HEART BEAT: I am normally a cheerful soul and things do not get to me easily. Yet reading of the horrors of the London bombings, I was profoundly depressed, writes Maurice Neligan.
It is difficult for the ordinary sentient person to even attempt to understand the logic of the perpetrators. What cause can possibly justify the slaughter of ordinary citizens going about their daily business? What compulsion or what level of indoctrination can turn somebody into a walking bomb, primed to destroy his fellows regardless of age or sex?
We will probably never know the answers, but it seems to betoken a level of religious fanaticism of pre-medieval intensity. The enlightenment and the spread of education and rational thinking, one hoped would have made such obscurantism a thing of the past.
Sadly it would appear not, the evil twisted fanatics with their perverted view of the world are with us still. Their terror is difficult to defend against in our free world, as we know well from our own history, yet we must persevere and trust that humanity and the love of our fellow men will ultimately prevail.
There are no excuses - Iraq, Afghanistan, capitalism or whatever you wish to hang your protest hat upon. These people would drag us back to the dark Ages, and they regard half the human race as mere chattels. They see progress and the enrichment and diversity of people's lives as a threat other than a cause of rejoicing.
Poverty, global warming and the other pressing problems of mankind cannot be addressed or redressed adequately, with the threat of senseless terror stalking the world. The war on terror has to be won in the classroom, in our free societies and also, sadly, militarily. History has clearly shown us that mad men cannot be appeased.
Watching the dramatic events unfold in London I was struck by the calm efficiency of the response. Such an attack had been planned for, and the fruits of such planning were there to see. Police, emergency services and medical staff moved quickly to quell the panic, establish their bases and stabilise the situation.
Inevitably I wondered what would happen here in similar circumstances. I was mindful and indeed was involved in the response to the Dublin bombings, but that was a long time ago. Dublin's hospitals then were less crowded and pressurised and accident and emergency services were not as strained as today.
I am aware that there is a major disaster plan. I would urge our authorities to revisit it in view of the situation on the ground in our hospitals now. A plan is one thing, its feasibility quite another.
I hope such happenings are unlikely, but we must be ready. We have lived on this knife-edge domestically for years. It appears that we are to maintain this uncomfortable perch internationally for an unforeseen time to come.
Let us have no fuzzy illusions as to which side we are on. Let us have none of the "it doesn't concern us" attitude. Let us stand with civilisation and confront terror and fanaticism, be it home grown or international.
When I say home grown in this case I am referring to the extraordinary statement of Fr Alex Reid recently as to the possibility of "another Canary Wharf in Britain". I think, Father, with respect, that we ordinary Irish folk, north and south, unionist and nationalist, have had just about enough of the atrocities committed in our name.
I don't think we will tolerate such any more. Let our so called "peace process" mean justice and reconciliation for all sides. Let us have no more weasel words and half truths, and fantasies of progress made where there is none.
In the course of all this disaster, the words of Rudyard Kipling's poem, Tommy, came to mind. The doctors, nurses and police were suddenly heroes and to the fore. They performed magnificently as usual in rising to the challenge and meeting the dangers. At best in the good times they are not noticed, at worst they are criticised, even vilified.
Nothing changes and that is why Tommy came to mind: "Yes makin' mock of uniforms that guard you while you sleep, Is cheaper than them uniforms, an they're starvation cheap" and again: "It's Tommy this and Tommy that, an Tommy 'ows your soul, But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll".
Ireland's doctors, nurses and policemen are familiar with the sentiments. By and large they haven't let the people down, but often those who are in power and who we elect to govern have done so.
The caring and guarding sections of our community may not be perfect, but then ladies and gentlemen of government, neither are you. God forbid that such disaster comes here but if it does, the doctors, nurses, paramedics and police will not be found wanting, as ever before.
I fear very much that the facilities to allow them do their jobs will be found wanting, and this after a period of unrivalled prosperity. Let us now mend our infrastructure, not for possible catastrophes alone, but to provide decent hospitals, facilities and levels of care for our people today.
When we have supplied basic needs in health, education, security, and the alleviation of poverty, let us then by all means have stadia and public works.
Let us settle our small nation before we move on to settling the world. Delusions of grandeur in the midst of want do not serve our people well.
Maurice Neligan is a cardiac surgeon.