Many on lactnet were discussing topics similar to this so, when I saw
this from Claire Winstone I decided to forward. Claire is a birth trauma
worker.

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For anyone interested in the psychological aspects of terrorism and war,

Lloyd de Mause, editor of the Journal of Psychohistory, has written some

excellent material (in e.g. The Foundations of Psychohistory, 1982),
including illustrations, on the typical languageing
and symbolism that preceeds wars: and long story short, it has a LOT to
do with prenatal and birth experiences and the relationship with the
mother!  "The enemy" is frequently portrayed as a bad mother in posters
and cartoons.  Remember the names of the bombs to Hiroshima?  I believe
one was "little boy" and when they were detonated the code saying the
mission was successful was "the baby is born".

Saddam Hussein's mother lost two of the men she loved most in her life
(I forget which: brother and father, husband and brother . . . something

like that) around when she became pregnant with Saddam and she became
convinced that he was the cause of these deaths and went screaming down
the street of her town/village, pounding on her belly saying "get this
Satan out of me!"  When he was born, he was raised by an aunt because
his mother couldn't stand to look at him. So then you see cartoons
portraying Saddam about to "give birth to" nuclear weapons, or cradling
a rocket in his lap like a baby.  Then there's the frequently repeating
image over various wartimes of what de Mause calls the "poisonous
placenta": or an octopus or some similar devouring, intrusive creature
that looks like a placenta and/or cord.  The struggle to win a war is
frequently described in terms that parallel the process of birth and the

life/death imagery that is often generated by regressions to birth
experiences.  I find this both fascinating and very, very credible,
based on working with babies and adults who have experienced prenatal
and birth traumas.

Claire

Claire Winstone
Canyon Country, CA
[log in to unmask]
www.speaking4baby.com

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