Feedback | 16 July 2005

After the bombs

Words of condemnation are not enough. Here are a couple of suggestions about how to act after the bombings of last week.

First, we must fight back by stepping up the war in Iraq. If the insurgents win, it will embolden terrorists throughout the Middle East, since it will demonstrate that the most powerful nations on earth cannot stop a relatively small number of radical Muslims. But if we win, it will cause the Middle East itself to turn towards representative government and Western values. Nothing is more important for future world security.

Second, we must encourage Muslims in this country to stand up for freedom. What about a new wristband campaign — Make Terrorism History — that would cost them little to join and would isolate dissenters? The proceeds could go to a new satellite channel which would broadcast British Muslims’ ideas about Western values to the Middle East.

This week’s arrests will not guarantee our freedom. This is a battle of ideology, of freedom versus fundamentalism, which we can only win by championing our ideas, and by showing freedom-haters the logical consequence of theirs — the ultimate loss of freedom: death.
Henry Afton
London SW11

The despicable attacks in London remind us there is unfinished business in the war on terrorism.

Iran, the world’s most prolific sponsor of terrorism (and its ideological inspiration) has been mollycoddled too long. While the EU-3 of Britain, France and Germany drag out their negotiations, always making allowance for new Iranian excuses, the power of the hardliners grows.

Terrorism must be rooted out, not appeased. Pretending the agenda of Tehran’s hardliners is anything less than the export of their Islamic revolution is a delusion we can no longer afford. Local attacks should not distract us from the truth that terrorism requires sponsoring states.