QuakerInfo.com Forum

[Patrocles]

From my German point of view, it seems that peace movements specialize in war, civil war, occupation etc. in foreign countries. That kind of specialization is clearly indicted as long as they occupy themselves with local problems like cluster munition or war prisoners.
But when peace movements are occupied with the origins of war in the human heart, they could find of course the same problems (like hate, greed, envy) in their home countries.

My personal opinion is twisted. On the one hand I think that everyone ought to clean up at home before he goes cleaning up other people's houses. Also I suspect that some people prefer meddling in foreign conflicts because they have a more simplistic attitude about foreign conflicts (than about their own).

On the other hand I suppose that people might perhaps gain if they occupy themselves with foreign conflicts insofar as they have a more detached and unbiased attitude and learn to see aspects of conflict and conflict solution they wouldn't see at close quarters - IF they learn to transfer that outlook to the conflicts at home. But is that really the case?

[sonseeker]

I am pretty ignorant of 'foreign policies' and politics altogether really. I just know what I feel nd whether it is right or wrong.

I left England to live abroad because I felt that the Government were making it really difficult for a English born person to live there and I saw how they had treated their own people. The phrase 'charity begins at home' springs to mind.

I would not say that someone ought not to step in when a country is totally oppressed by a government which is corrupt and treating its own people in such a way they are starving and dying by the thousands, it is just the way that it is done that is important.

Britain and America have been too quick to act with force on occasions, even though both countries have been attacted by terrorism. The 'fight against gterrorism' has gone to such lengths that people are now wary of each other and to acts of violence out of fear.

I would prefer peaceful means to an end, but this only works if the people you are dealing with are also disposed to work things through in that manner.

If they are not we find ourselves in the position that countries are in, sending forces to fight terrorism, to fight to relieve poverty and to restore law and order. Peace keeping troops fare no better, they are usually sent to areas of unrest where their methods of action puts them in danger.

I pray that one day a solution will be found and I would be in line to help if the need arose.

[barbara_q]