Conspicuous by our absence

I am told that 2003 may have been our year. That was the only year without an attack, although I haven't clicked the links.

So how did we dodge the bullet that year, and can we keep doing it?

.. and I'm right in the spot that's most likely to be hit.

Crap.

I think you're right, TT. Doesn't that gigantic phallic symbol downtown make a tempting target?

so, what to do?
strong intelligence service, strong police force, good policies overseas. oh - and the best coordination with our allies around the world.
what else can we do?

Yes, Bali. Right. You, ah, might want to let the Aussies know that their country has already "suffered" a major terrorist attack".

Probably should start with John Howard first, so that he can stop wasting money on all those safety precautions they have.

You could let us know what he tells you and whether or not his response included the words "bloody" or idiot".

Keep an eye out for suspicious packages. But most of all, stay resolute, stay calm, and enjoy life. If a terrorist attack is coming our way, we're probably not going to avoid it. Promise yourself that you won't react in anger, and you won't react with fear. Respond rationally. Anything else, and the terrorists win.

Well said, James.

Since I'm a wimp by nature, I do get nervous sometimes about subways or planes -- but I was that way before 9/11. Among some quite terrible things that have happened on the Toronto subway, eg, was that sad case of a young woman being pushed into the path of an oncoming train by a man who was mentally ill.

The London Tube in the past has been more notorious for horrific accidents due to the age of some stations or lines and poor (for which read underfunded) maintenance.

And planes! Don't get me started.

All of which just reinforces James's reflection. The only practical thing we can do about terrorist attacks is to become involved politically, to hold our governments to account for the ways they act in the world, in our names. That's a long-term thing, though. It's not going to stop next year's shoe-bomber.

I still think we should extricate ourselves from the Americans. Their gov't has a habit of sticking their nose into other people's business. Canada doesn't. I think we ought to emphasise that we are trading partners, PERIOD. I don't think we should associate in any other way except through the UN. If they want to have targets on their heads, that's their problem. Not mine, and I don't want the terrorists killing my ass cause of some stupid bible-wielding redneck, aka G.W. Bush.

IIRC, that list was later found to be bogus - a falsification.

bali is in australia? yeah. ok. sure. so like maybe theyll just blow up toronto by blowing up puerto vallarta when half of woodbridge is there during a seat sale.

(this is a joke. id never want any harm to come to woodbridge, or puerto vallarta. i just think this bali = australia stuff is absolute nonsense.)

well, its not too bogus for global news (which doesnt say much), but they quote it as such:
"What business do your governments have to ally itself in attacking us in Afghanistan -- and I mention specifically Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Germany and Australia,"
(http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/07/08/1122775-sun.html)

ainge,

re: Bali and Australia connection 'nonesense.'

So the terrorists who blew up Bali were not targeting Australians?

They just chose a modern, popular resort frequented by Australians in a Muslim country and the majority of people killed at Bali were Australians.

If the primary goal of Bali attack was to do something other than kill Australians and undermine Australian travel to Indonesia they chose a pretty bad target.

What, the choice of Bali was just a big jihad mistake?

arborman: "IIRC, that list was later found to be bogus - a falsification."

Bin Laden mentioned Canada by name in his statement of November 12, 2002, although the list isn't the same as the one posted by Timmy the G (it includes France, Germany, and Italy, doesn't include Spain).

I expect we'll get hit sooner or later: Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver. I just hope we react as well as London did, without hysteria and panic.

From bin Laden's statement:

What do your governments want from their alliance with America in attacking us in Afghanistan?

I mention in particular Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Germany and Australia.

We warned Australia before not to join in [the war] in Afghanistan, and [against] its despicable effort to separate East Timor.

It ignored the warning until it woke up to the sounds of explosions in Bali.

Its government falsely claimed that they [the Australians] were not targeted.

If you were distressed by the deaths of your men and the men of your allies in Tunisia, Karachi, Failaka, Bali and Amman, remember our children who are killed in Palestine and Iraq everyday, remember our deaths in Khowst mosques and remember the premeditated killing of our people in weddings in Afghanistan.

If you were distressed by the killing of your nationals in Moscow, remember ours in Chechnya.

Why should fear, killing, destruction, displacement, orphaning and widowing continue to be our lot, while security, stability and happiness be your lot?

This is unfair. It is time that we get even.

You will be killed just as you kill, and will be bombed just as you bomb.

Just a couple of points from the Australian quarter:

Matt F, while it's true that Indonesia is a Muslim country, Bali is not. It's Hindu, largely.

Was that blast intentionally targetting Australians? Well, whether it was or not, the real victims are surely the Balinese, who rely heavily on the tourist dollar to eke out a living. As horrid as an attack within our country would be, if Australia's actions were the cause of that attack it's particularly abhorrent that another nation should suffer as a result.

I tend to view these statements (like the ObL one above) with a critical eye, and keep issues of translation in mind. That said, I'm surprised to see Timor mentioned here; I didn't realise it had been an issue, and I'm frankly mystified. Why does anyone but the Timorese care about who controls East Timor? It's the gas reserves, right? :(

When Australian PM John Howard first jumped up (and I think he probably was one of the first, internationally) to eagerly squeal "Me too!" to the posturing of the United States I felt my heart sink, feeling sure that it spelled nothing but trouble for us. And it's not always a good thing to be shown to be right.