WHY ARE WE INVITING A TERRORIST ATTACK?

Instead of sitting around waiting and trying to plan to counter a terrorist attack, which in itself is very time and resource consuming and yields absolutely no concrete guarantees, we should ask ourselves what it is that has inspired the terrorist to want to attack us in the first place. Also, do we really want to be the target of such attacks in the future? Because, you can sit around and plan as much as you like in order to try and prevent such an attack, but it doesn't alter the fact that the simplest form of damage limitation is not to invite such an attack in the first place. Who wants to make enemies and get people's backs up? Many people have a problem with the fact that thousands of innocent people in this country have been put at risk, without their say so, and against their wish, by the current actions and policies of our country's rulers. I do not agree with aggression and oppression, and I would not expect the targets of such policies to agree with it either. Unfortunately, the phrase turn the other cheek may not be synonymous with the Moslem religion, and even if it were, it is a phrase intended to demonstrate that perhaps one can rise above something for once. It is not intended that you should give an ongoing licence for someone to continually walk all over you. There is no failsafe guarantee when it comes to avoiding a terrorist attack. It is only a matter of time, and, as with the IRA, until the gripe is dealt with, we can expect that this will be an ongoing theme and recurring event, if we continue to antagonise, and with no shortage of volunteers who have nothing better to do than dedicate their whole lives to achieving devastation where they can so as to protest their discontent with the way things are. Purely and simply, the easiest, most sensible and desirable way to live whilst avoiding such problems for our future, is to make up and be friends. Give some consideration to each other and the problems we are causing each other. If we cannot rise to this requirement, which is the only failsafe and legitimate way, the sensible thing and the way of grown-ups, we are inviting years of misery and uncertainty ahead. Do we really want to live like that?

A MESSAGE TO THE TERRORISTS

No one ever wins a campaign by adopting terrorist tactics. History is proof of that. All it achieves is death and suffering to innocent men, women and children. Not very clever! It does not even affect the people responsible, but instead, people who are completely innocent and who are not in a position to change things, even if they wanted to. If you are fighting a war, it is customary to target the opposition's fighting force, or the guilty parties, not the innocent who have no say in things. If you want to change the world then you must win respect for your cause and put your efforts into persuading people by showing them that it is right. Many people in the western world do not always agree with the actions and policies of their governments, but can do little about it, as when it really matters, we have no real democracy, and no real say in such issues. Therefore, when you target people in a terrorist fashion, you are killing innocent people some of which may even agree with you. You, therefore, are not helping your cause in any way whatsoever, and in many ways are turning people against you, as well as causing problems for people who may share your own belief or your own faith. And as for the people that make the decisions? They will just surround themselves with security and lock themselves in their castles and their concrete bunkers, just like they always have.

A MESSAGE TO THE TERRORISTS' TARGETS

We, the so called oppressors also have a lesson to learn when dealing with the so called terrorist. We have to listen, and give consideration to the gripe. If we don't we will be forever looking over our shoulder, wondering if, and when, we are going to be stabbed in the back. If it is true, that we are treading all over people's feelings, then we must stop. Otherwise, we will just get people's backs up and they will take measures to show they are enraged. In trying to defend against terrorist activity, we can never cover all the eventualities, nor can we ever be sure that we have. Eradicating the gripe is the only way we can ever be confident that such atrocities will not be perpetrated. In which case, everyone will be happy and we can all get on with living our lives in peace and quiet. It is interesting that, after Osama Bin Laden's offer to discuss things, the response and viewpoint of our government seems to be that we do not negotiate with terrorists. No! We don't negotiate with terrorists, we just sit around and get blown up by them! Likewise, has our Government forgotten that the problems regarding Northern Ireland did not begin to get resolved without sitting down at the table and talking about it?

A MESSAGE TO HUMANITY

As far as the universe in concerned, the planet Earth is very small, in fact, so small, it is practically non-existent. However, as far as we are concerned, it is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the otherwise hostile environment of space. It is our home and everything that we have. Isn't it about time that we started to appreciate the value of what we have and learnt to share it with each other without squabbling?