An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind

Oh my, what a depressing week in world events.

If the aim is to stop world terrorism and to try and get things on an even keel, then we need to sack all the politicians and start all over again.

Given that much of Islamic world believes that the USA, and George Bush in particular, is on some kind of missionary quest to wipe Islam from the face of the globe, the adminstration's unquestioning support of Israel in its retaliatory action in Lebanon seems at best unwise and at worst suicidal. Let's all brace ourselves for a massive wave of bombings.

Yes, Hezbollah's actions in kidnapping soldiers are evil. Yes, Hezbollah's demands that thousands of Palestinian prisoners be released before they release those prisoners are ludicrous. But then we all know that Hezbollah are not inclined to rational acts. To react to irrational people by bombing the land they live in is not itself a rational response. And more importantly, when we are globally in this knife-edge situation it is not the way to curtail international terrorism. Has hitting someone really, really hard ever resolved an argument? If someone keeps pounding your face, do you end up agreeing with them, or do you take the pain and silently plan ways to get back at them?

And the USA stands up for its friend. I am aware that this will be a popular standpoint in the USA. But to us over here in Europe it looks bonkers. Absolutely bonkers. Surely, to bring it down to human terms again, if your friend is doing something which will bring destruction upon itself, you have a quiet word and help them to see that another course of action would be preferable to the one your friend is embarked on? Especially if you're the biggest, coolest person in the school and everyone listens to you.

I could weep. I could weep for the loss of life and livelihood in the Middle East and for the thousands more senseless deaths to come, Israeli and Palestinian, and probably American and British. And Thai, and Indonesian and German and French and God knows what else. Violence begets violence begets violence begets violence. WOuld Hamas or Hezbollah have the popularity they have if the Arab countries didn't have such a strong sense of grievance?

What happened in Northern Ireland? People blowing the bejesus out of one another. Margaret Thatcher said "We do not negotiate with terrorists." And the bombing went on. Tony Blair said "Let's talk." And the IRA have, finally, after years of quiet, unpopular negotiation, laid down their arms. I know it's not the same, but it is comparable.

I can't go on. There's work to be done. But I grieve for sense. I really do. If it weren't so bloody tragic, it would be laughable.