Why Is Environmental Damage Of War Considered A Taboo Subject?By Diane Mantzaris This resistance to speak out occurs even after the RAAF bombing massacre of a few days ago. Those who remain silent continue to use the excuse of war complexities and regime change propaganda in the disinformation spread that travels from the US/UK to Australia the disinformation shoved under our noses every day. At least Ann Wright of Consortium News has the courage to ask these questions. As Wright reports in her article, Greenwashing Wars And The U.S. Military, The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has come in for criticism due to its lack of attention to the detrimental effects of wars and military operations on nature. Considering the degree of harm to the environment coming from these human activities, one would think that the organization might have set aside some time at its World Conservation Congress this past week in Hawaii to specifically address these concerns. Yet, of the more than 1,300 workshops crammed into the six-day marathon environmental meeting in Honolulu, followed by four days of discussion about internal resolutions, nothing specifically addressed the destruction of the environment by military operations and wars. The presenters did not mention what is done on the over 800 U.S. military bases outside of the United States. In the one-hour military style briefing, the speakers failed to mention the incredible amounts of fossil fuels used by military aircraft, ships and land vehicles that leave mammoth carbon footprints around the world. Also not mentioned were wars that kill humans, animals and plants; military exercise bombing of entire islands and large swaths of land; and the harmful effects of the burn pits which have incinerated the debris of war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Each military service representative focused on the need for training areas to prepare the U.S. military to keep peace in the world. Of course, no mention was made of keeping the peace through wars of choice that have killed hundreds of thousands of persons, animals and plants, and the bombing of the cultural heritage in many areas around the world including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. Such terrible human suffering and genocide is inflicted upon Syrians by an Australia purporting to be at war with ISIS. I can only respond in this manner: I swear most people do not have a pulse. Did it ever occur to you that war, climate change and the refugee crisis are linked? It is thus very highly ironic that it is too taboo to discuss the ongoing displacement of people caused by war while being so concerned about refugees at the same time. And yes it was the Australian Greens (Christine Milne) that pushed through cruel sanctions on Syria during Labours term in Australia: the same party purporting to care for refugees and the environment today. Apparently it is also taboo to discuss the massive environmental devastation caused by war and imperialism. Diane Mantzaris is an Australian artist known for her pioneering application of digital imaging to printmaking and for her unconventional approach to image making, which is often both personal and political in content. Mantzaris pioneered the use of computers as a printmaking and art-making tool in the early to mid-1980s, exhibiting widely, nationally and throughout Asia in touring exhibitions, to considerable acclaim. Her practice now crosses into several fields associated with the visual arts, printmaking, drawing, photography, sculpture, performance and public art. She is represented in most state and public collections throughout Australia and significant private collections throughout Asia and Europe. She was was drawn into action over Syria while watching the events unfold with colleagues in Aleppo. If they care not for all of the human lives that have been taken by a completely BS war on terror, its no surprise that they care not for what they are doing to our environment. 1984 will soon be our reality, the brainwashing is complete. Too profitable. The planning and the making of weapons and the flimsy excuses to get us to pay for it all is all being done by the same people. Environmental concerns are for poor people. You cant possibly make any arguments that stand in the way of thier profitsbecuase making you think your need to eat is ruining the planet is profitable too 