Friday 1 August 2014

You mean the world to me

There is a bit of breathing-space which has been allotted for Palestinians to go back to their homes to see what can be salvaged, and the Israeli's more moderate response so far has been one tank shell for one errant rocket sent in their direction. Well done Israel, I say.

There could be a golden opportunity for Israel and Palestine to set an example of coexistence in the face of the shocking uprise of ISIS brutality, but when you consider how long it took for the British government to talk to the IRA, this will be a long way down the line.

Mo Mowlam was sacked for referring to one IRA chief as 'Babe' in a telephone conversation during the hard-fought peace-process, and even now there is a tension on the quiet streets of Belfast which could erupt into sectarian violence on any night of this hot Summer.

The reason why Nelson Mandela was so loved and respected is entirely because of the almost incredible success of the 'peace and reconciliation' process that he and many others put into law. It most certainly did not ignore history, but it must have saved the lives of hundreds - maybe thousands - of people, after that massive general election put the ANC into government.

Most of these disputes which - on the surface - involve seemingly irreconcilable cultural differences are, in fact, more to do with territory and the unthinking way it has been carved-up and allotted to factions who previously lived side by side in harmony for thousands of years, and it didn't help that the carvers usually lived in a different land, washing their hands of a situation that became too complicated for them to bother to sort it out properly in the first place.

None of these 'peace-processes' will ever be 100% effective right from the start, but they do make it possible for reasonable negotiations to be heard over the noise of gunfire, and if an undignified climb-down or compromise saves the life of only one child, then isn't that worth all the territory in the world?

I can't think of any human being who would sacrifice their child for the sake of a few square miles of farm land.

27 comments:

  1. Here here.....take the testosterone out of the whole process..that nay help a little to

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    1. Castration maybe the only answer, never mind circumcision - bring back Herod.

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    2. Where's your novelty veg by the way.... I oh so want you and Rachel to send a photo......though I suspect Rachel's will have a lot of red wine corks in it somewhere

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    3. Oh that. The only thing I could come up with now is a penis-shaped carrot, held against my trousers at a rakish angle. I don't think the village committee would appreciate it.

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    4. Ok - give me until the end of tomorrow - my carrot is getting less flexible as I speak.

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  2. Tom, if I was marking this as an essay I would give it an A*

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  3. Perfect. You really need to send that wider.

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  4. It'll be interesting to see who fires first after the 3 day respite. Let's hope neither do.

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    1. Oh dear, I spoke too soon. Looks like Hamas couldn't resist just one more little missile (for old time's sake).

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    2. They haven't stopped, but I need to see how Israel has reacted before I comment.

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    3. 100 more civilians dead, because an Israeli soldier has been captured by Hamas - in their own territory.

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  5. I am afraid Tom there are a few parents who would sacrifice their children for those few acres...Mexicans who sadly are sending their unchaperoned children across the border by the thousands into the US. Those same children have very uncertain futures and once again are caught between two countries who cannot get their acts together. And while the US pours money into that problem our own war vets go without decent medical care. The worlds problems are so huge and so I try my best to help just one human at a time, otherwise I am totally overwhelmed and depressed. Thanks again for your insights Tom. You are the best international news source ever.

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    1. I don't know what to say about Mexico, but I have a view about the drugs cartels and the police who say they are after them.

      They are all a bunch of horrible, drug-crazed mercenaries, but without the ideology of ISIS - am I right?

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  6. Well said and very well written.

    The horrors of this world are filled with "what ifs".

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  7. How can you have any confidence? Men who would not sacrifice a child for a few square miles of farm land seem eternally willing to sacrifice a child for a principle.

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    1. Dynasties have to be brought down somehow.

      The Judgement of Solomon was to cut the child in two. It didn't happen, thanks to the wisdom of Solomon.

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    2. Was it Solomon? I forget, but I don't want that vitriolic Christian idiot to remind me.

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  8. I think you need to study Netanyahu. He does not sit and talk to Palestinians. Peace is not on his agenda. Look at his credentials. I don't believe peace will ever l be on his agenda. Israel says they are not sure if they did it (the Israeli defence spokesman on the News the night before last says he is not sure) Hamas is blamed and back and forth it goes. Hamas fire a rocket. tThe UN should look back at their resolution of 1948. We have seen plenty of children sacrificed over the past few days so there are those who do it.

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    1. Like I say, it is too late in the day for personal attacks.

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