PARIS ATTACKS

As of last night it became clear to me that we are at war.

It's not clear with whom we are at  war or who "we" are.

I'd hazard a guess that "we" represents civilization - East and  West - and that we are at war with transnational barbarians.

We will have  to kill  people and break things. Probably a lot of people and a lot of things. And, hopefully, the RIGHT people and the RIGHT things.

And I'm okay with that.

But I also know that however necessary that may be in the short run to protect  civilization, it will not RESOLVE the issue  of super-empowered, alienated people.

Only reconciliation can resolve alienation.

We won the American Revolution,  the North won the Civil War, and the Allies won WWII: each victory was accomplished by force yet has been cemented by the reconciliation of enemies.