Fwd: YORK AGAINST THE WAR

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From: Mike Newman <mike@stcuthberts.org>
Date: 24 September 2011 22:56:51 GMT+01:00
To: Perpetual Curate Blog <jemikenewman.perpetualcurate@blogspot.com>
Subject: YORK AGAINST THE WAR

Had a chat to these people this afternoon. Will maybe post a picture another time. Very genuine, particularly their leader who was a pacifist and also a Christian. Their arguments are not conclusive in my opinion, however.

Given that we are present in Afghanistan, to pack up and leave now would not aid the cause of peace and reconstruction as they claim. Quite the opposite. We must do all we can to respect the Afghan people who have suffered greatly these last 30 or so years, avoid collateral damage, train ANA and ANP soldiers and police and work towards long term economic renewal.  We must also aim to reach a negotiated settlement, something the extremists seem keen to avoid hence the spate of recent attacks.

Lessons clearly need to be learned for the future, but the answer to the world's problems is not isolationism, but rather service of others wherever that is possible and, if the occasion demands, sufficient force to make it possible.

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men (and women) to do nothing.

Sent from my mobile phone
perpetualcurate.blogspot.com