Istanbul

by Chris Bertram on November 20, 2003

Terrible, “terrible news”:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3222608.stm from Turkey (for the second time in a few days).

{ 6 comments }

1

Tom 11.20.03 at 2:22 pm

From the HSBC website:

“To truly understand a country and its culture, you have to be a part of it.

That’s why at HSBC, we have local banks in more countries than anyone else. And all of our offices around the world are staffed by local people.”

HSBC is the only big Western bank that offers Islamic banking in accordance with Sharia laws in the Arab world.

It shows once again that Al-Qaeda is directly opposed to any internationalist, cross-cultural spirit — and, once again, many victims of the terrorist attacks in Istanbul will be innocent Muslisms.

I hate to say it: But on this count Bush and Blair are entirely right — you can’t compromise with those terrorists.

My deepest sympathy to all those who died in Istanbul.

2

Keith M Ellis 11.20.03 at 2:27 pm

Clearly, Bush and Blair were right. They’ve made the world oh-so-much safer. Especially in democratic, NATO, Islamic countries, apparently. There’s so much less unrest there today than there was four years ago.

Personally, I hope after this the British cut his visit short and ride Bush out of town on a rail. I don’t know what you’ll do with Blair, though. Please don’t try to pawn him off on us.

3

Chris Bertram 11.20.03 at 2:35 pm

Keith, some very bad people have just done something unspeakable. Whatever you think of Bush and Blair, they didn’t make them do it. The sarcastic tone of your comment is highly inappropriate today.

4

Tomas Kohl 11.20.03 at 2:52 pm

What happened today is an unspeakable tragedy. Moreover, we should be concerned that such attacks are very likely to continue on European soil precisely because of the EU’s terror-appeasing policies.

5

Keith M Ellis 11.20.03 at 2:55 pm

“Whatever you think of Bush and Blair, they didn’t make them do it.”

I think they share responsibility. And they should rightly be criticized for it.

6

Chris Bertram 11.20.03 at 3:01 pm

Since I find such point-scoring and finger-pointing out of place on the very day of the attacks, I’m going to close this thread to further comments.

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