# London Hit By Terror Attacks (What is the appropriate response?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 7, 2005, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438 "2005-07-07T10:15:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/21 "2005-07-07T11:04:45Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > That’s where the casualties are being taken. It’s been 3 hours now, if there were dead in other hospitals we’d know. Would we? Channel 4 just reported over 100 casualties at the Royal London, four critical at St Mary’s,…if hospitals have got casualties, they’re going to be busier looking after them than phoning Reuters. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/22 "2005-07-07T11:05:03Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Of course, my thoughts naturally go to Al-Queda. And if it is, I think the Brits will react quite differently from the Spanish. Hopefully they _will_ follow our lead and arrest the terrorist and not go off and bomb a country completely unrelated to the attack. [/quote] > [@](#): > > Whatever your cause is, this is not remotely understandable or justified. Yet Shock and Awe was? Your double standards are showing. That said, my heart goes out to all victims of terrorism – whether in London or Baghdad. ---
**Author:** ![Jinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@Jinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinks)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/23 "2005-07-07T11:06:09Z")
Lots of people in England already wanted to do what Spain did, before this happened. I serious hope that this event will not be used as justification for our ‘war on terror’. We were not attacked until _after_ we had made the world a ‘safer’ place. Are the dead-on-the-scene still taken to hospitals? Surely they will reserve the spaces in ambulances for the wounded, for now at least. I hope the bastards responsible are brought to justice. I also hope that revenge does not determine out response. We can only damage ourselves further if we respond poorly. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/24 "2005-07-07T11:07:03Z")
Local radio is saying two confirmed dead at one of the explosions - estimates are up to 20 dead, over 100 confirmed injured. Grim ---
**Author:** ![Jinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@Jinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinks)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/25 "2005-07-07T11:08:12Z")
> [@](#): > > I also hope that revenge does not determine **[our]** response. Bah. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/26 "2005-07-07T11:08:55Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Channel 4 just reported over 100 casualties at the Royal London Sorry, make that the Royal Free ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/27 "2005-07-07T11:09:48Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Would we? Channel 4 just reported over 100 casualties at the Royal London, four critical at St Mary’s,…if hospitals have got casualties, they’re going to be busier looking after them than phoning Reuters. Yes - casualties are still being taken out of Kings Cross. The RL is now receiving the casualties that have been treated on the spot. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/28 "2005-07-07T11:12:54Z")
**Bricker:** _I don’t believe that the Brits will call for wholesale withdrawal from Iraq, for example._ Neither do I. However, they will probably take issue with those who argue that the war in Iraq somehow provides safety from terrorism in the West. As President Bush claimed in his most recent [State of the Union address](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/02/20050202-11.html), > [@](#): > > Our men and women in uniform are fighting terrorists in Iraq, so we do not have to face them here at home. He repeated these sentiments in his recent [speech at Fort Bragg](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/28/AR2005062801298_2.html): > [@](#): > > There is only one course of action against them: to defeat them abroad before they attack us at home. […] General John Vines, put it well the other day. He said, We either deal with terrorism and this extremism abroad, or we deal with it when it comes to us. […] > > And we fight today because terrorists want to attack our country and kill our citizens, and Iraq is where they are making their stand. This is misleading and dangerous rhetoric. If the London bombings are the work of al-Qaeda, then this is further clear evidence that fighting insurgents and jihadis “making their stand” in Iraq does **not** solve the problem of preventing terror attacks at home. ---
**Author:** ![Rashaverak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a5b964/32.png) [@Rashaverak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashaverak)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/29 "2005-07-07T11:14:46Z")
BBC reports that Arab experts have concluded that the attacks are “almost certainly” the work of Al Qaida. There are also murmurings from BBC Monitoring that an Islamist group has claimed responsibility for the blasts. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/30 "2005-07-07T11:22:06Z")
BBC website is saying “Islamist website carries message claiming responsibility for London attacks.” but no more details… ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/31 "2005-07-07T11:26:45Z")
