WORLD AGAINST WAR

Well, not a world, but 10000 people or so gathered in Trafalgar Square at 12pm on Saturday the 15th to talk and listen and repeat themselves. There's no doubt that the western intervention in the Middle East is a very bad thing but a cynic would say that having a minor protest through the streets of London won't change a thing. And they'd probably be right. But a wiser man than i once said that although at the end of the journey the pessimist will be proven right, the optimist will have a better trip.

No, Brown and Bush will not just pull the troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan because a few MP's and Victims of War ask them to, and the conflict in the Middle East will go on regardless but that is no reason for people to stop trying. When good people like you and I, who have no real knowledge of poverty, suffering or pain, sit back and relax into idle lethargy then the battle is already lost. It is easy to understand why those who have been directly affected by the violence in question will gather and march against it, but the cause requires everyone especially those who aren't affected by it, to stand up and say no to occupation. Say no to the probable attack on Iran. Say no to the siege on Gaza. And say no to constantly looking the other way and doing nothing. One of the signs at the protest summed up the situation. "An eye for an eye only leaves the world blind." 

With this in mind i think the war mongers like Condoleezza Rice need to remove their blood gluttonous beer goggles and remove the high-and-mighty military machine of the United States from the Middle East. We've all had those one night stands that when the beer goggles have worn off we immediately regret it and wake up with that dirty sick feeling in the pit of our stomachs. But this misdirected imposing of twisted "values"  has gone on for 6 years now and the headlines still read the same. When will they change?

They won't. But as Tony Benn said, the 2 flames of anger and hope will continue to burn as long as the rape, plunder and pillaging  of the Middle East does. And so we must all inspire each other to not be complacent and use our collective voices to be heard. If we don't the US will persist in enforcing their hypocritical democracy on the rest of the world.