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Paul Coopers makes some good points above.

I think the whole free world needs to wake up and take an in depth look at what is going on here.

It is human nature for people to focus on what directly affects them first.
If our people are hurt then we feel that first. We need to be more concerned
about the welfare of others and what happens to others due to local or international policy.

There have been many atrocities committed all over the world in the past,
some far worse than 9.11.01 (not to diminish the gravity of this heinous act).
We need to focus on not just the statistics but the cost in human grief and suffering (which has a very high financial cost - medical, family breakdown as well as the capital cost involved).

Yes, look at the Holocaust, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, RWANDA, Israel/Palestine and the list goes on.

I know the dropping of those bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima was necessary to end a war which if prolonged could have killed many more. I only recently got some more detail on the hell suffered by those swallowed up by the nuclear conflagration. I don't want to go into it as the reality is just too horrific.

We focus on 9.11.01 now because this is the history of our time as disturbing as it is. In Australia we reacted with a sense of horror, outrage and disbelief.
If terrorists are confident enough to act this way against the US we know they would have no qualms about doing the same in one of our cities. The whole free world is at risk.

We need to look at what we are doing in the world. Our policies don't only affect our own welfare. Look at the nightmare of Africa as one example a country
where children roam streets and villages with automatic weapons and noone is safe. Where are the arms flowing into Africa coming from and just what is the moral justification here ? Is this supply right, is it good ?

Africans like many other peoples have a history of tribal warfare. At least with
spears and less sophisticated weapons you can't do as much damage so fast as you can with automatic weapons.

Just like in Vietnam (and other conflicts) there will be enemy operatives
blending in with the local people. In Afghanistan, Taliban collaborators and
Alkaida members may be doing the same. But ordinary farmers, poor people are being hurt. It is difficult to target only the right people but we need to think more carefully about what we are doing. Many will see this as part of the necessary cost that must be paid to resolve this conflict.

The problem is that unnecessary hatred is being generated. The seeds of hatred usually bear their terrible fruit in the future. We must seek a solution to this conflict which brings people together, one which does not marginalise,
isolate or divide people or contribute to their impoverishment.

It is good to see some sort of plan being worked out for Afghanistans' future.
If we want to educate others as to the values we hold then the best way may be to demonstrate our respect for the lives and welfare of others by the appropriate actions/contribution. If we take an active role in the welfare
of other nations/peoples then they will see the truth of our stated beliefs through our actions. If we do not consider our course of action nothing will change for the better (fear, mistrust and hatred will go on).

I believe the world is at an important turning point in it's history.
Now is our time and opportunity to make a change for the betterment of all mankind. We need to look at the lessons that history can teach us otherwise we will lose our way. As time goes by our capacity to develop weapons of a more destructive nature grows.

Our attitude seems to be, "We can so we will" as if everything new that lies before us is like some Everest that must be climbed because it's there. Do we ask the question, "Should we do this just because we can ?". Like the cloning debate, people want to rush in because they can see great potential for the technology regardless of the fact that we don't really understand fully what we are doing. This is a tangent I will not dwell on but I think Xeroxing people
tampers with something which intrinsically defines who and what we are. Again it is like cheapening and devaluing an individual human life.

And this is at the heart of the matter. What is important to us ? What do we really believe in ? For me the value of human life is the bottom line.
If we hold a value we must put it into practice to prove it's potency.
This will make a difference.

Mankind is very intelligent, very smart but how wise are we ? We pride ourselves
on being mature, independant, hard working and resourcefull. How mature are we in reality ? How much has our race really progressed or matured when our basic response to conflict is still, "If you hit me, I'll hit you back !" (with something bigger generally). Have we learned what history teaches us ?
If we just react and retaliate this just generates a vicious cycle of retaliation and counter retaliation.

There is a time when negotiations must end and action is taken but there are more options open than just retaliation. We have no choice but to mature as a race and take an active interest in the welfare of others. There is no way of avoiding the necessary contribution. Current events have the potential to spiral out of control if we do not recognise the key indicators here.

Look at the reality of how the world reacts to conflict ! We don't look that wise and mature. We look like a bunch of pissed off school kids with machine guns and nukes.

It is time for mankind to grow up as a race and recognise what we hold in common as opposed to our differences. Life and humanity is common to all.
We all need food, water, shelter, clothing, medical facilities etc..
It is time for us all to take on more responsibility for the welfare of others.
We share a common home, plight and destiny. We also all suffer, cry and bleed.
We don't need that, but it is within our power to do something about it.

To the free world I say, yours is the opportunity now, you have the resources and the balance of power. Learn the lessons and be wise, take the initiative
to change things for the betterment of all humanity before it's too late.

Wake up. It could be now or never !


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