London

I'm not going to report the news from London because, undoubtedly, everyone already knows.  What I am offering are my quick thoughts and opinions on this.  If you agree, disagree, or have anything to add, drop us an email.  I'd like to hear from our readers what they think of this.

Personally, while I mourn for our friends and pray for the dead and injured, I hope this strengthens our resolve.  The reason I'm so supportive of this war and so passionate about it is because I want to win.  We cannot afford to let these people continue these actions.  It's not just a threat to us, but to all of humanity.  Here we have today the confirmed murder of Egypt's envoy to Iraq, Ihab al-Sherif, a Muslim killed in an Arab country.  These people obviously do not discriminate in who they kill, and will gladly kill or give their life in order to achieve their objective.  These people would have no remorse for killing your family, your children, your relatives, and your fellow Americans.  I don't want to wake up some morning and discover that another 9/11 event has occurred.

The events of 7/7 won't be forgotten by us.  We must get past the politicization of the war and focus on a united front against the terrorists.  When you have comments that undermine our efforts (e.g., Dick Durbin) it only assists these people, it empowers them to see division and weakness.  In Mogadishu, where Clinton fled in the face of violence, Osama bin Laden learned that he could defeat us.  That he could easily make the world's superpower run by killing Americans.  He learned from it, and brought the fight to our doorstep.  This must end.

London mayor Ken Livingstone responded in a powerful and excellent way (and in clear contrast to what our own media is saying):

... I wish to speak directly to those who came to London today to take life.

I know that you personally do not fear giving up your own life in order to take others - that is why you are so dangerous. But I know you fear that you may fail in your long-term objective to destroy our free society and I can show you why you will fail.

In the days that follow look at our airports, look at our sea ports and look at our railway stations and, even after your cowardly attack, you will see that people from the rest of Britain, people from around the world will arrive in London to become Londoners and to fulfil their dreams and achieve their potential.

They choose to come to London, as so many have come before because they come to be free, they come to live the life they choose, they come to be able to be themselves. They flee you because you tell them how they should live. They don’t want that and nothing you do, however many of us you kill, will stop that flight to our city where freedom is strong and where people can live in harmony with one another. Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail.

The British are a strong people, just like us.  The British have undergone far worse things than this (e.g., repeated attacks by the Irish Republican Army - a U.K. separatist group, the constant bombing of cities by the Nazi's during WWII, etc.), and they will not cower from cowards -- this is exactly what Livingstone was saying.