Why Are We Back In Iraq?

(This is a guest post, written by a friend and a writer, Grace Reid, whose work I greatly admire. I don't agree with everything she writes, but it's a fantastic article, none the less, and it's too hot to handle for some Websites and blogs, right now.)

Today's UK Independent is full of it... speculation about who might be responsible for the London bombings on the 7th of July. Today they are exploring not one, but FIVE theories as to who might be responsible:

1. HOME GROWN BOMBERS; British Extremist Anti-War Muslims

2. THE FOREIGN CELL; French, Spanish

3. THE MADRID TEAM; Moroccan

4. BRITISH AL-QA'IDA

5. WHITE "CLEAN SKINS"; (no criminal records)

There are a few more groups they have left out, and quite a few nations... but tomorrow is another day to sell more newspapers. Maybe they'll get around to the Evil One(s). Given enough time B&B may yet swing it round to the "Axis of Evil" and bring it back to Afghanistan & Iraq. Will Blair find his "ratification" for the war in Iraq in the aftermath of the bombing?

The only thing I found especially interesting in all the speculation that has been done in the news is that they have NOT YET entertained the idea that a woman might have been involved. Listen to all the he's and not a she among them.

They have NOT YET suggested that it might be the IRA. They have NOT YET... (fill in your favorite theory).

Read it here if you must:

Was It White Extremists? Investigators Have Four Theories

At the same time that the Independent is straining its brain to figure out who might have done it, Tony Blair has said he will not hold a government inquiry.... not yet, anyways.

Blair rejects calls for probe into bombings By James Blitz, Political Editor, and Jimmy Burns Published: July 10 2005 20:55

Tony Blair will on Monday reject Conservative demands for a government inquiry into last week's London bomb attacks, insisting such a move would distract from the task of catching the perpetrators.

As police and security services continued searching for the bombers - thought to be Islamist terrorists - Downing Street said the prime minister believed an inquiry now into the outrage which killed at least 49 people would be a "ludicrous diversion."

Well, methinks Tony dost protest too much. Methinks a "massive intelligence failure" does not square with the information given to Netanyahu just minutes before the first? second? third? fourth? blast. There are now four conflicting reports about when he received the warning not to make his appointment. Definitely something the Blair government doesn't want to look into at this time.

Israel Says No Warning Was Given Netanyahu Changed Plans Due to Warning Report: Israel Was Warned Ahead of First Blast Netanyahu changed plans due to pre-attacks warning Then there's this gem:

On Thursday, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu conveyed similar messages, but only to the Hebrew-language media.

In the international arena this time the message was the following: "It's not a story with anything to do with Israel. It's a story of international terrorism in Britain and therefore we should be quiet," according to a government source.

The rhetoric seems to be falling apart a bit here. Right after the bombings Blair said it was not an attack against Britain, but an attack on all nations. But Shalom (meaning peace in Hebrew) and Netanhayu are saying it has nothing to do with Israel. Well, how many Israelis have to be missing until it becomes Israel's concern, too? Report: Israeli missing in London in aftermath of attacks

So until the Prime Minister no longer finds it ludicrous, I expect we will see another batch of creative theories tomorrow as to who planned, financed, and carried out the London bombings last Thursday.... it's anybody's guessing game. Doesn't this strike anyone but me as the lowest form of entertainment?

The bodies are still not yet recovered and accounted for. The forensics are not in, and speculation is thicker than are workable solutions to take care of people today. Part of taking care of people is to show that government is taking responsiblity for an investigation. Part of stopping panic and terror has to come up with a reasonable approach to accurately and responsibly report the news.

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 7/12/2005 06:58:00 AM