UPDATE: 10:50 AM CDT, Death toll now at 33, not counting the unknown number of people who died in the bus explosion. The Severely injured number has topped 345 and continues to grow.
At 9:20 AM London Time, just as the morning commuter rush was entering its peak, four explosions tore through three London Underground stations and one double-decker bus in London's financial district. Reports are still coming in, but so far London authorities have confirmed two dead and estimated as many as 150 seriously wounded. The central London transit system has been completely shut down. Before heading straight back to London from the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, P. M. Tony Blair et al stated the obvious that this was indeed a terrorist attack.
Our hearts, empathies, and sympathies go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.
This brings the total number of high profile attacks on Western countries to three. September 11, 2001 in New York. March 11, 2004 in Madrid, Spain. July 7, 2005 in London.
Michael Scheuer, former CIA bin Laden hunter and author of the book, Imperial Hubris: Why the West Is Losing the War on Terror, spoke on NPR this morning and said he had no doubt in his mind that this is indeed the work of an al-Qaida cell. Please note, however, that this is the opinion of one al-Qaida expert, and not the result of intelligence gathering or evidence. But it seems pretty obvious. A group calling itself the "Secret Organisation Group of al-Qaeda of Jihad Organisation in Europe" has claimed responsibility on an undisclosed website that is a popular messaging port for al-Qaida and bin Laden himself:
I hate to politicize a tragedy, but I can find no more glaring example of how Bush's misguided and pompous "strategy" for his war on terror has failed--miserably. If even just half the troops currently stationed in Halliburtonville (aka, Iraq) were in Afghanistan, actually hunting bin Laden and making a real effort to shut al-Qaida down, this probably wouldn't have happened. Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida are infinitely more dangerous than Saddam Hussein could have ever dreamed of being. Today's events in London are proof enough of that.
Our hearts, empathies, and sympathies go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.
This brings the total number of high profile attacks on Western countries to three. September 11, 2001 in New York. March 11, 2004 in Madrid, Spain. July 7, 2005 in London.
Michael Scheuer, former CIA bin Laden hunter and author of the book, Imperial Hubris: Why the West Is Losing the War on Terror, spoke on NPR this morning and said he had no doubt in his mind that this is indeed the work of an al-Qaida cell. Please note, however, that this is the opinion of one al-Qaida expert, and not the result of intelligence gathering or evidence. But it seems pretty obvious. A group calling itself the "Secret Organisation Group of al-Qaeda of Jihad Organisation in Europe" has claimed responsibility on an undisclosed website that is a popular messaging port for al-Qaida and bin Laden himself:
In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate, may peace be upon the cheerful one and undaunted fighter, Prophet Muhammad, God's peace be upon him.
Nation of Islam and Arab nation: Rejoice for it is time to take revenge against the British Zionist Crusader government in retaliation for the massacres Britain is committing in Iraq and Afghanistan. The heroic mujahideen have carried out a blessed raid in London. Britain is now burning with fear, terror and panic in its northern, southern, eastern, and western quarters.
We have repeatedly warned the British Government and people. We have fulfilled our promise and carried out our blessed military raid in Britain after our mujahideen exerted strenuous efforts over a long period of time to ensure the success of the raid.
We continue to warn the governments of Denmark and Italy and all the Crusader governments that they will be punished in the same way if they do not withdraw their troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. He who warns is excused.
God says: "You who believe: If ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly." (BBC News)
I hate to politicize a tragedy, but I can find no more glaring example of how Bush's misguided and pompous "strategy" for his war on terror has failed--miserably. If even just half the troops currently stationed in Halliburtonville (aka, Iraq) were in Afghanistan, actually hunting bin Laden and making a real effort to shut al-Qaida down, this probably wouldn't have happened. Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida are infinitely more dangerous than Saddam Hussein could have ever dreamed of being. Today's events in London are proof enough of that.
We are spread too thin, focusing on the wrong target. We have left ourselves vulnerable. Should we suffer another attack here in the U. S., Bush and everyone who supported him last November will have, not just Spanish and British, but American blood on their hands as well.
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