Posted on 07/10/2006 9:59:39 AM PDT by Brian Allen
On July 7, the United Kingdom observed the first anniversary of the bus and Underground attacks in London that claimed fifty-two lives. One year later, according to the New York Times, "Britons are still asking what inspired the onslaught by British-born Muslims and whether the dark undercurrents of July 7, 2005, could resurface in a new attack."
If they really are asking whether such an attack could happen again, there's a new book they ought to read. It is titled Londonistan, by British journalist Melanie Phillips. It is Phillips's response to what she calls Britain's state of denial regarding the threat posed to the nation by radical Islam.
As the title suggests, the Islamists Britain should be worried about are already residing in the United Kingdom. Phillips cites British security experts' estimates that "no fewer than 1,200 Islamist terrorists are biding their time within British suburbs."
To put that in perspective, that's sixty times as many as were needed to pull off September 11, and this in a country with one-fifth the population of the United States. Many of these terrorists, like the July 7 bombers, were born and raised in Britain. These are the kind of numbers that ought to cause Britons to lose sleep.
How did this happen? Phillips cites what she calls Britain's "dirty little secret": During the 1990s, Islamist radicals were "given free rein in Britain" as part of a "gentlemen's agreement." This agreement said that if the Brits left them alone, the Islamists would not attack their hosts. This created what Phillips calls "Londonistan" and turned Britain into the "hub of al-Qaeda in Europe."
This "intelligence debacle" was accompanied by a "cultural pathology" caused by a "profound loss of cultural nerve" among Britain's elites. Their "systematic onslaught . . . against the country's own identity and values" has left Britain increasingly unable to confront and condemn Islamist radicals, even when these radicals threatened basic democratic values.
The other factor that gave rise to "Londonistan" was the elites' "refusal to acknowledge that Islamist extremism is rooted in religion." They ignored "the statements and signs that show unequivocally that the aim is to Islamicise the West." Instead, they convinced themselves that the Islamists were motivated by issues like the Palestinians or Iraq.
Phillips calls the result of this denial "utterly appalling": Thirteen percent of British Muslims regard the July 7 bombers as martyrs, and "between seven and 16 percent think suicide attacks on British targets can be justified."
It's difficult to imagine a clearer example of the threat posed by a destructive worldview. I don't mean Islam—I mean the cultural relativism and secularism of Western elites. It's not surprising that a post-Christian elite could not appreciate how seriously other people take their religion.
The question is: Will America follow in Britain's footsteps? Not if Christians make it clear what the war against Islamic extremism is all about. Not if we keep our elites from slipping into the kind of denial that made July 7 memorable for all the wrong reasons.
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Copyright (c) 2006 Prison Fellowship
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
...background info. See the roots of the stories in the English press (including the Times and the Telegraph), which often runs stories of "Palestinian" victimology.
British Mandate for Palestine (WW I to 1948)
http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_mandate.php
The UK might be at a turning point in its one-sided information presented in texts and media. Which way will it go?
<< There is a much higher level of cooperation with the UK and Australia than there is with France. >>
Speaking of not remaining quiet when ignorant and thus removing our every doubt as to your IQ's proximity to room temperature, (and/or to borrow from you, about being full of crap) sorry to disappoint you and/or to hurt your feelings and/or to interrupt your bowels' burblings and their verbalization -- but insofar as its intelligence services are concerned and in general with regard to terrorism, the government of France and its institutions are held in much higher esteem, are more trusted and are afforded a greater degree of shared information than those of once great Britain.
Which which escapes a State Department designation as a known harborer (and Systemic, serial appeaser) of terrorists as a political descision, only as a concession to Blair and by virtue of its military presense in Iraq.
You are, however, correct with regard to Australia, a True Ally.
<< Come on, I'm genuinely interested. >>
Me too - but I'm not sure of the question. Specifics, please? Thanks in anticipation -- Brian
<< Brian ... loves to pick on the Brits. >>
But, he having been born a British Subject (and believing passionately in the urgent need for a new Commonwealth of the English-Speaking Peoples) only because he loves them and fears for them.
<< I quite enjoy his posts to be honest. >>
Wouldn't that be being a bit un-British?
Although he -- always impeccably and often brutally honest -- quite enjoys them, too. And will quit when he doesn't. He also quite enjoys all of your replies. Well almost all. A few of the Third-Person meaner ones among yourselves, eg.
(And he simply loaths and detests every one of those posted by the former reacter and/or respondent whose bastardry kick-started his Crusade. Those, that is, of a certain Fulham Football Club-supporting, serially-sanctimonious, rotten-to-his-online-serial-sexual-abuser's/failed-pornographer's puke-and-craphead core)
<];^)~<
I'm afraid you are the ignorant one. I have direct knowledge - what do you have?
