Reply #158: Thanks, Tom!

[Sparkly]

That's high praise, coming from you!!

The post was off the top of my head -- no hard work! (Long listening, learning and thinking, though!)

I agree it's easy to imagine things on superficial levels. If it were that simple ("withdraw all troops" = "minimize bloodshed") there'd be no debate at all.

I've always thought wars can be reduced to "sandbox mentality." ("I was here first!" "Keep out!" "That's mine, not yours!" etc.) In this case, we instigated kids fighting each other; the longer it goes on, the more join in and get hurt. Simply fighting doesn't make fighting stop; simply walking away doesn't make fighting stop (and leaves the little kids hurt the most).

What's needed is an adult to come in with authority and say, "Everybody listen up! Things are going to be different, starting right NOW! You with the rock, hitting that guy who's only got a stick -- you can put down that rock or get hit with a brick, your choice. Now you with the stick, fighting the guy with the rock -- put down the stick and I'll make sure the rock guy doesn't hurt you...." etc.

Obviously I'm oversimplifying, but it boils down to that rather than boiling down to, "I'll leave, you guys work it out, good luck."