Terror strikes London

When the first bits the news of today's explosions began trickling in in the afternoon, I couldn't help exclaiming: It was long coming. Britain was nowhere even near the hit-list of al-Qaida until Tony Blair in such a servile, unabashed manner followed George Bush in the War on Terror. So much so that Britain almost became another state of the US.

Not that Bush's War on Terror wasn't worth supporting. In fact, the whole world rallied around him after 9/11. But it is the manner in which Bush and Blair conducted that war that led to the erosion of most of the support.

Britain is no stranger to terrorism, unlike the US. For nearly a century it has lived with the violence unleashed by Irish terrorists. Lord Mountbatten was one of the famous victims of that terrorism, and Margret Thatcher narrowly escaped. Post-Thatcher, Britain learnt to negotiate with the terrorists without losing face, worked out landmark agreements, and today Irish terrorism is history.

When Britain could successfully put the Irish terrorists behind them, I never understood why Blair had to commit this suicidal act of backing Bush. By aping Bush (of all people) Blair virtually invited al-Qaida's terrorism to Britain, just when they Britain had put terror behind them. Whatever stand Bush and Blair take, their lives are never under threat, since they are amply protected. It's the common people on the street who always take the brunt.

India too, like Britain, has suffered terrorism. Since 9/11, terrorism is a global problem, since on that day America was hit. The explosions also show that the war isn't over. The way the terrorists are waging war, theresn't any indication that it will end in the near future either.

We have travelled in the wrong direction so much, I don't know which is the safe way out.