Richter 9

[g kohler <gko15@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

A quantitative comparison of the destruction resulting from the tsunami of
26dec2004 and the recent U.S. conquest of Iraq indicates a similar magnitude
of fatalities (in excess of 100,000). The earthquake was 9 on the Richter
scale. The conquest was 5 on the Richardson scale of deadly quarrels (see,
Richardson, Statistics of deadly quarrels, published around 1960. The 5
refers to 10 power 5 = 100,000 in Richardson?s scale). In both cases most of
the victims were/are innocent. A difference is that the tsunami had no
economic motives. Another difference is that one was in pursuit of an unjust
cause with trumped-up accusations, the other had only natural causes.
Another difference is that in one of the cases the people around the world
are not afraid to follow their impulse for international solidarity with the
victims.
Gernot Kohler