The remains of one war, the nature of another.

Bombs were very much in the frame yesterday. In Bristol workers uncovered what is suspected to be an old World War 2 bomb in Broadmead. In Iraq the US dropped two bombs on a house to eliminate al-Zarqawi. The remains of one war, the nature of another. The bomb the US dropped were 500lb bombs. You can see the size of the blast on the TV footage. Five other people were killed in this blast – a woman and child included. The bomb in Bristol is probably a 'Sprengbombe Cylindrich' or general demolition bomb as this is what most of the bombs dropped on the UK during WWII were. This means its anything from 110 lb (50kg) to about 4000lb (1800kg nicknamed 'The Satan'). I hope it does not go off - you can see the size of the blast it might have from the TV footage in Iraq.

The remains of one war, the nature of another. The Bristol bomb has disrupted the Broadmead development. The Iraq bombs, it is hoped, signal the beginning of the end for the insurgency. We can understand the Bristol bomb – where it came from, how it will be dealt with. The police have cordoned off the area, and bomb disposal people move in to make it safe. Great length have gone into making it safe. This is done because we don't want to die nor see other die.

I don't think we understand the Iraq bombs - al-Zarqawi was not afraid of death, it was his currency, all he sought is lot of it and for it to be spectacular. His death at the hands of such a mighty dose of firepower is propaganda for his cause; that it took not just one – but two devices to stop him. The military force being used in the war on terror is being turned into propaganda that is part of it. The remains of his war, the nature of his jihad. Killing al-Zarqawi along with the 'collateral damage' of a woman and child is simply closing the circle of his jihad. You cannot bomb your way to peace and peace will not follow the bombs. Indeed how and when will the Iraq war and civil war end? Is the war on terror simply a war without end?

The Bristol bomb shows how long the legacy of war remains. The remains of one war, the nature of another.