Best Of
Re: The Elephant in the Room
I found this article interesting
Invisible Armies & Proxy Warfare
The Human Cost: A stark look at the civilian toll
The Human Cost of proxy warfare is a profound and often overlooked aspect of modern conflict, manifesting in a stark and tragic toll on civilian populations.This tragic dimension extends across various forms of proxy warfare, including the utilisation of private contractors, special forces, and technological means such as drones.
Civilian casualties are not a new phenomenon in warfare, but the indirect nature of proxy conflicts often exacerbates the lack of accountability and oversight.
In regions where private military contractors operate, incidents involving civilian harm may go un-investigated or unpunished, shrouded in a cloud of legal ambiguity.
Special forces, with their covert nature, may engage in operations that lead to unintended civilian loss without sufficient public scrutiny.
The use of drone strikes offers a particularly poignant example of how remote warfare can lead to civilian casualties.
Despite the precision that technology purports to offer, errors in intelligence, targeting, and execution can, and do, lead to the deaths of innocents.
Such incidents have occurred in places like Pakistan, Yemen, and Afghanistan, often leaving families devastated and communities disrupted without clear avenues for redress.
The psychological toll on affected populations must also not be underestimated. Living under the constant threat of drone strikes or in areas controlled by proxy forces can create an environment of fear and uncertainty.
This psychological impact, in turn, can have long-term effects on mental health, community cohesion, and overall stability in the region.
Even in the context of seemingly “controlled” engagements like those conducted by special forces or highly trained contractors, the human cost can be immense.
Operations may lead to collateral damage, affecting non-combatants caught in the crossfire, or indirectly impacting civilians through the destruction of infrastructure, loss of livelihoods, and displacement.
The lack of clear accountability mechanisms in proxy warfare contributes to a culture of impunity, where transgressions against civilians may go unchecked.
International laws and norms that aim to protect non-combatants often find limited application in these shadowy conflicts, leading to a breakdown in the traditional safeguards that govern warfare.
We see this playing out all over the place and there seems to be a few key player countries involved ...
Shoshin1
Re: Not-seeking
@pegembara said:
Where is Osho now, where is the Buddha, where is Nisargadatta?
They are the fingers pointing to the moon.
They have left behind books and sutras, and I read them, widely and frequently. The reading opened doors for me, but it was never satisfying, just short-lasting insight and then on to the next nugget of wisdom. It was returning to the memory of living enlightened presence that brought peace to the search, for me.
Maybe @bunks had the right Buddhist approach by spending time amongst monastics.
Jeroen
Re: The don’t know mind
Don't know how to solve this conundrum.
The Zen Buddha
“Friend, how did you cross the flood?”
“Neither standing nor swimming, friend, I crossed the flood.”
“But how did you cross the flood neither standing nor swimming?”
“When I stood still, I sank. And when I swam, I was swept away. That’s how I crossed the flood neither standing nor swimming.”
“After a long time I see
a brahmin extinguished.
Neither standing nor swimming,
he’s crossed over attachment to the world.”
—SN 1.1
Re: Adventure and wanting to be a hero
I'm a bit of a romantic so it makes sense to me that we are all heroes and all of the heroes are we.
In my mind, each one of us is living out a Jataka tale and so I bow down and take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
🙏
Re: Not-seeking
Where is Osho now, where is the Buddha, where is Nisargadatta?
They are the fingers pointing to the moon.
"For a long time, Lord, I have wanted to come and set eyes on the Blessed One, but I had not the strength in this body to come and see the Blessed One."
"Enough, Vakkali! What is there to see in this vile body? He who sees Dhamma, Vakkali, sees me; he who sees me sees Dhamma. Truly seeing Dhamma, one sees me; seeing me one sees Dhamma."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.087x.wlsh.html
Re: Not-seeking
Seeking has nothing to do with age.
Arriving is not based upon years.
Awakening can happen in a moment.
Or not emerge after decades.
What is the cause?
The heart
Lionduck
Re: The don’t know mind
A lot of insight on this thread.
The "don't know mind" puts the fun back into the journey when we've gotten too caught up in having the proper or "Right" view. Perhaps ironically, a big part of Right view is not clinging to views. This can be like a weight lifted off of our chest. For those that love to search it makes sense to keep it alive and that's a big value in cultivating the don't know mind.