I would like to comment on T Nagarajan's letter Choose civilisation, not dark forces. Just what definition of civilisation exactly is being implied here?

The Roman Empire was considered to be the most civilised during its time. Yet, thousands of innocent poor people died in the Coliseum for the amusement of the rich and powerful. Is the world now civilised when the world community is willing to enforce sanctions upon Iraq which according to the World Health Organisation has caused the death of innocent babies?

Is the world civilised that it would support the bombing of Afghanistan which according to Prof Marc Herold of the University of New Hampshire caused the death of between 3,000 and 3,400 civilians, more than those who died in the Sept 11 tragedy?

Is the world civilised when 1,000 unarmed Taliban members were killed en masse and thrown into unmarked graves at Dasht-i-Laili? My poser to T Nagarajan is: "Who are the real dark forces in this world?