Ltr for media blast re- London bombings: * policies have NOT made us safer

[snot]

(Thanks to LynntheDem for compiling the list of links to articles re- increases in terrorist attacks!)

Gentlemen and Ladies:

I suppose that, in the wake of the bombings in London, some people will feel drawn to rally around PM Blair and Pres. Bush in the hope that they will protect us against terrorism.

I hope there will nonetheless be time and space for honest, sober reflection as to whether their policies have in fact made us safer; there seems to be a great deal of evidence to the contrary—please see the stories referred to below.

I for one believe that the invasion of Iraq, the expanded practices of torture and “rendition”, the curtailments of our civil liberties and most of the other measures taken by the Bush admin. have made us both less free and less safe.

Terrorism is not new; surely there is a great deal of historical information about what has worked in the past. Maybe it’s time to devote more attention to alternative strategies.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Carolyn Sortor

The following headlines and links are listed at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4036053 (pls go to the foregoing link for the full links referred to below):

US Figures Show Sharp Global Rise In Terrorism
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/26/AR2005042601623.html

United States: Losing the War on Terror
http://www.globalpolicy.org/empire/terrorwar/analysis/2004/aprilharder.htm

Evidence that the US May Be Losing the Global War on Terror
http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1501

US: Three Years On, War on Terrorism Looks Like a Loser
http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=25437

”We have a stronger jihadi presence in Iraq today than in March 2003,” noted Roger Cressey, the former director for Transnational Threats in Bush's National Security Council at a briefing at the libertarian Cato Institute earlier this week.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0911-01.htm

The 'War on Terrorism': Winning or Losing? Losing.
http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/publications/brie...

Terror threat to US called 'significant'
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/04/27/terror.report

Global terror attacks triple in 2004
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0428/dailyUpdate.html

Worldwide terrorism-related deaths on the rise
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5889435%20

US Losing the War on Terror in Iraq; The invasion of Iraq has increased, not decreased, the threat of terrorist attack
http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article2629.htm...

Occupation Made World Less Safe, Pro-War Institute Says
http://www.globalpolicy.org/empire/terrorwar/analysis/2...

Iraq Invasion Hurt War on Terror
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0719-10.htm

Musharraf: World more dangerous because of Iraq War
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/9/25/03544/7945

Blix Says Iraq War May Have Worsened Terror Threat
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0319-02.htm

Poll: Aussies, Brits, Italians say Iraq war increased terrorism
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1576/5027215.html

Iraq intervention increased threat of terrorism
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/archive/scoop/stories/c7/9...

UK Government; Iraq war 'increased terror threat'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3451239.stm

Iraq war has swollen ranks of al Qaeda
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,10...

US State Department Corrects Report to Show Rise in Terrorism
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5264512

Iraq has become a terrorist spawning ground, CIA admits
http://www.smh.com.au/news/After-Saddam/Iraq-a-terroris...

Iraq Conflict Feeds International Terror Threat
http://www.skyhen.org/Focus/iraqcoverage/cia_iraq_confl...

(*edited by Admin to remove identifying information)

[kevinmc]

1. I Thinks This Had Alot To Do With The Bombing........

Trial for Egyptian-born radical cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri opens in London

July 5, 2005

LONDON (AP) - Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri went on trial in London on Tuesday on charges that include encouraging the murder of Jews and other non-Muslims.

The first session was taken up with legal arguments that were expected to continue all week. Court orders forbid any reporting of the arguments.

British prosecutors charged al-Masri, Britain's highest-profile Islamic radical, on Oct. 19, pre-empting a U.S. bid to extradite him on terrorism-related charges.

Under British law the domestic charges, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, take precedence over the extradition case.

The Egyptian-born cleric - who has one eye and hooks for hands, which he says were lost fighting Soviet troops in Afghanistan in the 1980s - was arrested in May after U.S. authorities charged him with trying to establish a terrorist training camp in the western U.S. state of Oregon, involvement in hostage-taking in Yemen and funding terrorism training in Afghanistan.


http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/WarOnTerrorism/2005/07/05/1117987-ap.html



I heard that the British recieved threats unless this guy was let go. I am looking for a link on the threats.

[jillan]

2. KO mentioned this tonite too.

But not in as much detail. He was also saying that there is a large Islamic population in London.