View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Saturday 4 October 2014

Middle East, October 2014

If even the outcries of other Muslims go unheard by "Islamic State", then there is no hope of any reasonable or peaceful dealings with this group. Let's not forget though, that the second war in Iraq, launched in 2003 by George W. Bush and Tony Blair, let this most evil genie out of its bottle. Let's not forget either that today's "friend" was yesterday's enemy - and today's enemy may well have been yesterday's friend. The Middle East is an area that Europe and the USA have an atrocious track record in - the Israel / Palestinian stand-off being a good case in point. I agree that military force is the only way to deal with "Islamic State". But it does nothing to resolve the major, underlying, problems of the area.

Alan Henning, RIP.