Europe in the frontline (The Sun: UK)

The Sun - UK ^ | 12 March 2004 | Trevor Kavanagh

[Lando Lincoln]

THE Madrid train bombings were a hideous catastrophe for the victims, their families and for the Spanish people.

If al-Qaeda emerges as the most likely culprits, it is a calamity for the whole western world.

It would confirm that the implacable, ruthless and callous disciples of Osama Bin Laden have moved their operations to our own backyard.

Spanish authorities were reluctant to admit the possibility that anyone but home-grown ETA terrorists might be responsible. Indeed, Prime Minister Aznar publicly named and blamed them.

The British Government and our security and intelligence services also believed some of the planning bore the hallmarks of ETA/IRA training.

Others suspect that any other explanation could be disastrous for a government facing elections and already unpopular for supporting the war in Iraq.

But it was always unlikely that ETA alone could have organised such a precision attack using so many explosions on such carefully selected moving targets.

Europe, it seems, is now the new front line for the fanatics who want to destroy our way of life.

The atrocity bore some resemblance to the lethal co-ordination of blasts which killed 200 innocent revellers on the paradise island of Bali.

That was the biggest and bloodiest slaughter since the Trade Center horror of 2001.

For Australia, whose youngsters made up the majority of deaths, it was their 9/11.

With so many so grievously wounded, the toll in Madrid could yet match or exceed the 270 dead in the 1988 Lockerbie Pan-Am bombing, the biggest in Europe so far.

So far because, if this was al-Qaeda, it won’t be the last.

As Tony Blair warned only a week ago, Islamic extremists are out to get us and there is nothing we can offer them in the form of negotiation to stop.

They were out to get us long before the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq and long before September 11.

Britain and Italy are certainly on the bombers’ list of targets.

But France and Germany cannot expect to escape unscathed.

And they may come to regret their attempt to sabotage the war against Saddam Hussein instead of showing a united allied front against the fanatics at a time when it really counted.

[Lando Lincoln]

Lando

[Dallas59]

NOW Europe begins to wake up...and calculate how this can be blamed on the US.

[thoughtomator]

But has Europe the strength to defend itself from Islam?

[rebel25]

it is just ashamed former allies decided to back saddam instead of fighting the good fight. this should be a wake up call to all the rats in this country and their likeminded abroad that there is no negotiating with animals. the only solution is to overpower them while we can.

[AntiKev]

The Europeans are finding out what we knew all along, Bush was right. It seems as if they've made it too difficult to attack America, but the soft Europeans had a bullseye painted on them.

Look for Kerry to downplay this...and if it beats the lamestream media supression, it will be a major political upswing for Bush.

[hang 'em]

Hey come on now. Just because they're out to kill you doesn't mean you're ISLAMOPHOBIC.

[Atlantic Friend]

It's never that difficult to attack an open society like a democracy.

As for Europe "discovering" terrorism, well, keep in mind this here continent has been the first to be introduced to mass terrorism in the 80s, way before the WTC bombing of 1993, when political or religious groups began targeting civilians in large numbers.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Spanish authorities were reluctant to admit the possibility that anyone but home-grown ETA terrorists might be responsible. Indeed, Prime Minister Aznar publicly named and blamed them."

One wonders why these folks are so hesitant to call a muscle-powered earth moving utensil a spade.

[Wolfstar]

And they may come to regret their attempt to sabotage the war against Saddam Hussein instead of showing a united allied front against the fanatics at a time when it really counted.

Time is not on their side (or ours). This is a genuine world war — a war of civilizations — even if plenty of people don't want to face up to it.

[Paleo Conservative]

It would confirm that the implacable, ruthless and callous disciples of Osama Bin Laden have moved their operations to our own backyard.

Idiot. They already are. In fact, they've been there for years.

[Restorer]

But has Europe the strength to defend itself from Islam?

If the US were to disappear tonight, Europe would have more than sufficient military strength and potential to defend itself against any conceivable military attack, even from a completely unified Islam (which is also not going to happen).

Whether they have the moral courage to do so is an entirely different question.

I suspect if push were to really come to shove, Europeans would discover to their surprise that they are descended from Cromwell, Gustavus Adolphus and Charles XII.

In which case Islam would shortly be nothing but an unpleasant memory.

[Michael81Dus]

No problem to blame it on Bush: Spain was partner of Bushs coalition against Iraq, and these attacks were the response for their support.

[Wolfstar]

Look for Kerry to downplay this.

Our media seems to be taking a ho-hum attitude toward what happened in Madrid. I don't know what it's going to take to shake them out of their pro-Left fantasy world. But God help us all if Kerry wins.

[Paleo Conservative]

Time is not on their side (or ours). This is a genuine world war ? a war of civilizations ? even if plenty of people don't want to face up to it.

It is World War IV.

[AntiKev]

I never said they "discovered" terrorism with this event, I said that they discovered that Bush was right about Islamic extremist terrorism...although not as clearly as I just said it.

[Eva]

It is not a matter of European strength, it is a matter of will. The left has miscalculated and underestimated the Islamic Jihadists and formed an unholy alliance who are now turning on their enablers. The old enemy of my enemy saying is a one way street when it comes to Jihadists.

[Cicero]

But it was always unlikely that ETA alone could have organised such a precision attack using so many explosions on such carefully selected moving targets.

This is absolute nonsense. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to synchronize watches or carry backpacks of explosives onto trains. All it takes is: a) a cold and heartless cruelty and fanaticism; and b) about 10 or 12 guys willing to work together; and c) terrorist supporting governments willing to provide the equipment.

The ETA is perfectly capable of bringing this off. The only question is, would they choose to? Is this the kind of thing they would want to do?

Just about anybody could do this. Fortunately, most people wouldn't WANT to do this. They couldn't stomach it or conceive of it. But there are millions of Communists, criminals, and especially Muslims out there who would be happy to do this kind of thing. Organizing a dozen small simultaneous bombings of soft targets is a LOT easier than organizing another 9/11. They can do it any time they want. In theaters, shopping centers, restaurants, busses, trains. They are already doing it in Israel, and they have done it in Moscow.

[An.American.Expatriate]

No problem to blame it on Bush: Spain was partner of Bushs coalition against Iraq, and these attacks were the response for their support.

I can't believe you said that!!!

[Michael81Dus]

LOL. Just because I said that, doesn´t mean that I agree with that position. It´s just the way our peaceniks think.

And, it´s the way Al Quaida thinks. Now that we can be nearly sure that these horrible attacks on our society were the work of Islamists, we may think about the reasons. And I´ve heard (and think so too) that AQ tries to isolate America so that Washington withdraws from the Arabic countries.

It´s the long time stratgey of AQ to:
- get control over the Arabic nations
- isolate the West and cut us off of energy supply
- destroy the open minded societies throughout the whole world and establish their interpretation of the Quoran (sp?).

To reach their first aim, they want to spread insecurity and fear in our nations, so that our governments order a withdrawal out of Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.

The response of the Bush administration after 9-11-01 was exactly the opposite what AQ wanted and expected.

[hershey]

Right. They'll come up with a plan that puts solving the mess squarely on Uncle Sam's shoulders, because that way, any retaliation will happen on US soil. Unfortunately you know what they say about best laid plans.