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not again
More terrorism, more death, more pain. I can't say much more than this, and I don't really want to. Here in McMuffin world we try not to let the scary outside stuff in too often, but this couldn't be left unremarked.
mr mcmuffin on 11 Mar 2004 @ 04:46 PM ✲ Permalink
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I have a question for your Europeans readers. Do you folks feel more vulnerable to terrorism being in Europe?
In the past, since I live in the U.S., I've always felt -- oh, that will never happen here, I'm safe. Of course, 9/11 blew that theory right out of the water.
But still, I would be even more nervous living in Europe, closer to all those hotbeds of fanaticism.
Posted by: Kevin | 11 Mar 2004 21:02:10
Thanks for visiting, Kevin.
It's hard to answer your question, as I've never lived outside the UK. Terrorism has been a fact of life here, and although no one ever expects antything to happen to them, being involved in an attack has always felt like a (remote) possibility to me.
The world became a much scarier place with the attacks on the twin towers as it was so huge, and a lot of us were concerned that US policy would become dictated by fear and the need for retaliation. We were worried that the US had perceived itself as all powerful and invulnerable, and that the removal of this illusion would not enable constructive engagement with the rest of the world.
In relation to closeness to hotbeds of fanaticism, I'm not really sure what you mean by this. Some Brits perceive the US as a hotbed of fanaticism!
Hope this helps!
Posted by: Mrs McMuffin | 12 Mar 2004 16:24:00
...and the Brits would be right about their perceptions.
Posted by: Retro Girl | 12 Mar 2004 18:23:31
Well, just to clarify my remarks about being close to the hotbeds of fanaitcism, I mean that geographically, you folks are closer to Spain and Afghan (for instance), than I am in the US.
And thanks for your thoughtful reply.
Posted by: Kevin | 12 Mar 2004 20:27:41
As awful as it was, the Madrid train bombing was a glorious victory for Al Qaeda. Not only did Aznar's party get tossed out, the general sentiment in Spain is that the attack was the fault of the U.S. The greatest advantage the "Islamic" terrorists have over the rest of us is their patience. It may take them 5,000 years, but recent events and the aftermath in Spain makes me think that they will eventually be victorious.
Posted by: Machete of Truth | 15 Mar 2004 20:11:37
I'm not sure it's productive to think in terms of winners and losers. It's that kind of attitude that only prolongs conflict, as then no-one wants to back down and see themselves as some kind of loser. And I don't think it's right to describe certain countries as 'hotbeds of fanaticism', as that instantly paints the whole populus of a country with one stroke.
In my mind, if you don't do bad things to other people, they're far less likely to have any reason to wish you ill-will. So if you don't meddle in other countries' affairs against the will of their people, and pillage a foreign land of its material resources for your own benefit, and take sides in disputes over land rights far from your own shores for your own political and economic objectives, or let's just call it 'greed' and over-excessive consumption, then you're less likely to annoy anyone. Yep, western foreign policy has a lot to answer for.
Or are we quite simply always the good guys, and that's it? (LOL - that's as simplistic as Bush's "with us or against us" children's television-style attitude!)
Posted by: David (TEFL Smiler) | 15 Mar 2004 20:39:57
I agree, Mr Smiler.
Posted by: Mrs McMuffin | 15 Mar 2004 22:47:39
