Automatically translated from Basque, translation may contain errors. More information here. Elhuyarren itzultzaile automatikoaren logoa

When a virus reveals the warts of the military (or the frustration of a stupid gallon)

  • The Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD) said on the 20th that "in this irregular and strange war in which it has touched us to live or fight, we are all soldiers", and in his statements the previous day he stressed that in this "war without weapons" the "military values" are useful: the discipline and the spirit of sacrifice. And also the "moral of victory." "We know we're going to win," said the president of the Generalitat.

And the first thing we have to say is that we understand it. It has to be really tough and disappointing for the representative who has sold us as an organization to deal with "threats and challenges to security," that suddenly a bizarre microscopic comes and nudes the uselessness of the military. Not only that. At a time when the lives of the most vulnerable people in our society are at risk, it has become apparent that the military spending of the Spanish State – between EUR 20 billion and EUR 30 billion – is of no use in tackling this barullo that threatens society. Not only that. Not only has the population realised that, suddenly, military spending throws tens of billions of euros into the rubbish. It also means investing less in what is most needed: health resources at all levels (equipment, equipment, research, personnel, infrastructure…). A simple fact, but representative, given by a military:

“In 2007, the Campaign Hospital Association was created, acquiring a field hospital of €30 million – almost unique in the world. It could receive 96 inpatients, up to 80 medical absences a day, 3 operating rooms or ICU plaza, beds for preventive medicine and hematology, laboratories for clinical analysis or microbiology – to give two examples – laundry, kitchens, cadaver deposit, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, dentistry, psychology, general and digestive surgery, traumatology, anesthesia and resuscitation, neurosurgery. These EUR 30 million in public money are equivalent to 200,000 childcare grants (EUR 150). Surely a Member, whose name I do not want to recall, and advised by the "experts", will tell you that the hospital is necessary for the Armed Forces. However, 10 years later, the unit has been dismantled without any real medical care being provided. Although the hospital waiting list could be reduced nationally, there have been no real practices with real injuries.”

JENNER López Escudero, Cabo Provisional Expedited (Public 21-03-2020)

However, it is one thing to understand your frustration and another to accept your infamia and cowardice. In fact, JEMAD has taught us that it behaves in the same way that macarras adolescent groups do: when they have a victim surrounded and tied among many, see if now you dare! - Flush. So now that our homes have our hands tied and shut, and they can't leave to give us the answer they deserve, it tells us: We're all soldiers.

Furthermore, stupidity does not allow him to realise that in the present situation the social values that are allowing the loss of human life to be minimized are precisely the opposite of military values. Solidarity and mutual support are being the basis of social behaviour that is really being useful for the most vulnerable people in our cities and towns. And most of us are doing self-containment for solidarity with those people, even if they go out into the street and can't respond to the JEMAD. The military stratum is using the situation not only to develop its militaristic discourse, but also to fill our streets with military ones. Most of the time without gloves or face masks, jeopardizing containment and general health.

We insist that the small virgo is undressing the ineptitude of the military. In vain, tens of billions of euros a year are wasted. When it comes to the truth, those who receive this public money can only disinfect the streets and assemble beds. To this end, we have truly professional people who can work more effectively, with discipline and with a spirit of sacrifice… and with only 1% of the military budget. What are your arsenals and all your arms factories for? Is the military concept of security or are other the basic problems of human security? Health is now the main problem, but also the most vulnerable people in our societies are threatened by poverty, exclusion, ecological destruction, xenophobia, racism that expels people from their homes and places of origin… And above all, the military, arsenals and militarism are of no use; moreover, they are the cause of most of these tragedies.

Meanwhile, and expressed in that militaristic jargon that they like so much, those who are on the "front line fight" against the virus are doctors, nurses, distributors and sellers of commodities, cleaning personnel, carriers, etc. All these civilian people are acting for their neighbor. Without the necessary prophylactic resources, because the satisfaction of the military caste with the millions has been prioritized. Now to realize the damage that militarism causes in our society.

There will be time to delve into other aspects of the militarization that the coronavirus is imposing. At the moment, these urgent lines are a sign of the uselessness of the militarism of the JEMAD. Will the stupidity of your statements not be the reflection of your merits for the galons and medals that you so proudly display?

Bidali zure iritzi artikuluak iritzia@argia.eus helbide elektronikora

ARGIAk ez du zertan bat etorri artikuluen edukiarekin. Idatzien gehienezko luzera 4.500 karakterekoa da (espazioak barne). Idazkera aldetik gutxieneko zuzentasun bat beharrezkoa da: batetik, ARGIAk ezin du hartu zuzenketa sakona egiteko lanik; bestetik, egitekotan edukia nahi gabe aldatzeko arriskua dago. ARGIAk azaleko zuzenketak edo moldaketak egingo dizkie artikuluei, behar izanez gero.


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