I'm starting to think that the terrorists are considerably more stupid than I had previously thought. And that's saying something.
Think about it. They perpetrate a heinous act of butchery upon innocents in London, capital of the U.S.A.'s staunchest ally. Now, British people have grown up steeped in terrorism--the I.R.A., the Nazis--and it has not changed them. They have resilient steel in their spirit and unshakable pride in their nation. Brits are gritty, tough, and they have long since proven they are not a people who bow to cowardly killers. Quite the opposite is true.
So, by murdering and maiming the British people in typically gutless terrorist fashion, what exactly did the terrorists expect to achieve? Are there no history books in the Middle East? Is the enemy really so ignorant of British perseverance under attack? Did they expect survivors to come rushing out of the underground screaming "Pull the troops out of Iraq!" To borrow a Brit phrase, "Not bloody likely."
Whoever the chief terrorist of this operation was, I'll bet he's in for a shock. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Prime Minister Tony Blair decided to increase British troops in the Middle East. And President Bush's resolve is certainly all the more strongly reinforced by this massacre of innocents in America's closest ally.
Of course, there's a bit of fear in all of us at what these monsters might do next. After all, they are homicidal maniacs. We'd have to be a little nuts ourselves not to be nervous. But I think we're much more angry than we are afraid. And the anger makes us more determined to destroy this insane and evil threat to our survival and our way of life.
Righteous anger, plus fierce determination, plus bonded allies, plus wide resources equals very big trouble for terrorists. When evil actions are this stupid, it's easier not to be afraid.
