Sam Husseini: U.S. Afghanistan Offensive Violates Olympic Truce
[Sam Husseini is a writer and political activist. He is the communications director of the Institute for Public Accuracy, a D.C.-based nonprofit group that promotes progressive experts as alternative sources for mainstream media reporters.]
Earlier today I sent a note to several friends, writing that it "would be interesting if the U.S. started the offensive in Afghanistan tonight, since the ancient Greeks stopped their wars to have Olympics; but we've followed a different path." Around four hours later -- shortly after putting out a news release "New Offensive in Afghanistan: U.S. Poised to Commit War Crimes?" -- I heard the breaking news: that the offensive in Marjah had begun.
According to the Perseus Project at Tufts University: "A truce (in Greek, ekecheiria, which literally means 'holding of hands') was announced before and during each of the Olympic festivals, to allow visitors to travel safely to Olympia. An inscription describing the truce was written on a bronze discus which was displayed at Olympia. During the truce, wars were suspended, armies were prohibited from entering Elis or threatening the Games, and legal disputes and the carrying out of death penalties were forbidden."
Last year, the International Olympic Committee was granted observer status at the UN. Earlier this week, the UN made formal its support for an Olympic Truce and a "truce wall" was put up where athletes and others can sign up to support the Olympic truce....
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Earlier today I sent a note to several friends, writing that it "would be interesting if the U.S. started the offensive in Afghanistan tonight, since the ancient Greeks stopped their wars to have Olympics; but we've followed a different path." Around four hours later -- shortly after putting out a news release "New Offensive in Afghanistan: U.S. Poised to Commit War Crimes?" -- I heard the breaking news: that the offensive in Marjah had begun.
According to the Perseus Project at Tufts University: "A truce (in Greek, ekecheiria, which literally means 'holding of hands') was announced before and during each of the Olympic festivals, to allow visitors to travel safely to Olympia. An inscription describing the truce was written on a bronze discus which was displayed at Olympia. During the truce, wars were suspended, armies were prohibited from entering Elis or threatening the Games, and legal disputes and the carrying out of death penalties were forbidden."
Last year, the International Olympic Committee was granted observer status at the UN. Earlier this week, the UN made formal its support for an Olympic Truce and a "truce wall" was put up where athletes and others can sign up to support the Olympic truce....