Watching the images that the Americans showed with the ?capture? of Saddam, one realised that there is in fact hardly any difference between the American behaviour which lacked wholly and totally in dignity, and the behaviour of Saddam over the years. The same arrogance of leadership, the same ruthlessness against people they disagree with (remember Vietnam?), the same kind of cocky ?we got him?, compared to the measured and dignified reaction of Mr Blair who spoke in dignified language, in real English!

If America cannot conduct its ?victory? of having found Saddam with dignity, we will have to be wary of this unilateral ?power?. What unbecoming postures, what crass symbols of what they perceive as ?good over evil?. They are both evil and lack dignity. And, without dignity there will never be peace. This applies to Bush and Saddam alike.

America is only concerned with itself and how it can use its muscle and money power to find allies to further its mythical ?American dream?. It is tottering and the ?dream? will soon become a mirage. They have become so brazen in their relentless pursuit of selfish greed, that they treat peoples of the world and cultures and civilisations that they cannot comprehend, with utter scorn. But, they have begun to face the rather violent consequences of this supreme arrogance that comes with limited understanding, across the Middle East and in Asia. Unfortunately, ordinary people become the victims of limited intellects and intellectually bombastic leaders. The only way they can fight back is the way they are…they cannot compete with the US bombs and napalm and other such weapons of mass destruction. They can only give up their undignified lives by becoming human bombs.

The US is responsible for the aggravation of terrorism and they can go blue in the face blaming other cultures and people…we all know better. From Hiroshima to today, the US has been the most brutally aggressive nation in the world. They could not care less about any other national, except their own. Slowly their own people will see through this reality, particularly as the body bags multiply.

To use a cliche, if you want to nip terrorism in the bud, teachers should stop terrorising students, parents should stop as well, politicians should cease to terrorise their partymen and cadres and their opponents, bureaucrats should stop terrorising the public because that is where it starts. It all leads to one wealthy nation with instruments of mass destruction terrorising the world. Unilateral power. These are all components of ?terrorism?.

Life in Delhi carries on with endless extravagant weddings, all rather dull and meaningless in their shoo shaa. The joy of celebration has been replaced by oneupmanship ? who can beat who at tasteless opulence. Loud and blaring music makes it impossible to speak to anyone and one wanders about like a zombie looking at endless faces and the same kind of catered food that adorns the many tables that line the edges of vast open spaces at the rented marriage venues. Jewels, whether fake or real, hang heavy around the necks of the women, overdone and over the top. Style ? where has it gone?

Nothing out of the ordinary and nothing new and fresh in the capital. The only saving grace for us old Dilliwallahs is to escape for a few days each month, drive out into the the deserts of Rajasthan or the mountains of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal, restore one?s sensibilities and return to the same predictable rat race of Delhi. Special evenings in this city are those rare sit-down dinners with no more than a dozen people which, more often than not, become energetic and often raucous get-togethers laced with fun stories, serious discussions, substantial gossip and happy revelry. Let us not allow such entertainment to pass into oblivion!

Before we know it, 2004 will be upon us. All one can hope for is a better year with less horrors ? all those dreadful realities that confront us on the pages of our daily papers. Let?s hope there will be some semblance of clean governance and sane action that will encourage people to get on with their lives and careers and make good.