IMAGES THAT SHOCK

Just saw the previously unpublished pictures of the notorious Abu Ghraib prison abuse.

'Deeply disturbing' - the official UN reaction is an under-statement. I am sickened to the core. The graphic images and vidoes suggest killing, torture, sexual humiliation and possibly more.

If anything they are a gross violation of human rights. They rob an individual of dignity. They abuse prisoners who are proved guilty even before they are charged.

If the US foreign policy hawks are still mulling over that vexing question - 'Why does the world hate us?', they'll need to look no further.

And if they are still pining for more insights into the most troubling issues of our times, a night out at the movies just might help. George Clooney with his spectacular take in 'Syriana' tells us all about the explosive price we are paying for peace on earth or the sheer lack of it.

From the players brokering back-room deals in Washington to the men toiling in the oil fields of the Persian Gulf, the film's multiple storylines weave together to illuminate the human consequences of the fierce pursuit of wealth and power and what suffers in that relentless pursuit.

Now, if only someone, somewhere would sit up and take notice.