Cause For Contemplation

In the same week that I'm getting frustrated by some of the political posturing around Iraq I read a story about a Chicago man's self-immolation, which could be attributed to a protest against political decisions on the war in Iraq.

I was going to post a rant about how we shouldn't be asking Syria and Iran to pitch in to help the new Iraq (and Afganistan I suppose) before talking to our friendly Middle-Eastern states. There are some states that don't hate us, why not enlist their help. The rant was to be based on how if we ask Syria and Iran to help, we are only asking them so they can refuse or demand it done in such a way that we diagree with them. It's a win-win situation for UK/USA because they look like doing something, but actually it's just pushing someone in to a position where whatever they do UK/USA can say, "see, they are bastards we shouldn't" trust.

I say I was going to post because I am really just gutted about Malachi Ritscher, this article explains it all. It's a sad story, and regardless of whether it was a protest against the war, that's some serious determination there, determinism, which could have been channeled somewhere. That or the problems we face with life or with the "war on terror[-ism]" are too much for one single determined person.

I feel pretty melancholy and can identify with the frustration of someone that really feels they can't make a difference. The Iraq situation, the Arab/Israeli conflict and the problems caused by various other ideological differences will still go on no matter what you do.