More than 4,000 people have died in the conflict since 2004, with radical insurgents becoming increasingly willing to challenge a government seen by some as ineffective and corrupt.

The location is Sri Lanka, where the Tamil Tigers appear to be ramping up their attacks on the Sinhalese-dominated government. The Tigers, who practice suicide bombing and other grotesque tactics, broke a ceasefire previously negotiated to great international acclaim several years ago, and some who believe terrorists can be talked out of their designs can’t see the forest for the trees here:

A poll released this month by the Centre for Policy Initiatives found about 60 percent of Sinhalese backed a military solution to the conflict, while support for peace talks fell to 46 percent from 57 percent in November.
“The vast majority of people are fed government propaganda,” Saravanamuttu said. “They have been fed on a diet of victory.”
Sunanda Deshapriya, convenor of the Free Media Movement, said: “The public is thinking that the government is winning. They think: ‘We can win this war’.”
That has worrying implications, some say.
Many analysts see no end in sight for the conflict and no clear advantage for ether side in the war, which has dragged on for decades.

It’s probably all Bush’s fault.