Posted on 07/07/2005 2:51:48 PM PDT by Pokey78
German newspaper editorialists reflect on the July 7 terrorist attacks in London, while looking back at March 11 and Sept. 11 and looking forward to the curbing of civil liberties the alleged al-Qaida attacks are expected to cause.
Die Zeit is an influential weekly newspaper.
"The attacks are getting closer. First, in the 1990s terrorist bombs exploded in Arabia, then in 2001 in New York and Washington, last year in Madrid and now in London. What's next? An attack on Germany at next year's World Cup soccer championships? German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is right: The attacks on London were also an attempt to undermine a G8 summit whose goal is to overcome hunger and poverty in Africa. Two things are clear: the enormous vulnerability of the Western economy and the fragilitiy of Western freedom. The Western countries will have no choice but to limit freedoms to protect themselves from the well-coordinated terrorist efforts seen in Madrid and now London. Today it is the democrats who have to cut freedoms -- not in the name of a toltalitarian power, but in order to preserve our way of life. Here is the horrible paradox: We pay with freedom to preserve our freedom. But it doesn't serve freedom to willingly shackle ourselves ... The least that we can expect from our governments is the rigorous limitation of all new security laws. They must expire in a few years without being renewed automatically. If not, then terrorism will have succeeded in hitting its target.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung is Germany's leading center-right paper.
"The terrible irony of what has happened is that the city, which only the day before had celebrated its successful Olympic bid, should now be confronted by such an atrocity and bear such sorrow. However, in no way is it a coincidence that London became a target for a terrorist attack. In this multicultural city, not only do international banks and corporations have their headquarters, but so also do nearly all radical Islamic groups, for the most part an official presence, although in many cases it can hardly be overlooked that they have connections to the hub of terror in the Middle East. Because Blair's Britain is the close ally of America in Iraq, London has always stood high on the list of cities threatened by Islamic terror."
Handelsblatt is Germany's leading business daily
"It's not only the obvious American connection that was targeted by the bombings. The values of the G8 nations and their moral fabric were also attacked. That is the backdrop for the bombings in London: Just as the richest nations on this earth had at last pulled themselves together in the concerted fight against poverty, a terrorist attack struck. ... This revealed just how far Islamic extremism lies from the occidental conceptual world. The chasm, found here, has long since been simply a big misunderstanding. The sobering fact is: If there really can't be communication here, how then at least an we protect ourselves? ... We may have prevented many potential terrorist attacks. However, in principle the West still stands faced with an unsolved problem, of how such elusive violence can be answered by free and open societies."
Berliner Zeitung is a left-leaning paper in the German capital
The only chance that we have, is not to let ourselves be affected by the horrors that assail us. Interior Minister Otto Schily said: In Germany there is no heightened danger. That is the truth. The attack in London doesn't change the fact that Germany has also long been one of the possible targets for a terror attack. The fact that the government of Chancellor Schroeder and Foreign Minister Fischer spared us taking part in the Iraq war, doesn't change anything either. Terror doesn't ask questions of culpability. It's about punishment. It's about fear and hatred. An attack on a Frankfurt airport or on a central square in Berlin would be just as profitable for Islamic terrorists as the bombs in Madrid. We are threatened and we are now no more, or less, than before the London attack. We have, above all, the uncertain feeling that the danger is getting nearer.
The Sueddeutsche Zeitung is Germany's leading center-left paper
"The angry Islamists recruit their assassins because they can promise them a more dignified and fulfilled life. Why do so many Muslims intoxicate themselves with the defeats and weaknesses of the Western, affluent, predominantly Christian world? Because they have a deep feeling of inferiority, disadvantage, and lack of dignity. Conversely they don't feel any indignation at the suicide attacks against their brothers in faith in Iraq. These dead don't engender any emotion, they aren't even suitable as symbols for a new dignity and hope. Unlike the attacks against the occupying forces in Baghdad, the commuters in Madrid or the Underground passengers in London: These deeds awaken cheap hope, and channel anger, they give a sense of community, a feeling of strength. Only Islam can free itself from this anger: through education, through enlightenment, through modernization, through rejection of violence. On Thursday, the G8 Club of globalizers was reminded that it has a immense political mission to fulfill. Up until now, when it came to anti-terror politics, the eight and their allies didn't speak with one voice. The experience gained in Gleneagles hopefully taught them a lesson."
Time to up the anti and kill more terrorists....
A NUKE sounds good : )
Germany's day is coming, God forbid. These terrorists see all Westerners the same.
On the bright side, France doesn't have anything to worry about!
France stays bombed on a daily bases.
True, While some talk of "Preemptive Attacks" in Self Defence....
France had prefected the "Preemptive Surrender" to Save your own Skin
"These terrorists see all Westerners the same."
Unfortunately you are correct. It's our lifestyle that causes them to hate us, specifically the freedom to live however we choose, including all the immoral lifestyles they see on TV and in the movies.
Odd thing, though, is that when the hijackers who brought down the Twin Towers were training for their mission, they enjoyed going to strip joints and drinking lots of alcohol. I guess they just don't want anyone else doing that stuff except them.
Should we abandon our freedoms to protect ourselves from attacks? No, we should not. If we have to suffer such attacks, we should make sure the enemy suffers ten times the casualties, even if that enemy denies complicity and professes peace.
Only partly right. Islam is not compatible with Western cultural values. Islam is about being a slave to Allah.
"It's our lifestyle that causes them to hate us, specifically the freedom to live however we choose"
More specifically, they hate every non-muslim and feel compelled by God to exterminate every last one.
It really is that simple.
I wonder how one says cerebro-rectalopathy in German
To Allah - or Allah's devils?
Europe should wake up and not interpret this latest act of terrorism simply as a retribution for Great Britain's involvement in Iraq.
Same thing. Allah gives the orders, and the devils must obey.
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This is not a joke. He loves emails and feedback. Look at the pic of him in Saddam's throne too! Also check out the picture with Col. North!
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