Whilst I greatly admire the bravery of the Columbia astronauts and have the deepest sympathy with their friends and family, I cannot avoid the thought that the US (and as much of the Western World as they can involve) is about to embark on a terrestrial adventure which will inevitably involve greater loss of life amongst everyone caught up in Dubya's attempt to rerun the Gulf War and get it right this time. If we grieve for seven, how much more should we grieve for the thousands, most of whom won't have had a chance to opt out? If only the US would confine its ambitions to conquering space.
