Friends Can Never Do Wrong

Have you ever considered how we choose our friends?

Common interests? Common goals? Common location? Common curiosity? Uncommon curiosity?

Whatever the spark, when you look at your friends, your close friends, you see – hopefully – someone who cares enough about you to be honest. And who – hopefully – can accept the odd bit of honesty in return.

And that is probably when you find out how strong the friendship is. Or isn’t.

And this has nothing to do with friends. Nor close friends, Not personal friends.

This has to do with those countries we consider our friends, those we do not, and the difference in our honesty.

There has recently been yet another military attack using chemical weapons in Syria. Unacceptable. Unjustifiable. Wrong on every level.

And as should be expected, there are declarations of horror from around the world – with the odd exception.

But this is an easy condemnation. Syria is ruled by an almost universally acknowledged tyrant, who has been more than happy to kill countless thousands of his own people to retain power.

And because he is supported by Russia, we, and the US, can stamp, and shout, and proclaim our outrage and humanity.

Because Russia is not a friend.

So, change the situation to involve a friend and the declarations change, or simply melt away. Or are never made.

We as a country, along with the US, are making a large amount of money from the provisions of arms to Saudi Arabia. In turn, those arms are being used to murder countless thousands in Yemen.

But Saudi Arabia is a friend.

The US is a friend. When they bellow at the atrocities in Syria, we join the chorus.

There is another chorus we should join. The one that condemns a country that permits the uncontrolled slaughter of its children.

But we cannot do that. Because we don’t criticise our friends. Not because they cannot take the honesty. They wouldn’t give a damn.

We don’t criticise because they are not friends. They are expedient partners in proxy wars. Wars about disconnections that should have been resolved so many lost lives ago. But were not, because our leaders are interested in power, not lives.

And these are not our lives, they are someone else’s parents, siblings, children.

Unless they are your own children, USA, then your true hypocrisy emerges. And our government’s along with it.

If you cannot protect your own, do not declaim the defence of others from the moral high ground. You have no right to be there.