No joy in the deaths of civilians. At the same time, I think that narrative expectations sometimes kick in for people.
Ever read a horror story, where you know, you just know, that the protagonist is gonna die horribly? The author knows you know, and draws out the suspense. And when the death comes, it’s just as awful as you imagined it. At the same time, the suspense is over, and there’s a certain terrible relief in that.
Sartre wrote a story about it, perhaps someone smarter than me remembers the title, in which a soldier was sentenced to execution in the morning, and spent the night reflecting on how the terrible anticipation of death was worse than death itself.
Narrative, story, is powerful. And I think sometimes that might be the vibe people give off: the anticipation, the not knowing, about the consequences of a military action is so awful for observers that they want to go ahead and hear about the consequences. Their eagerness to end the anticipation can be mistaken for eagerness for the consequences themselves.
When I’m reading a horror story, I may race to the end, but I’m not rooting for the protagonist’s death.
Sartre’s soldier desperately wanted morning to come, but would have given almost anything for a reprieve.
And I want to know what happened in Fallujah, but if I had any control over it, I would not whatsoever want anyone to have died.
Got it, Roseworm? I await your sincere apology for having made such an egregiously horrific charge against other posters.
Daniel