Talking to Osama

I saw the BBC programme "Al Qaeda: Time To Talk?" the other night. One the one hand, it was quite an interesting show as it illustrated just how easily young impressionable European Muslims are lured into terrorist activity. A shame about the last five minutes, when various "experts" explained why we should talk to Al Qaeda. (Here is a video clip from the show .)

The gist of the argument was that after five years, the battle is far from won, and if we haven't won, then wev'e lost, which means we have to negotiate. In fact, Peter Taylor suffers from that fatal condition that afflicts so many in the West, short termism. Peter Taylor and many like him are only able to think in terms of here and now, they are unable to conceive of a war that may drag on for years, decades, generations or even centuries. Unfortunately, the Bin Ladens of this world have a lot more patience, and are willing to drag this out for as long as it takes.

During one part of the show, various clips of Al Qaeda attacks were shown, including the Bali bombings. But what do the Bali bombings have to do with Afghanistan or Iraq? Australian tourists were targeted because of Australia's role in setting up an independent East Timor. Should we have allowed the brutal supression of East Timor because it makes Osama feel better? Maybe we shouldn't intervene in Darfur either for the same reason.

I think Peter Taylor would have been Neville Chamberlain in another life.

In Britain, no one can hear you scream

The most disturbing thing about the recent anti-semitic attack on a schoolgirl is not the racial motivation of the attack, but the fact that despite her assailants were girls, no one raised a finger to help. It goes a long way to explain the yob culture that is so prevalent in the UK. If no member of the public has either the courage or the willpower to challenge yobs, what do the yobs have to fear?

As the fifth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, the biggest consolation of that terrible day are the passengers of Flight 93 who took the initiative and fought back. Were such an incident to occur over the skies of Britain, I wonder whether the British would have the courage to do the same, would they still stand by and watch?