Jacko,
You appear to feel that if someone disagrees with you then the best solution is to be at best patronising, and at worst pompous and insulting. I am not a teenager, and I can read. I am well aware of what has been going on in the middle east since 1975, indeed I have visited the region a number of times both on and off duty, and spoken to people there from all walks of life and religions (have you?). I repeat my question, why is it that Syria (with it's oh so benevolent dictatorship) supports, trains and harbours more than 10 terrorist groups (including Hamas, one of the groups responsible for suicide bombings) that seek the destruction of Israel, if it were so keen to see Israel's continued existence. Syria is not the only nation in the region with similar issues. You say that my views are based on the issues of 25 years ago, well it was around that time that the US became heavily involved in the region and sponsored the peace process. This was coincidently a time when Egypt started to receive significant western financial, and military aid. Now I am not suggesting that Egypt would return to her ways pre peace, but the withdrawl of US support for Israel is likely to make the threat to Israel from its neighbours and not just the terrorists, much greater. Jacko, these are just my opinions, based on some reading and some real experiences. Perhaps you would come down off your much higher intellectual dais and explain to a poor old comprehensive educated stick monkey where I have got it all wrong, you are obviously much cleverer than I am. By the way I know I harp on about Syria, they are just the best example, not the only one.
KBF,
See where you are coming from. But, I just feel that this was a little bit more than 'just' (my word) a terrorist atrocity. I don't feel the need or the urge to look at this from a few paces back as you do. I believe that we are involved up to our neck and should not shirk from that. But I agree that TB should not be handing over a blank cheque, I guess we just disagree on how much should be on it.
As far as Iraq is concerned, we haven't been responsible for starving the children and people of Iraq. Saddam has it within his means to purchase food and medicine for oil, and always has done, he has just chosen not to because he cares more about the propaganda value than his people.
I agree with you wholeheartedly on NI, we have given in to terrorists, let them out of prison (thereby legitimising their claim that their crimes were political, not criminal), even put them in positions of power, to no avail. I am with TB in his fight against terrorism, but I haven't heard anything from him about our own problem.
[ 23 September 2001: Message edited by: DESPERADO ]