Christmas is with us once more, a time of peace and goodwill for all mankind. Here in the West much of that goodwill is artificially induced as friends cement their relationships with yet another bottle of booze. But there’s nothing wrong with that, the end can often justify the means.

In other parts of the world, however, goodwill, along with its bedfellow peace, is in short supply. In the last week alone we have learned that Sudan is in grave danger of slipping into a brutal and savage civil war and Japan is arming itself in retaliation against territorial threats made by its near-neighbour China. Add to this the murderous conflict in Syria and the troubles of Zimbabwe, Kurdistan, Palestine and Iraq, to name but a few, it is clear that the world is still a troubled place.

Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Jew or atheist is of no consequence. Surely every reasonable and right thinking person wishes for peace and goodwill. The fact that it is Christmas merely makes that wish more poignant.