Slain British Soldier's Family Did Not Expect He'd Face Danger at Home

“When he’s in the UK, you think they’re safe,” said Rebecca Rigby, who was so overcome with emotion at times she could barely speak. “He’s walked up and down that road so many times before.”

“When he’s in [Afghanistan], you come to terms with it. You know there’s dangers,” added Ian Rigby, the slain soldier’s stepfather. “You don’t expect something like that on your doorstep. It’s very difficult.”

The header says everything that is wrong with the current state of "war". If you look at World War II you will note that every party involved had the risk of the war "coming home". The English, French, Germans and Japanese especially. When one went to war, one had to seriously consider that your population would be at risk.

Since WWII Europeans (and Americans) have generally gone to war against folks who were vastly inferior in weaponry. Thus the European and American aggressors never had to consider any casualties on the homeland. Thus the Americans and Europeans have become the world's bullies. They can do regime change without fear of reprisal. They can...well could, arm proxy governments with weapons with which to kill people with little better than firecrackers. They could send drones to drop bombs on folks who would never see it coming. All with impunity.

You know who the Americans and Europeans don't fuck with? Those with the ability to strike back. They don't fuck with the Chinese because among many other reasons the Chinese can and will launch a few nukes that would kill a few million people and devastate major population centers for oh....a few generations.

They don't fuck with the Russians because the Russians can do the same. And be sure that even during the chilliest parts of the Cold War every administration hawk that wanted to nuke Russia knew full well that such a decision would be catastrophic to the US even IF the US were to prevail overall.

So instead of picking fights with people that can actually fight back, the US and Europe pick on people little removed from the stone age. Picks on countries that do not have the means to bring the fight to "our doorstep". And the US and Europe are damn proud of that.

This, of course, was the point that the killer was making when he made his statement to the cameras. The British send Prince Harry to Afghanistan to kill "Muslims" and the British press is besides themselves with pride at their warrior prince. But when the war comes to "our front door" then it's sad and "We thought we'd be safe at home.' Well shit, I suppose folks in Pakistand and Afghanistan who have been subject to drone droppings thought the same thing. Well they're not white are they?

Of course these are not things that enter the minds of people who don't even have to consider the consequences of wars that happen "over there" and who's gruesomeness, when shown, is censored for their comfort.