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A Letter from my MP about Israel/Lebanon

miskinmiskin Posts: 278
edited July 2006 in A Moving Train
In a letter on another issue, i had asked him (John Randall, Member of Parliament for the London borough of Hillingdon, Conservative) about his views on the Israel/Lebanon crisis. Here is the letter i recieved in reply.


Dear Mr Hill

Thank you for your recent letter. I have realised that in addition to the query about Prime Minister's Questions, you asked abuot my views on the current Middle East crisis. I apologise for not replying sooner.

I think that we are all appalled by the endless cycle of violnece and i find it very difficult to say that the blame lies with one side or another. It is frightening how quickly it has now escalated. I am disappointed with the UK position of seemingly endorsing the US position unconditionally. Although i do have sympathy with the argument about self defence I feel that Israel may have made matters substantially worse and are in danger of losing a lot of support around the world. I think there should be a ceasefire as soon as possible, even with the proviso that the chance of a lasting solution being brought about with a short period of negotiation is limited.

I think the first essential is to stop the violence so that no more lives are lost and that the cycle of violence can be halted. I find that it no longer is a matter of one side being in the right and the other in the wrong. Innocent people always seem to be the victims.

I also enclose a copy of an article that i wrote last week for the current edition of the Uxbridge Gazette.

I am very grateful to you writing to me about this very serious situation

Yours Sincerely,

John Randall





Uxbridge Gazette Article

The nightmare of the Middle East never seems to go away. There is a real worry that the conflict could spread. I watch the news broadcats with increasing despair and frustration. It's certainly true that Hezbollah's actions in crossing the so=called blue line and killing and abducting Israeli soldiers precipitated the latest catastrophic violence. Most people also think the swift retaliatory action by Israel may well have escalated the violence. As always, it is innocent civilians, both Israeli and Lebanese who are bearing the brunt of the casualties. I wonder whether those countries like Iran and Syria who actively support Hezbollah are actually rather pleased at the Israeli response, as it almost certainly will harden Arab, if not world, opinion against Israel and both the US and UK as well. Returning the kidnapped soliders would probably end the violence for now, but for how long? Despite attempts over decades the intransigence is as strong now as it ever has been. This month sees the fiftieth anniversary of the Suez ''crisis''. It was one of the first occasions when a UN peacekeeping force was deployed to operate in a buffer zone. There has been a UN force present in Southern Lebanon for a considerable period. Unfortunately its presence has not been able to stem the violence, but i do think that a ceasefire is uregently required. Real people are dying and real lives are being shattered. How many more need to die?

Despite my gloom over the possibilities of a lasting solution in that part of the world, I take heart from another fiftieth anniversary this year. In 1956 Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest and ruthlessly put down the hungarian revolution. Who would have thought that fifty years later the Soviet Union would be history and Hungary would be a thriving democracy within the European Union? Miracles can happen and we must never give up in the quest for fair and peaceful solution in the Middle East.





What you guys think?
I think Mr Randall is worth listening to.
The letter is dated 27th July 2006.
myspace.com/airstriponeuk
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

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    AhnimusAhnimus Posts: 10,569
    Sounds pretty level headed, sounds like he knows the story.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
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    polarispolaris Posts: 3,527
    too bad Conservatives here in Canada are in the same boat ... yes people to the US ...
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    dayandayan Posts: 475
    Very level headed. I only worry that a cease fire that does not include the disarming of Hezbollah will only lead to further violence in the future, except that it will be much worse, with Hezbollah rearmed and ready to fight. Perhaps it is time for the world to accept that temporary solutions sometimes make things worse, and that permanent solutions are sometimes, no, make that, often, very painful.
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    polarispolaris Posts: 3,527
    dayan wrote:
    Very level headed. I only worry that a cease fire that does not include the disarming of Hezbollah will only lead to further violence in the future, except that it will be much worse, with Hezbollah rearmed and ready to fight. Perhaps it is time for the world to accept that temporary solutions sometimes make things worse, and that permanent solutions are sometimes, no, make that, often, very painful.

    is there an example in recent history where this has worked? ... iraq and afghanistan sure aren't great examples ...
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    ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    dayan wrote:
    Very level headed. I only worry that a cease fire that does not include the disarming of Hezbollah will only lead to further violence in the future, except that it will be much worse, with Hezbollah rearmed and ready to fight. Perhaps it is time for the world to accept that temporary solutions sometimes make things worse, and that permanent solutions are sometimes, no, make that, often, very painful.

    Perhaps Israel should likewise be disarmed, or maybe you are expressing a biased viewpoint?
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