Terrorism: May 2003 Archives

"Al-Qaida is back and stronger than ever" screams this headline in the Guardian's May 19 edition. The gloating of the Bush administration nonwithstanding, it appears that a) the terrorist organization is doing quite well for itself, adjusting to changed circumstances and toughter security around government buildings, b) continuing to attract recruits and c) well and truly pissed off.

Meanwhile, looters hit nuclear waste facilities in Iraq and waltzed off with G-d knows what. Also, everybody in Iraq has machine guns now, since those weren't secured either.

This war made us safer how, exactly? Please tell me again that this is just sour grapes talking?

It seems we're trapped between two insane groups of people with strongly held beliefs. The one, a bunch of religious fanatics who understand us just well enough to figure out how to kick us where it hurts, and the other, a group of people with absolute conviction of the rightness of their cause, and an eye for profit. Alas, they are our leaders. That had better change come November 2004.

--> www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/ story/0,12469,958881,00.html

So now Al Queda has hit Morocco, striking four locations in Casablanca. Morocco is an, um, interesting choice because it was considered one of the more moderate, Western-friendly travel destinations in the region. Given the rainbow coalition of targets (a Jewish community center, a Spanish club, the Belgian consulate, and a five-star hotel), I guess the point is to make Morocco less attractive to Western tourists and weaken the king's position the government postponed elections recently and supported the "liberation" of Iraq"). Casablanca is a pretty modern (and unattractive) port city; lots of industry, located near the airport, lots of international connections. I'd guess that also made the city a choice target.

When I read about the attacks, I realized that the hotel in the story sounded familiar...