"But will we win, Daddy?" "Of course we will, child, and quickly, while you are still in bed." "But will people be killed, Daddy?" "There will be a few Western casualties. Very few. Go to sleep." "And after that, will everything be normal? Nobody will strike back? The terrorists will all be dead?" "Wait till you?re older, dear. Goodnight." "And is it really true that last time round Iraq lost twice as many dead as America lost in the entire Vietnam war?" "Hush child. That?s called history."

John Le Carré in www.opendemocracy.net