Tony Williams wrote:

It is facile to assume that the Spanish cower before terrorism. If the
bombers had been ETA, the result would have been strong support for
the existing government in its fight against terrorism. It's just that
Iraq has always been an unpopular cause there.

Well, if I were a serious member of ETA, the message that
big bombs in crowded areas might be a good thing, would not
be lost on me.

Of course the Iraq coalition members are clearly the targets,
if this really is Al Qaeda work. Poland, Italy, Japan...

My guess, given this resounding victory for Al Qaeda, is
Italy will be next on the "hit list". Possibly the American
party conventions in summer, the Olympics.

Terrorists are doing the same thing on an international
level that they are doing locally in Iraq. Kill anyone
associated with the US effort.

And it seems from here, the only thing people can do,
especially [continental] Europe, is blame Bush. The
terror didn't start with Iraq and it won't end with Iraq.
Iraq is the "justification du jour". If it weren't Iraq,
it would be Palestine-Israel. Whatever is convenient.

The "war on terror" is the new "Cold War". It may very
well last several generations. We need to get used to
this stuff.


SMH