Dear EU AN A?

You have a point about slow progress of countries but Europe has come a loooooooooong way and has turned away from wars.
Each country manages its own affairs to the standards of its own people. Thus, Sweden is a much better society (for a Swede) than USA and, say, UAE is better than Egypt (for either), etc.

In historical terms, for example, Indians had internal terrorist problems but put it behind them about 2 decades ago, but Pakistan (essentially a country cut from the same cloth), is still stuggling with violence.

In Europe, the Balkans has always been a bloody zone and,..... you are right! Almost 15 years has gone and Bosnia is still a mess. Which proves the point of the writer about the built-in violence of people.

We should all hope for a better tomorrow, but remain realistic.

"Precious little has been learned from past mistakes by a noticeable many, especially amongst the economically advanced, albeit some have earned an “A” for effort in the EU, India and China."

An A for effort for the EU? Ask any Basque, Muslim, Turk, Tutsi or resident of the former Yugoslavia how much the EU has learned from the past and they will all tell you they haven’t learned a thing.

Their ability to completely ignore the massacres that happened in their back yard in the former Yugoslavia should limit the EU to a "D" grade at best. Let’s not even get into Belgium and France telling the UN that the “conflict” in Rwanda was not worth intervention.

As for China you have to be kidding me. If repressing free speech, imprisonment and jail time for any opposition and the killing of monks is an "A" grade, I would hate to see who’s getting a B.

I don’t think one country in the World deserves an A grade when it comes to learning from past mistakes.

Governments in all form are the power of the people and an exercise of local customs and tribal behaviours. So, yes and no. Yes, governments can change things for their society if they reflect the voice of the majority and, no, it is not something that can happen overnight. I tend to agree with the article that it is up to people to educate themselves and it is also time to set up contact with people of other countries outside the usual channels of government and media.