how to stop terrorism (continued)

This blog is about land rent, but I can't help posting stuff on other topics too. Yesterday the IRA announced a final end to violence and destruction of their weapons. Note that more people died in IRA violence than died in 9/11. 3637 people as far as can be told.

Of course, 9/11 will probably always hold the record for violent deaths in a single peacetime attack on western soil. But if we need to add so many qualifiers ("violent," "single event," "peacetime," "western") then maybe we should look at the bigger picture to see all the other tragedies we ignore.

My point is that this "terrorist" threat has ended. Why? Because of the soldiers on the streets? No, that just made it worse. Because of imprisonment without trial? No, that just made it worse. Because of invasion? No, that would have just been stupid. This terrorist threat ended because we quietly negotiated. Will this encourage other "terrorists"? No, because the negotiations were based on an understanding of conditions in the breeding ground, Northern Ireland. And individual bombers went to jail. Northern Ireland people are now tired of fighting, and have better, peaceful ways to address their grievances.

Patient negotiation and understanding ends terrorism. Force does not.