I was in Warrington when it was bombed, and its kind of lead me on a strange journey through life. I understand, and to a point, sympathise with why we were bombed. But I can not condone it. I have a strange interest in conflict (and more to the point, peace as a result)
Last year, me and DH went backpacking through both Serbia and Bosnia (and have a few stories to tell from it!).
The lasting impression I had from the trip, was an enormous sense of sadness and waste in both countries. It was clear just how much propaganda and the leaders recked both countries - and how much our own media shaped our perceptions. There is still so much lingering pain and indeed hostility just below the surface.
Before we went we had heard an incredible amount of bad stuff about Serbia. In truth, we didn't really want to go there, but we couldn't avoid it, with where else we wanted to go. And on our first day there one of their biggest 'cities' Nis we had something of a shock finding dictators we find unpalatable being lauded as figures of respect in a cafe. At the time it was the midst of the Libya conflict and seeing a cardboard cut out of Gadaffi was actually quite frightening. But this little city had a story to tell.
In 1999 it was bombed by NATO several times and a lot of civilians were killed including attacks which Serbians and a number of people outside the country, believe should be regarded as a war crimes. An awful lot of resentment and hostility built up as a result and the hero worship of these dictators in the cafe was less to do with their actual policies but more about standing up to The West and sharing the same sense of being an unfairly targeted victim. A strange sense of comradeship, based only on a common 'enemy'. I found it impossible not to have sympathy with their point of view and feel guilt about how our country played a part, no matter what the justification about Kosovo was. Its a pretty complex idea to truly get your head round because its so at odds with your own 'reality'. These were families like mine who didn't really care about politics. I think until you actually can put yourself in a place its impossible to really think freely about what people REALLY think and what is REALLY important to them. You do get seduced by the idea that X is bad or Y is the good guy even if you are a very intelligent person.
You have to also remember how the Serbian press, did spin (and continue to spin) the story to their people and how it created nationalistic pride and a sense that they were under attack after acting in defence of their nation rather than having aggressive policy. VERY few people see their own nation as the bad guy in conflict; the state defends its own against those who try and kill you. Our own media is guilty of similar things.
Instead of coming across people who would be resentful and hate us, we found THE nicest friendliest people I've ever met anywhere in the world, despite the language barrier. It quickly became apparent they were fairly used to German backpackers but Brits in that part of Serbia were very rare still. When they found out that we were British and wanted to see their country, they were so happy and pleased. It was almost like they felt happy to be 'accepted'. It was a very strange experience. And when you went around shops you saw the consumerism and the desire to be like the rest of Europe. It true it wasn't all good though. There is clearly a very big divide in the country and much racism remaining. Seeing copies of Mein Kampf in pride of place in bookshops in Belgrade was alarming.
But it did teach me a few things, and to be very mindful of saying that we are without fault and that the average person on the ground really, truly actually believes in bad things freely. You just see things from the point of view you are given and its people in power that are truly to blame. Everyone one of us is brainwashed to a point, and I have to say that dreamingbohemian is completely right when she talks about the perils of forming an opinion, and how prejudice you can be (without realising it). People tend to do bad things because they feel they have no other choice and that is the only way they can get a certain message across. Of course its not, but thats how they feel, and you have to look at how you get to that point instead of passing comment on the pure horror of certain atrocities.
I can not comprehend how I would be able to make rational decisions and be able to not be full of the desire to retaliate if I was attacked over and over again in my own home. The politics and history behind it, would largely cease to be relevant. It would be just about the fact that my house and family were being attacked and wanting to defend myself. It becomes that basic. I believe that most people on both sides want peace and the right to live freely, and thats it. The politics are for people in power and have egos and loose all sight of what people really want and create demons and feed the fear of the people for their own ends. Precisely, because it helps to keep them in power. In the case of Israel and Palestine, there is actually little incentive for peace on the part of the leadership. Its a way of life, and they have the respect of their own from the effects of conflict.
I still go back to the idea of freedom fighters and terrorists and being in the eye of the beholder. And I do have to ask anyone who is Pro-Palestinian how they would feel if they saw a suicide bomber kill an Israeli child in front of you whilst out shopping, and anyone who is Pro-Israel how they would feel if they saw a targeted rocket attack kill a Palestinian child in their own home in front of you. If you can honestly say it wouldn't affect you and you don't think it would change your perceptions, I think you are pretty cold, heartless and ruthless individual who lacks any humanity at all. I think even hardened soliders used to war still struggle with it.
People are fighting in Israel and Palestine because they are doing it out of fear and sometimes hopelessness against a nameless faceless mass which has been demonised in one way or another and they think rightly or wrongly, will do the same to them, if they don't do it first.
Frankly, I think the vast majority of us, lack the capacity to understand and comprehend this because it is just so far removed from our own realities. You act most on what you see, hear and feel with your own eyes not from stepping back and looking at the whole picture. Simply because we are human.