So anyway, my main purpose in logging on before I got sidetracked by philosophers safe in their armchairs was to say that if you're in London and waiting for tube services to resume, there is a rumour that the Northern and Jubilee lines are about to restart, and crowds are gathering outside stations in expectation.
Don't join them! There is a small chance that limited services may get going in suburban parts of those lines soon, but don't count on it.
I would love to join in this debate but i'm knackered it's just taken me 4 hours to get home and my son is safe, maybe if it had been different story i might have something to say but i am just full of relief right now!
Dave
Any religion could be blamed for atrocities such as today, there are very few that historically don't have a record for violence.
"Religion" cannot be blamed for it .... "religion" is a word ... the barbaric acts carried out in the name of religion are down to power hungry fanatics with their own agenda's.
Blaming a whole genre/group of people for fanatics actions is appalling. Greed is the root cause and even if the leaders of the country's bowed down and met demands the same atrocities would still happen.
These groups are not out for religious glory at all .. they are out for power!
Twenty years ago we had the same problems with the IRA ... it's no different - same shit different fanatics.
Calista x
Not sure whether to say this here or in the Olympic thread, mods feel free to move if you think necessary:
Naturally the subject of what impact today's bombings will have on our Olympic preparations came up at work today. Although I'm sure today has more to do with G8 than the Olympics, one of the reasons I was hoping we wouldn't get the Olympics is the increased risk of terrorism. In light of what's happened today, lots of people are now saying we'll be a sitting duck and should abandon the Games. On this score I'm going to have to change sides and say that now we have been named host city, we absolutely must spend the next seven years making sure we get it right and put on a great, safe show. To do otherwise would be to surrender to the terrorists, and I think that would ultimately prove to be the thin end of a far more disastrous wedge.
I still think it was extremely unwise of the IOC to give us the Games, but now that it's done, we have to make the best job of it we can and not allow ourselves to be battered into submission by those who hate us just because we choose not to live their way.
For hypocrisy this has to take the biscuit:
Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein, the political movement linked to the Irish Republican Army: "I condemn the bomb attacks in London this morning. I have sent a message of sympathy and solidarity to Mr. Blair and the London mayor, Ken Livingstone. On behalf of Sinn Fein I offer my sincere condolences to the victims and the families of those killed and injured and to the people of London."
From the CNN website.
Just a few words, following the predictable US bashing, it is worth remembering the following –
Without the US, we would be under Nazi rule.
Without the US after the 2nd World War we would have been part of the Soviet Bloc.
Without the US, the west wouldn’t have had a secure oil supply from the Middle East. Yes it was partly about oil.
Yes, in an ideal world we would deal with China and North Korea, but we can’t because they have nuclear weapons. Yes we should deal with Zimbabwe, but they are not threatening their neighbours or sponsoring terrorism elsewhere, as far as I am aware, so we haven’t.
Pick away………………..
I never liked the guy, but you can't fault this......
Statement by Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld on London Bombings:
This morning, the civilized world watched with concern as the people of London saw the face of violence and brutality. We offer our deepest sympathies to the families who have lost loved ones and to those who were wounded.
Too often the global struggle against violent extremists is discussed in a context that can distract from the harsh reality that its victims are innocent mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, and neighbors we see and work with every day.
Images from London have shown faces filled with tears and shock. Such faces are sadly familiar to us here in America. However, reports from London are already telling of calm passengers, compassionate strangers, and courageous rescuers. And that too is familiar -- the grace and humanity that contrasts vividly with the hatred and violence of terrorists.
The London attacks have a special resonance for the American people -- for America has no stronger or closer ally in the world than Great Britain. We are bound together by a common heritage, a common language, and a deeply shared commitment to freedom. As President Bush indicated earlier this morning, the United States will stand with the British people with unflinching resolve.
Though it is not yet known with certainty precisely who is responsible, we do know terrorists’ intentions. They strike without warning and without regard for human life in the hope that they can frighten and intimidate free people -- to change our way of life. And they won't stop until their side or our side has prevailed.
But if these terrorists thought they could intimidate the people of a great nation, they picked the wrong people and the wrong nation. For generations, tyrants, fascists, and terrorists have sought to carry out their violent designs upon the British people only to founder upon its unrelenting shores.
Before long, I suspect that those responsible for these acts will encounter British steel. Their kind of steel has an uncommon strength. It does not bend or break.
The British have learned from history that this kind of evil must be confronted. It cannot be appeased. Our two countries understand well that once a people give in to terrorists’ demands, whatever they are, their demands will grow.
The British people are determined and resolute. And I know the people of the United States are proud to stand at their side.
From the Pentagon website
