h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

At the beginning of this week, one of my housemates got so fed up with how much washing-up and rubbish was just being left round the kitchen, that she suggested we moved it all onto the floor, to see if the lazier people got the hint. We didn't have to shout at anyone; we didn't have to give in and do somebody else's work; we didn't even set deadlines for compliance. We had to pick up the (fewer) bits that were still there a few days later, cos our landlord's advertised for next year's tenants already, and people wanted to look round. But it seems, at the moment, to have done the trick - we made our point, we said what we wanted, and it turned out they wanted the same thing anyway...



Of course, the other "subtle hint" I took part in last week was the anti-war march. However you count the numbers, a lot of people from all around the world protested last Doobry. And as I've said elsewhere, it may not be a majority, but show me the protest spanning all continents of the world, all ages, and all walks of life in *support* of war, and I'll shut up. And we may, for all I know, be wrong in thinking there's a better way - but anyone who ignores us now forfeits any right they once had to the label "democrat".

It's interesting to note that our Prime Minister made a "moral case" for war, and found even that outside his power: the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Pope himself - the highest authorities in two branches of the religion Mr. Blair holds so dear - have told him that peaceful means should still be pursued.

I heard a program on the radio earlier, in which it was asserted that *nowhere* in the Middle East could be described as politically stable right now. So yes, it would be great if we could get rid of Saddam Hussein, and set Iraq up as some kind of shining example to its neighbours - but it would also be a blessing to persuade Egypt to hold free elections, or to rid Saudi Arabia of its abolute monarchy. And in the end, what are the chances of war succeeding? Will "we" really be able to just remove Hussein from power, along with all his supporters, forever? And if we do, will Iraq really be able to go straight from where it is now to a genuinely democratic state, based on the will of the people, not of politicians either local or foreign? Or will a war simply feed Saddam (and Bin Laden)'s propaganda; anger the people; kill innocent civillians; wear on into attrition, stand-offs, and guerrilla attacks; and finally end with a fractious and unhappy populace ruled by a neccessarily strict government, designed and supported by foreign politicians, and ultimately subsuming the people's will, rather than expressing it.

It's a worse case scenario, I know, but it's happened before, and we run a terrible risk of it happening again. I don't suggest we do nothing, and I don't suggest that Hussein should remain in power, but let's not get carried away with local, short-term, solutions. Blair, and Bush, and the politicians of the world, need to stop hiding behind the weapons inspectors, stop staring at Iraq, and come up with a coherent, honest, and consistent approach to the problems of the Middle East and the world.

It's not an easy task, I admit that, but sometimes we have to try a little harder to get what we want. And I can't say I have more than the vaguest understanding of the problems involved, let alone their solutions. But then, I've never requested the job of leading one of the most powerful nations of the world. George W. Bush has; Tony Blair has; and the members of governments all around the world have asked to participate in that task. That, then, is their job; going for the easy solution is not.

I just hope they get the hint in time...