Sometimes, when there are no answers, one must still pose the question. There is a roadmap that is designed to force Israelis and Palestinians to make peace, despite the past, present and perhaps even future wishes of the region?s inhabitants. If they will not make peace, thinks the Quartet, peace must be made for them.
If the US, European Union, Russia and the UN are to solve the problems of the world, shouldn?t they first solve their own problems? Why does the world insist on creating only one roadmap, only for the Middle East, and not address other problem areas? Why only here? Why now?
Shouldn?t there be a roadmap to solve the Chechens? problem? It?s true that the Chechens have turned to terrorism to achieve their independence and it is possible that the Russians do not want to reward terrorism, but surely that would apply in our case as well. So, when will Russia cede independence and land to the Chechens? Wouldn?t that bring peace? If you give them what they want, a little land, a state of their own, surely peace would follow? Certainly they are as deserving of independence as the Palestinians, no?
The United Kingdom has long demanded a ceasefire before they agree to deal with the IRA. Three long months of peace was what the British demanded, and yet, why should a three-month period be granted to the English to enable them to be certain of the IRA?s intention, yet Israel cannot even have one month? Where is the roadmap that would require England to withdraw from Ireland and allow the Irish freedom and independence? Wouldn?t it be better to withdraw from the occupied areas, rather than insist on security first? Certainly the Irish are as deserving of independence as the Palestinians, no?
Greece and Turkey have been fighting over Cyprus for decades. They?ve tried dividing the land and putting up borders between them. But that hasn?t stopped the violence. This area is much closer to mainland Europe than the Middle East, yet is there no roadmap to solve this problem.
Every now and then, the Tamils and the Sri Lankans kill each other. Though it is possible that much of Europe would need a map simply to locate the country, nonetheless, they too are deserving of a roadmap to peace.
India and Pakistan are in a race to destroy each other and tensions are as unpredictable as the sudden highs and lows of a roller coaster, and yet the great powers have failed to suggest a roadmap towards reconciliation and peace. Are they any less deserving?
Even in the tensions between North Korea and America, in which the threat of nuclear weapons has been thrown around, the European Union and the United Nations have largely left it to the United States to make its own plan. Would the US not benefit from some outside power coming in to force a solution? Are the Americans any less deserving?
For decades, terrorism has plagued the country of Spain, as the Basques demand independence and Spain refuses to hear their pleas. Shouldn?t the Basques be given good will gestures? Shouldn?t the Spanish be forced to trade land for peace? Why can?t the world offer a plan that would end the tragic struggle of the Basques, while granting Spain a measure of security?
Chechnya, Ireland, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan, North Korea and Spain - the list seems almost endless and yet there seems to be only one road the world wants to map. My question is - why?
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Paula R. Stern is the Founder and Documentation Manager of WritePoint, a technical writing company.
If the US, European Union, Russia and the UN are to solve the problems of the world, shouldn?t they first solve their own problems? Why does the world insist on creating only one roadmap, only for the Middle East, and not address other problem areas? Why only here? Why now?
Shouldn?t there be a roadmap to solve the Chechens? problem? It?s true that the Chechens have turned to terrorism to achieve their independence and it is possible that the Russians do not want to reward terrorism, but surely that would apply in our case as well. So, when will Russia cede independence and land to the Chechens? Wouldn?t that bring peace? If you give them what they want, a little land, a state of their own, surely peace would follow? Certainly they are as deserving of independence as the Palestinians, no?
The United Kingdom has long demanded a ceasefire before they agree to deal with the IRA. Three long months of peace was what the British demanded, and yet, why should a three-month period be granted to the English to enable them to be certain of the IRA?s intention, yet Israel cannot even have one month? Where is the roadmap that would require England to withdraw from Ireland and allow the Irish freedom and independence? Wouldn?t it be better to withdraw from the occupied areas, rather than insist on security first? Certainly the Irish are as deserving of independence as the Palestinians, no?
Greece and Turkey have been fighting over Cyprus for decades. They?ve tried dividing the land and putting up borders between them. But that hasn?t stopped the violence. This area is much closer to mainland Europe than the Middle East, yet is there no roadmap to solve this problem.
Every now and then, the Tamils and the Sri Lankans kill each other. Though it is possible that much of Europe would need a map simply to locate the country, nonetheless, they too are deserving of a roadmap to peace.
India and Pakistan are in a race to destroy each other and tensions are as unpredictable as the sudden highs and lows of a roller coaster, and yet the great powers have failed to suggest a roadmap towards reconciliation and peace. Are they any less deserving?
Even in the tensions between North Korea and America, in which the threat of nuclear weapons has been thrown around, the European Union and the United Nations have largely left it to the United States to make its own plan. Would the US not benefit from some outside power coming in to force a solution? Are the Americans any less deserving?
For decades, terrorism has plagued the country of Spain, as the Basques demand independence and Spain refuses to hear their pleas. Shouldn?t the Basques be given good will gestures? Shouldn?t the Spanish be forced to trade land for peace? Why can?t the world offer a plan that would end the tragic struggle of the Basques, while granting Spain a measure of security?
Chechnya, Ireland, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan, North Korea and Spain - the list seems almost endless and yet there seems to be only one road the world wants to map. My question is - why?
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Paula R. Stern is the Founder and Documentation Manager of WritePoint, a technical writing company.