A guy on BBC just said that there’s several websites, claiming responsibilty by various different groups. It’ll take a long time to sort out the reality of such claims. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/32 "2005-07-07T11:28:07Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > That’s where the casualties are being taken. It’s been 3 hours now, if there were dead in other hospitals we’d know. Don’t know how many might be unrecovered but the bombs weren’t large, aimed at disruption rather than mass casualties analysts are saying. On the news they said the number of fatalities is expected to increase quite a bit during the day. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/33 "2005-07-07T11:30:23Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I don’t believe that the Brits will call for wholesale withdrawal from Iraq, for example. Patient: Doctor, after it heals, will I be able to play the violin? Doctor: Sure. Patient: Amazing, I never could before. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/34 "2005-07-07T11:34:06Z")
**Bricker:** _I was being furious, and wanting to let the attackers know that whatever they WANTED to happen, whatever they tried to MAKE happen – it wasn’t going to work. I wanted the fuckers to FAIL, to know that they had not won._ Hear, hear, again. Unfortunately, the attackers **have** succeeded in at least part of what they were trying to make happen: namely, they killed and injured some people, disrupted the lives of many others, and spread lots of fear and alarm. I certainly hope that their asses get nailed for that, and that whatever other objectives they may be hoping to foster by such barbarous crimes are thwarted. Unfortunately, I’m afraid that what they (if “they” is al-Qaeda) want most is to whip up more fear, resentment, and hatred to result in retaliatory crimes and stupid policy decisions endangering innocent Muslims. Then more Muslims worldwide will be enraged, resentful, and afraid in their turn, fostering pro-terror sentiments that will lead to further terrorist attacks, thereby whipping up more fear, resentment, and hatred, and… ☹ I hope with all my heart that we can break out of this cycle by punishing all those, and only those, who are actually responsible for these crimes. Certainly the terrorist butchers will in no way endear themselves to British Muslims as a whole by this sort of barbarity. I wonder how many of the London victims are Muslim themselves—probably quite a few. ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/35 "2005-07-07T11:35:16Z")
Bloomberg has just reported al-Qaeda’s claim of responsibility for the bombings. ---
**Author:** ![Grim\_Jaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@Grim\_Jaa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grim_Jaa)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/36 "2005-07-07T11:38:30Z")
Reports indictated that an entire double decker bus exploded. “The roof completely came off”. How can the casaulties only be “2” with something which surely killed everyone on board? ---
**Author:** ![Hustle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@Hustle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hustle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/37 "2005-07-07T11:41:35Z")
The home secretary is speaking in the house of commons now: He says -4- explosions are confirmed. (News say 6 underground plus 1 bus) Underground is closed and will remain so for some time, bus services have been substantial delayed. Airports operating normally. Don’t travel into central London. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/38 "2005-07-07T11:42:19Z")
> [@Grim Jaa](#): > > Reports indictated that an entire double decker bus exploded. “The roof completely came off”. From the pictures, the roof certainly seems to have come off - but the lower deck certainly wasn’t destroyed. Those roofs are intentionally flimsy, to keep the weight down. ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/39 "2005-07-07T11:46:08Z")
Posted this morning at the website of an AQ-affiliated terrorist organization: \* amaat al-Tandheem Al-Sierri (secret organization group) Organization of Qaeda’t al-Jihad in Europe In the name of God the most merciful… Rejoice the nation of Islam, rejoice nation of Arabs, the time of revenge has come for the crusaders’ Zionist British government. As retaliation for the massacres which the British commit in Iraq and Afghanistan, the mujahideen have successfully done it this time in London. And this is Britain now burning from fear and panic from the north to the south, from the east to the west. We have warned the brutish governments and British nation many times. And here we are, we have done what we have promised. We have done a military operation after heavy work and planning, which the mujahideen have done, and it has taken a long time to ensure the success of this operation. And we still warn the government of Denmark and Italy, all the crusader governments, that they will have the same punishment if they do not pull their forces out of Iraq and Afghanistan. So beware.\* ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438/40 "2005-07-07T11:50:26Z")
> [@Grim Jaa](#): > > Reports indictated that an entire double decker bus exploded. “The roof completely came off”. > > How can the casaulties only be “2” with something which surely killed everyone on board? They can’t. Bus bombings usually kill at least a dozen, depending on the time of day. Sadly, I have some knowlege of the subject. My condolences to Londoners and to Englishmen anywhere. Be strong. Be safe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-hit-by-terror-attacks-what-is-the-appropriate-response/311438.md?page=3)