Al-Qaida thinks local, acts global
Mr Mullen says that, according to their own statements, Al-Qaida’s London attacks had very little to do with western governments’ policies and everything to do with destroying western civilisation itself - but this conveniently ignores the claims from al-Qaida in Europe.
The announcement that came out after the attack claims it was a response to British involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the US invasion of Afghanistan.
They also warned other governments involved in Iraq (mentioning specifically Denmark and Italy) to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
And it’s puzzling also for Mr Mullen to state that London and Madrid may have been targets for propaganda purposes. Why not bomb Edinburgh when the G8 meeting was underway?
Is your columnist really saying that if the bombs went off anywhere else, they would have received less attention?
As for his question as to why al-Qaida activity didn’t end in Spain after the socialist government withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq, perhaps I missed something... has Spain been the victim of an attack since they withdrew their troops?
Mr Mullen is right... it is not our fault, or the fault of the victims: the blame firmly lies with Tony Blair.
Prior to the Iraq war he was warned by the joint intelligence committee that “by far the greatest terrorist threat” to Britain would be “heightened by military action against Iraq”.
If he had heeded that warning then perhaps the people who died last Thursday would still be alive today.
I am glad Mr Mullen made some comparisons with the IRA.
The British Government’s security measures did nothing to halt IRA bombings until they decided to open dialogue with the republicans.
Let us pray they have learned a lesson from that.
Nick Corrigan
Byrnes Lane
Pearse Street
Dublin 2
