some thoughts on day 1

[Arne Herl�v Petersen]

joshua levithan wrote:
> 
> This is long and rambling, and I don't think my ideas
> are very coherent.  Forgive me, list-mates, for
> venting in this manner, and perhaps you should click
> away.
> 

I certainly understand your feelings. I, too, weep for the victims.
Terrorism is vicious and cowardly.
You are quite right that the Israeli government made important
concessions, which made a peace agreement almost within grasp.
One of the reasons the agreement was not reached was that fundamentalist
Palestinian terrorists wrecked the peace process.
The same thing could happen on a much larger scale, if the US makes
exactly the military response, the terrorists wish for.
Bin Laden probably won't be hit. Like Saddam wasn't hit. Iraqi children
were hit. Thousands of peaceful and decent people in the Kabul bazar
could be hit.
If you play the terrorists' game, you get more terror. And you are
right, Copenhagen and Rome are not safe. No place on earth is safe any
more.
That's the reason that no country should act unilaterally.
We must all do what we can to eradicate this evil. I just happen to
believe that military solutions are short sighted and actually
perpetuate terrorism. Look at Belfast. Look at Jerusalem.

Arne