For much of the last year, I’ve been wondering whether it’s worth me devoting time to moderating and responding to reader comments. Initially, this issue arose because my coverage of Israel/Palestine was attracting the attention of increasing numbers of Zionist trolls.

In recent days it’s become clear that I’ve alienated a number of readers due to my support for an international military attack on the Gaddafi regime. I’m now getting enough questions and comments thrown at me — many of them perfectly legitimate challenges — that I could easily spend most of my time responding to comments. But if I did that the site would quickly grind to a halt.

One individual has manage to write over 7,000 words in comments in just the last three days! I would commend anyone with that much to say, to start their own blog rather than opt for the convenience of turning someone else’s site into a ready-made soap box.

It’s never been my purpose for War in Context to be some kind of ideological echo chamber where a certain political constituency would be served by the dubious form of satisfaction that comes from having their own opinions confirmed.

At least for now, I’m suspending commenting. I might reconsider my decision at some point in the future, but in the meantime anyone who wants to share with me what they think on any topic relevant to this site, is welcome to send me an email. I may well on occasions use such comments as the basis of a post, exercising my editorial privilege to the same extent as I do in the operation of this site as a whole.

Drop me a line at editor [at] warincontext.org