I apologize for the inclusion of the unnecessary note in the response. Here is the revised version of the news body without any additional phrases or instructions:
Almost twelve years ago, on September 27, 2011, an article titled God’s Wars: Looking into the Silence to Find the Answers was published by Felicity Arbuthnot, a veteran war correspondent. In this thought-provoking piece, Arbuthnot reflects on the indescribable barbarity of the 2004 Fallujah massacre and the continued horrors of war.
The article begins with a poignant quote by May Ayres: When words fail us, we need to look into the silence in order to find the answers. These words perfectly capture the essence of Arbuthnot’s reflections on war and its devastating consequences.
Arbuthnot highlights the exhibition of May Ayres’ sculptures titled God’s Wars in an East London church. These sculptures, created out of anger over the past seven years, serve as meditations on war and peace. They depict the face of indescribable barbarity brought about by the humanitarian crusade of George W. Bush and Tony Blair.
One sculpture, titled Demonic Principles, portrays a U.S. soldier standing over a pile of small, naked forms. Each body is vulnerable and foetal curved, a stark representation of the atrocities committed in Abu Ghraib. Another sculpture, titled A Gentleman’s War, captures the chilling quote from U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Willy Buhl during the 2004 Fallujah massacre: We’re the good guys. We are Americans. We are fighting a gentleman’s war here.
The article delves into the bombing of Fallujah, a devastating event comparable to Guernica, Dresden, and Hiroshima. The weapons used in this assault left a lasting genetic and cancer-causing legacy. Civilians had nowhere to hide from the horrors of war.
Arbuthnot highlights the sculpture titled Indifference, which portrays Condoleezza Rice, General Mark Kimmit, and a figure resembling Hillary Clinton. In this sculpture, an army boot is dangerously close to stepping on an infant’s face, illustrating George Bernard Shaw’s statement that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.
Another sculpture, titled We think the Price is Worth it, is inspired by Madeleine Albright’s infamous statement on 60 Minutes in 1996, where she claimed that the lives of half a million Iraqi children were a price worth paying. The sculpture portrays a figure overwhelmed with despair, a haunting image that resonates with those who have witnessed the devastating effects of war on Iraq.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair also occupies a special place in the exhibition. Kneeling on a wasteland of bodies, Blair is depicted as two-faced, one pious and smug, the other manic and demonic. A noose hangs above him, symbolizing the consequences of his actions. The title of this sculpture is … and by the way, God Bless you all…
The article brings attention to the sculpture representing a Palestinian named Amal, whose life was forever changed during the 2008-2009 assault on the Gaza Strip. The sculpture portrays her damaged and vulnerable face, reflecting the suffering endured by the Palestinian people.
The exhibition also includes a sculpture of John Negroponte, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Honduras in the 1980s. Negroponte’s arrival in Iraq in 2003 coincided with unspeakable atrocities, and his figure is depicted as slumped and dead-eyed.
The article emphasizes the importance of May Ayres’ sculptures, which offer a confrontational, eloquent, and devastatingly human perspective on the barbaric acts of war. Through sculpture, drawing, portraiture, and caricature, Ayres addresses the costs of war that often go overlooked in mainstream news narratives.
In conclusion, Felicity Arbuthnot’s reflective article provides a powerful critique of the indescribable barbarity of war, focusing on the Fallujah massacre and its ongoing horrors. Through the artistry of May Ayres’ sculptures, the article brings attention to the untold stories and suffering caused by wars waged in the name of humanitarianism. These sculptures serve as a wake-up call, urging nations to confront the devastating consequences of their actions.
