Why?
Last night on RTE’s Prime Time, Mark Little asked what could be done to prevent future terrorist attacks on London. He made the point that it was simply not enough to “drain the swamp” so that there would be no mosquitoes.
One of the first questions that needed to be asked post 9/11 was “why did they do this?” The same rings true for London now. Why did four bombs detonate at rush hour, killing more than 50 people? What are these terrorists’ motivations?
Simply saying “they hate our freedoms” is not good enough. However, it has worked for Bush and Blair. Both have been re-elected and both employ the same monotonous battle cry. A coincidence? I think not. The great unwashed like these bite-size offerings because they can sum up in a few simple words the anger that they feel towards terrorists.
Meanwhile, the Left gets caught up in unwieldy debates, uses political speak, and has no such slogans. But they did use something as powerful last year, but with a lesser degree of success. This weapon of course was the photograph. Abu Ghraib should have been enough to convince the British and American public to start asking questions about the war on terror.
That the terrorists last Friday were deranged is not up for debate. Were they jealous of the commuters on the Tube going to a 9-5 job? Did they hate their freedom? Did they resent the fact that such opportunities are not afforded to people in the Middle East and those not in the First World? Were they exacting revenge for the thousands of civilian deaths caused by the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq? Did they carry out this deplorable atrocity owing to a misguided interpretation of Islam?
Whatever the answer is, people need to start asking the why questions.
Published by Colm.
One of the first questions that needed to be asked post 9/11 was “why did they do this?” The same rings true for London now. Why did four bombs detonate at rush hour, killing more than 50 people? What are these terrorists’ motivations?
Simply saying “they hate our freedoms” is not good enough. However, it has worked for Bush and Blair. Both have been re-elected and both employ the same monotonous battle cry. A coincidence? I think not. The great unwashed like these bite-size offerings because they can sum up in a few simple words the anger that they feel towards terrorists.
Meanwhile, the Left gets caught up in unwieldy debates, uses political speak, and has no such slogans. But they did use something as powerful last year, but with a lesser degree of success. This weapon of course was the photograph. Abu Ghraib should have been enough to convince the British and American public to start asking questions about the war on terror.
That the terrorists last Friday were deranged is not up for debate. Were they jealous of the commuters on the Tube going to a 9-5 job? Did they hate their freedom? Did they resent the fact that such opportunities are not afforded to people in the Middle East and those not in the First World? Were they exacting revenge for the thousands of civilian deaths caused by the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq? Did they carry out this deplorable atrocity owing to a misguided interpretation of Islam?
Whatever the answer is, people need to start asking the why questions.
Published by Colm.
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