Europe faces 'very real threat' (UK home sec. John Reid)

[mogster]

UK Home Secretary John Reid has said Europe faces a "persistent and very real" threat from terrorism, after a meeting with EU counterparts in London.
But he said the presence of five other interior ministers and top EU officials symbolised Europe's determination to stand together and defend their values.
(...)
He said the talks had discussed practical measures in four areas:
Tackling liquid explosives
Co-ordination of transport security
Exchange of intelligence
The nature of European Islam
(...)
Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said he would be presenting concrete proposals on detection of liquid explosives to a forthcoming meeting of all EU interior ministers in Finland.

He also called for a crackdown on internet sites used to incite terrorism.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4796543.stm

Internet sites used to incite terrorism? What exactly does he mean by that?

This:
Tackling liquid explosives: no prob, get the vaseline under control
Co-ordination of transport security: totally agree
Exchange of intelligence: good, and maybe also in every sense of the word
The nature of European Islam: silly oafs, look below

From another minister, some days ago:

Foreign Office minister Kim Howells has criticised Muslim leaders for condemning British foreign policy.
An open letter, signed by three Muslim MPs, three peers and 38 community groups, said the stance on the Middle East has put civilians at risk.

They went on to say that UK policy has given "ammunition to extremists".

But Mr Howells denied there was a "rational connection" and said "no government" formulates policy based on a perceived risk from terrorists.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4787119.stm

Here are some UK Muslims, doing what one would surmise that moderate Muslims should do; write letters to the government and call for a change of policy. They're soundly turned down, and are told:

"I have no doubt that there are many issues which incite people to loath government policies but not to strap explosives to themselves and go out and murder innocent people.

"There is no way of rationalising that."

Well, there are no way of rationalizing the lies that lead to the Iraqi war either, mr. Howell. Hussein's weapons was all lies, produced by the UK Intelligence services. Now between 40.000 and 100.000 are dead, and the fact that we don't even know that number... well, try to rationalize that.

But it gets worse, logically speaking.

I am trying to rationalize the way they blew this foiled plot skywise, and used every opportunity to remind us that the danger is clear and present, sorry, that was another fiction writer - I meant of course 'persistent and very real' danger.
How does this correlate with 'Carry on' as usual, the slogan after the London bombings?
Isn't the very heart of terror the scare it instills in us, and isn't this fear in fact a weapon used by the terrorists?

ter·ror (trr)
n.
1. Intense, overpowering fear. See Synonyms at fear.
2. One that instills intense fear: a rabid dog that became the terror of the neighborhood.
3. The ability to instill intense fear: the terror of jackboots pounding down the street.
4. Violence committed or threatened by a group to intimidate or coerce a population, as for military or political purposes.
5. Informal An annoying or intolerable pest: that little terror of a child.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Middle English terrour, from Old French terreur, from Latin terror, from terrre, to frighten.
--------------------------------

So, who's helping the terrorists here? :shrug:
Rationalize that, mr. Howell and mr. Reid.

I also noted the picture caption from the first article:
Mr Reid said militants were abusing Europe's open societies.

There you have it; at best they're thinking democracy is weak and unfit to fight terrorism, and are genuinely scared, bringing their fear out to the public. At worst they're using fear to implement what Bush' calls 'democracy' and 'freedom'.
In both cases the result will be fascism.

It is unforgivable to think that democracy isn't the strongest system to tackle any threat, terror or other.

[liberalpragmatist]

1. It's a threat. That doesn't mean everybody should shit their pants

Holy Joe and Cheney declaring that the London arrests make the Iraq War justified are particularly rich. These terrorists (and let's face it - the plot was pretty embryonic and could easily have been some thuggish teens talking big) weren't caught by the crushing civil liberties, weren't caught by invading random countries - they were caught by law enforcement and police action.

[mogster]

2. Did they say that the Iraqi war was justified?

They just doesn't have any contact with reality, or shame. Or a combination.

Here's the way to fight terrorism, the upper video:
http://www.brasscheck.com/videos/911/9114.html

I swear, I laughed for a full 15 minutes ...

[mogster]

3. Self-kick for the morning crowd n/t

I'm shameless :shrug: