We weep with France today. Tears of sorrow but also, unavoidably, of rage. And behind those tears lies something else: a fearful sense of apprehension rooted in the knowledge that this will happen again, somewhere else. It already is happening elsewhere. The assault on Paris last night followed another Islamic State attack in Beirut in which at least 41 people were killed by two suicide bombers. Near abroad and far abroad; it makes little difference to Islamic State.
The sickening truth about terrorism is that it works. Who can truly feel secure tonight? Who can avoid the creeping dread that this will happen here too? It is only a matter of time. The intelligence services can only do so much; they cannot be perfect all the time. We do what we can but we cannot do everything.
As the statement published by Islamic State makes clear, you may not be interested in war but war is undoubtedly interested in you.
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