MH17

The mass murder, for that's what it was, of the innocent passengers of flight MH17 stands right up there, or maybe right down there, with the events of 9/11.

For me, the only difference was right at the beginning when news of the disaster broke.  We have seen passenger jets brought down before but we were not familiar with the concept of terrorists flying hijacked aeroplanes into buildings.  

As ever, it is the human stories that emerge which we all find so upsetting.  

Scientists on their way to a conference, students heading for study abroad, ordinary people peacefully going about their own business.

Nothing on earth can justify this act of wanton destruction, this evil act of terrorism.  It had to be a random attack - it is extremely unlikely the perpetrators aimed for this particular aircraft - but that doesn't change a thing.

Watching stories unfold on TV, I was struck by the fields where the plane landed, bodies marked by little flags throughout the fields.  Locals talking about bodies falling to the grounds from 35,000 feet, probably dead already and certainly not conscious, but people who boarded a plane to go somewhere and never made it.

Politicians are talking tough now, as they always do at times like these, and demand to know answers as to how this happened.

But surely we need more than politicians talking: we need action.

The United Nations seems to be weaker than ever when it needs to be stronger.  All over the world, countries squabble over territory, over religion, and the bloodshed continues.  And the horrors of Ukraine suddenly come home to Keynsham, near Bristol, inflicting untold misery on those who have absolutely nothing to do with it.

If Russian 'separatist groups' are to blame, as seems likely, what is Putin's involvement, his knowledge?  For how much longer can we keep him at the top table, regardless of the potential damage to our economic interests?

Like most of you, the more I found out about flight MH17, the more numb I feel about it, and the less hopeful I feel about the future.  

We have learned in many parts of the world that you cannot bomb your way to peace.