Written July 7th, but not finished or posted :

So, the game has changed.

Flew into London this morning, head filled with thoughts about corruption in the Brazilian government, to find that London had just been attacked with the Al-Qaeda speciality : multiple co-ordinated bombings.

Couldn't get from Heathrow to my mother's so went to my aunt's instead. Finally got back Friday.

Update : July 12th. Phones were out. Back now. And I have an internet connection again.

Thoughts ...

First. Hope everyone I know and care about is OK. And sorry about everyone who isn't. That's not just tokenistic. I do care. But I'm not going to wallow in it.

Secondly. Pretty much agree with what Graham said.

Third : I'm a bit shocked at the level of debate I've been hearing in the media. It often seems to go like this :

pundit 1 : these terrorists hate our way of life and are trying to destroy it, but they'll never overcome British pluck.

pundit 2 : this isn't about our way of life. It's about Iraq.

pundit 1 : nonsense. Terrorists attacked the US *before* the invasion of Iraq.

At which point, the alloted time for debate seems to be up.

This is so weak, that I'm thinking of putting together a quick refresher FAQ for people who find the media aren't managing to keep the important points in mind. Coming soon.

Fourth : I have a certain amount of respect for the analysis of some of the deeper thinkers on the conservative, right wing, yet I'm disturbed to find echoes in the position of the British far-right. But really, how different are these two positions? There are a lot of assumptions in Lind which are extremely comfortable for the BNP. (Foreigners are causes of disorder, etc.) Lind is eloquent and convincing. Let's accept what's good and insightful from his analysis, but he is on the far right and shares their prejudices. We don't need to go all the way over to the neo-fascists.

Fifth : looks like the police have got someone. Good. Hope they have. But keep in mind all those screw-ups trying to catch the IRA in the 70s. Getting the right people is a good result. But the urgent desire to get somebody doesn't justify or excuse getting the wrong people. In fact, getting the wrong people in a rush, or on a hunch, is worse than useless. Haste shouldn't make us clumsy.