An editorial about tragic victims, senseless conflict, evasive justice for the families of 298 murdered souls, and politics making strange bedfellows.

Woodland Hills, CA — (ReleaseWire) — 07/20/2015 — It has been a year and a day since the world was shocked by the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over the Ukraine. In different places in the world, the tragedy was commemorated, as well as in the field where the plane fell, where families gathered and remembered. While no one claims ownership of the deed, either Russian separatists or Ukrainians let fly the Buk missile that took down the commercial jet that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It has been a year and a day since the death of 298 people innocently riding in a commercial jet, and the area is still in conflict. Fingers point at Russia, and at the separatists, and at Malaysia Airlines for choosing that flight path; but no matter what is decided based on international investigations, tribunals, or world opinion, regardless of what is fact, what is rumor, what is speculation, bias, wild guess or secret knowledge, the victims are still dead. Maybe there is a puppet master; maybe there are military puppets falling on their swords. There are dark agendas at work here; and the families are still bleeding, facing that black hole of loss and suffering.

Less time has passed since the release of a tape of a damning conversation and film of military personal at the scene of the crash that appears to indicate a senseless accident. There will be punishment, and penance. Something will be decided to satisfy the courts and the crucible of world opinion, but in the end, there will still be 298 dead. Nothing can be done to bring true justice. Nothing can be done to erase the savagery, the horror, the tragedy. Nothing will bring them back.

Politicization of the tragedy and all the finger-pointing, are an evil joke. Those who are responsible know the truth, and should come forward with it. I do not know how the families continue. I do not know how they manage to face each day, but the families of the dead are the true victims and the true heroes. What fortitude it must take to have faced 366 mornings with the knowledge of their loss, to behave as if life goes on, when it died in flames, and lies in ashes in a cold foreign field.