911

Today was the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the USA of September 11th 2001.
My thoughts and sympathies go with the victims and families of all terror attacks, illegal killings, illegal wars and unsolicited violence.

Since September 11th 2001, there have been attacks on Madrid, Indonesia and London by Al Qaeda, as there have been attacks on Iraq by British and American forces, and on Lebanon by Israeli forces. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, no sign of abatement and certainly no sign of anybody 'winning'.

EVERYBODY is losing.

What can we learn from history? Well, when John Major took over from Margaret Thatcher in 1990, one of the most memorable things he did as British Prime Minister was to start the long and drawn-out peace process with the Irish Republican Movement, and eventually bring the likes of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness to the negotiating table. Tony Blair continued this good work, and even if we have nothing else to thank him and Major for, this partial solving of an extremely difficult problem in Ireland has been a massive step forward, and has since seen the disarming and disbanding of the pIRA. Some may argue this point, but Irish Republican terrorism in mainland UK is now a thing of the past.

In 1993, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly to Nelson Mandela and Frederik William (FW) de Klerk, for their roles in the abolishment of apartheidt. De Klerk made the decision to begin negotiations with the (outlawed) African National Congress in the face of heavy criticism from conservative South Africans, but possibly was influenced by boycotts of South African products and Sporting teams.

The link between these two momentous achievements, is that peace was arrived at by senior politicians taking the bit between their teeth, and negotiating with terrorist organisations.
Surely now the time has come for the western powers to attempt to negotiate with Osama Bin Laden and al Qaeda? Should the powers that be not try and find out what is motivating people so much that they are prepared to give their lives for their cause?

People will shout and scream 'oh but that's letting them win' but I think it'd be letting everyone win. How many Iraqi and Palestinian citizens see Americans, British and Israelis as terrorists and war criminals?

If nothing is done the pointless killing will continue, and I firmly believe we will end up with the most serious confrontations since World War II.