Londontown...

An excerpt from President Bush's speech to the Banqueting House in London, "On September the 11th, 2001, the terrorists left their mark of murder on my country and took the lives of 67 British citizens. With the passing of months and years, it is the natural human desire to resume a quiet life and to put that day behind us as if waking from a dark dream. The hope that danger has passed is comforting, is understanding and it is false. The attacks that followed in Bali, Jakarta, Casablanca, Bombay, Mombasa, Najaf, Jerusalem, Riyadh, Baghdad and Istanbul were not dreams. They're part of a global campaign by terrorist networks to intimidate and demoralize all who oppose them. These terrorists target the innocent and they kill by the thousands. And they would, if they gain the weapons they seek, kill by the millions and not be finished. The greatest threat of our age is nuclear, chemical or biological weapons in the hands of terrorists and the dictators who aid them. The evil is in plain sight. The danger only increases with denial. Great responsibilities fall once again to the great democracies. We will face these threats with open eyes and we will defeat them." The next day there is another terrorist attack in Istanbul - note - an Islamic country. An estimated 150,000 protesters in London showed up (don't they have to go to work?) to display their anger towards Bush and Blair. With regards to the Istanbul blast, one protester said, "There have been more and more bombings since the action in Iraq and more terrorism," said Mischa Gorris, a 37-year-old London lawyer. "You will never change the hearts and minds of terrorists by bombing them. This is what you will get." And, "some protesters said U.S.-British policy in Iraq was helping fuel terrorist attacks. "It wouldn't have happened without Iraq. ... America is creating their own terrorists," said Ziggy Dlabal, a German sociologist who lives in London." Are they really that naive? Are they really that blind? I'm serious here... not trying to be sarcastic... Do they really believe that? Don't they remember that the World Trade Center was attacked once before its fatal attack on 9/11/2001? Wasn't it in 1993 that terrorists first attempted to bring it down? There are at least two errors of judgment here. First, there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the fanatical mindset. These protesters sincerely, at least I hope it's sincerely, believe that terrorists behave in a cause and effect manner consistent with reasoned thinking. Second, they mistake the intent of actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are not attempting to dissuade future terrorist activity by conducting operations such as these. Unless, of course, one is referring to valid political entities who may give safe harbor to terrorists. Simply put, our actions in Afghanistan and Iraq are to eradicate terrorists.