July 2, 2001
8:56 AM Subscribe
Ireland is headed downhill David Trimble resigns. Macedonia slides ever closer to Civil War and the Israeli-Palestinian truce is close to collapse. Time to pray.
The religious and racial underpinnings of these conflicts make them virtually impossible to solve. It is disheartening that generation after generation of people are raised with beliefs that lead them directly into violent conflict with others in the name of their God or Country.
What a waste of people on something so utterly valueless.
posted by plaino at 9:28 AM on July 2, 2001
What a waste of people on something so utterly valueless.
posted by plaino at 9:28 AM on July 2, 2001
Even if you take the religion away from this situation, it's still a tough one.
On one side you have the Republicans who want Northern Ireland to either a) become its own state, or b) rejoin with Ireland. On the other side, you have the Unionists who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK.
These two groups are dispersed throughout the province.
So what do you do? Even if they held a democratic vote, which is hard in a place with so much fear and bullying present, will the losing side bother paying attention to it? Course not.
Seems much like the Israeli - Palestinian thing to me. Perhaps when one of these two conflicts is solved, the method could be used on the other.
posted by wackybrit at 9:41 AM on July 2, 2001
On one side you have the Republicans who want Northern Ireland to either a) become its own state, or b) rejoin with Ireland. On the other side, you have the Unionists who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK.
These two groups are dispersed throughout the province.
So what do you do? Even if they held a democratic vote, which is hard in a place with so much fear and bullying present, will the losing side bother paying attention to it? Course not.
Seems much like the Israeli - Palestinian thing to me. Perhaps when one of these two conflicts is solved, the method could be used on the other.
posted by wackybrit at 9:41 AM on July 2, 2001
You need a clear winner. In the old days, people fought wars openly, and winners could do as they pleased. The United States, for example, summarily conquered the Injuns and now (rightly) use them as team mascots when they run out of brave animals. Same thing with the open wars that have helped define Israel's borders and legitimacy. We never like to admit it, but history recognizes a military victory that sticks.
posted by Joe Hutch at 10:23 AM on July 2, 2001
posted by Joe Hutch at 10:23 AM on July 2, 2001
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posted by jfuller at 9:19 AM on July 2, 2001