5th Column

Both Bush, Satellite are on the same wavelength over arms
"Thaaththa", Bindu Udagedera asked, "what is all this fuss about a war?"
"Which war is that?" Bindu's father Percy asked, "I thought the war was over..."
"Not the war in the North and East, thaaththa," Bindu explained, "the war in Iraq..."

"Ah, now that our politicians have one war they have another war to blame everything on..." Percy observed. "But, thaaththa, what will happen to this threat of another war?"
"Why are you so worried about it?" Percy wanted to know. "After all it is not as serious as being beaten by Kenya at the World Cup…"

"Why, thaaththa, a war with Iraq is similar to the war here which is why I am worried about it…" Bindu said. "How can that be?" Percy wanted to know. "Our war is only a tiny conflict compared to what can happen in Iraq…"
"But thaaththa," Bindu argued, "there are similarities…"

"I don't see any…" Percy retorted.
"Why, thaaththa, George Bush wants to go to war immediately along with Tony Blair…"
"But what has that got to do with us except to affect our oil prices?"
"Why, thaaththa, even in our country Satellite wants to go to war with the Tigers…"
"Ah, I see," Percy said, "So who is Saddam in our situation?"

"Well, it has to be Velu or Bala because they keep holding out promise after promise of doing what the rest of the world want them to do…" "Then," Percy added, "there are some who say that Satellite's father was responsible for the beginning of our conflict just as much as Bush's father was responsible for the beginning of the conflict with Saddam…"

"Then, thaaththa," Bindu asked, "who would play the role of the Green Man who keeps on talking to the Tigers despite all the broken promises?"
"Well," Percy said, "He would be like the UN and its Weapons Inspectors who are happy to just keep the peace for the moment…"

"Then, thaaththa," Bindu pointed out, "even the issue at stake is somewhat similar, isn't it?" "What's that?" Percy queried.
"Why, thaaththa, Bush wants Saddam to destroy all his weapons; Satellite also wants Velu to lay down arms…"

"Indeed," Percy agreed, "the issues do seem somewhat similar…" "And," Bindu added, "the international community wants the UN to pursue peace despite Bush's objections…" "Just as much as the international community wants the Green Man to push for peace despite Satellite's objections…"

"So, what can we learn from all this, thaaththa?" Bindu queried. "Well," Percy suggested, "may be we can predict the outcome of our own war from what happens in the Gulf War…" "If there is one…" Bindu said.

"Precisely," Percy said, "if war breaks out in the Gulf then there could be every likelihood that war breaks out in our country too…" "That's a frightening thought…" Bindu said. "But there's another frightening thought…" Percy said.
"What's that?" Bindu wanted to know.

"Saddam has outsmarted the UN and outlasted several US Presidents…" Percy observed. "So, will the same happen in our war?" Bindu asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine…" Percy said.

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