Death or Cake?

I like to read the Open Democracy articles (http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article-3-115-2147.jsp), especially the debates between writers/thinkers from various cultures and their American counterparts (I think it's called the Letters to Americans Project). Today's debate is between an Iraqi woman, blogger and mother of three sons, Faiza Al-Araji, and an American man, Anthony Swofford, ex-US marine and author. Mentioning an anonymous American soldier who wrote to her friends about American soldiers driving through villages throwing candies to children and the good job they are doing in Iraq, Faiza Al-Araji wrote:

«How does this woman think? Her government bombed these villages, killing men,women, and children. Then she arrives, distributing candy to salve her conscience, and America’s. If I were in her shoes, surely I would have thought: to make these children happy, we should repair the water, electricity and sewage services. We should re-equip the school. The children’s future will not be brightened by driving past in a military vehicle and throwing candy!»

I'm sorry if I have to make more tiresome comparisons with Vietnam, where Americans soldiers could throw candies and chewing gums to children just as well as cut ears/penises off their parents to keep as souvenirs, but I seem to detect a trend here. To me, the two attitudes (death or cake) are manifestations of the same mentality, the same conviction that America has the paternal right and authority to decide for other countries whether they should be rewarded or punished, according to American criteria/interests. I do that to my young children and my dog, as well. I give them treats when I feel loving and I punish them when they do something I don't like. But a country is not a child nor a pet. Therein lies the misunderstanding.