Not just Christians.
My family and I are atheists who subscribe to Christian values by choice. We know EXACTLY what the war against Islamic extremism is all about.
My own son is shipping out August 2 for Ranger training with the US Army, and eventual service in killing the enemy wherever he might hide. I raised him to be good to friends, loving to family, and to give absolutely no quarter to enemies.
Some of us remember being fed English tea and scones by our grandmothers who came here from England.
We remember where we came from, and hold high the old English virtues of liberty, ingenuity, steadfastness, and keeping a stiff upper lip in the face of adversity.
You are our cousins, and some of us will not forget that.
One of my friends moved to Oz a few years back - he's taken quite a liking for Aussie rules cricket - everyone on the field has to have a drink in his hand, or he's disqualified.
Cheers!
You're right there, though.
United States: settled by criminals and rejects who conquered a continent.
Australia: settled by criminals and rejects who conquered a continent.
The US and Australia are, by their very tempraments, the Bad Boys of the Anglosphere.
Just when I thought the description of yesterdays "exciting soccer" match was the most hideous sports oxymoron ever...
This book is old hat and events have moved past it.
Two points
1) Muslims comprise 3% of the total population is no where near the taking over and Izlamication of Britain.
Total population: 58.8 million
Muslim population: 1.6 million (2.8%)
2) Why did the authorities not act sooner: Different priorities, until quite recently the majority of Britain’s anti terrorist intelligence gathering were aimed at North Ireland.
These included monitoring and fighting the : IRA
INLA
UVF
UFF.
And smaller cowboy units
MI5, Special Branch and other domestic intelligence agencies also had other priorities as well as the troubles in North Ireland.
This included surveillance of foreign hostile intelligence agencies
Domestic terrorists groups such as the Animal Rights Front, CND, and a lot of resources were also diverted to fight the renewed War on Drugs, requested by President Bush prior to Sept 11th. Other organised crime, organised crime has gone global.
With Sept 11th priorities changed, but it didn’t happen over night, why. Well Surveillance assets had to be recruited , a surveillance or undercover operative who worked in the Irish sphere would not pass muster in mosque.
Intelligence analysts a new orbat has to be drawn up, new faces identified, and retraining of what is and what is not important.
Now that the intelligence system is underway in both Britain and European countries arrests have been made and networks rolled up.
This is an ongoing war and both sides are learning evolving and adapting, but at the moment we have the upper hand.
Brian doesn't like the British untrustworthy agencies.
As a firm well maybe not so firm supporter of the IRA or Irish nationalism, a lot of his dislike of us his steeped in the former troubles.
LOL Brian I bet you still sing we are all of Dublin in the Green and get all teary eyed.
Americans, USA variety, are SO asleep at the wheel. Heard it on Jerry Doyle tonight.
The question is, Brian, where is your proof to validate your claim that the US does not trust the British Intelligence community?
I have no doubt you're correct that French Intelligence is a good ally as they have a reputation for being deeply conservative.
However I have never seen any info to suggest that the British are not. The only thing I can find are complaints by the Brits and Aussies that the US hold back (or were holding back) access to stuff in Iraq - which seems more a procedure thing rather than lack of trust as Britain and Australia are America's keenest allies in that conflict.
As I said, if you're right, it's something everyone should know. However, I need sources, Sir.
America's harbouring of IRA murderers and terrorists is a terrible blot on her fine character. And the change in approach has only been a very, very recent thing.
LOL!!
I love cricket, but can understand how it appears boring to some.
It is a game of strategy and is best enjoyed when one knows the finer points of the game. Also not for those with a short attention span.
Each to his own.....
<< ... As a firm well maybe not so firm supporter of the IRA or Irish nationalism .... >>
Thanks for the admission.
Although I'd not have picked you for a supporter of the psychychopathologically predatory pack of endemically alcoholic and/or habitually drunk, morbidly-murderous, bank-robbing, drug and gun-running, anonymously cravenly-cowardly gangster bastards that so grandiously calls itself the "ira."
Always thought you to be my kind of decent fellow. The kind, that is, (Unlike that loathsome and fearsome former pornographer/Fulham Football supporter in your gang) who wears the Orange on Mister Paddy Snake's Day.
And I'll still bet you are.
<]:^)~<
<< .... who wears the Orange on Mister Paddy Snake's Day. >>
And, least I forget: the RED, WHITE and BLUE!
Actually, I've played cricket. Several decades ago, the Indian students in my PhD program got me to try it under the pretense that it was "just baseball." Well, no; no more than the fact that there's a paddle makes it "just ping-pong." I thought it was great fun actually, but it has no potential as a spectator sport. It's also pretty difficult to round up the kids in the neighborhood for a pick-up game, at least in State College, PA, USA.
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