Now before I make the statement that follows, let me stress that I am NOT wishing a disaster of any kind on the people of Iraq or Palestine, but this tragedy has brought into focus something I've said many times in the past: -
The only way we're ever going to see peace between the warring parties in that part of the world is if they are both confronted with a common enemy so threatening that both sides will have to pull together to survive.
Short of an invasion my Martians, (remember the scene in the otherwise forgettablle Will Smith flick 'Independence Day' with Israeli and Arab F16s lined up along side each other on the flight lne?), a natural calamity on the scale we've just seen in the Indian Ocean striking Iraq or Palestine/Israel is about all I can thnk of that might bring about a temporary lull in the hatred/hostilities.