Giving up liberties in exchange for security means only that the terrorists have won

Amazing to see Independent newspaper columnist Yasmin Alibhai Brown offering up liberties in exchange for a mistaken belief that this will bring security. Where is her proof that giving more surveillance powers to the security services will stop terrorist incidents? Give me your liberties and I will provide security has been the cry of dictators down the ages: today is no different - giving up such liberties means that the terrorists have won.

Neither offering up liberties on the altar of terrorism or deploying the rhetoric of vengeance and war will in any way make the world a safer place. Violence begets violence. At present the world seems to be in a vicious cycle of violence - the war in Iraq spawned ISIS. A terrorist atrocity is met with more bombing by the West and Russia in Syria and Iraq and so it goes on. A peaceful answer based on justice needs to be sought if the world is ever to return to a more harmonious state.

* see: Independent - 17/11/2015