anything else.

Even if they did admit to killing civilians, it's no big deal, is it? Collateral damage. As any oncologist knows, you have to kill a few good cells to root out the evil cancer. The important thing is to destroy.

I try hard to know what is going on beyond the mainstream headlines. I used to make it my daily occupation--I must confess I am now distracted by other matters. It's important, though, to investigate and question, rather than simply accepting the official story.

It is heresy to say that the Taliban did some good in Afghanistan, so I won't say that even though this is what my rudimentary research has indicated. Not to say everything they did was good, but only to counter the propaganda that they are entirely evil. It is indisputable that the opium trade was nearly obliterated while the Taliban were in charge.

Regardless, I always ask myself why my country must run the business of other countries. Sovereignty, I believe, is an inalienable right. Yet, though puppet dictators and standing armies, my country continues to dominate.

Eighty Afghans died today. Who they were is disputed. They were human beings, that's for certain. They had lives and families. They were neither good nor evil--few people are--but somewhere in between.

I am tired of a world always painted in black and white. I'm ready for some color.