Bombing of London Transit System Renews Debate on How to Effectively Fight Terrorism

Interview with Rahul Mahajan, author and commentator, conducted by Scott Harris

The four bombs that tore through three subway cars and a double-decker bus in London during the morning rush hour on July 7 killed 52 transit riders and injured more than 700 others. British Prime Minister Tony Blair declared that the terrorist attack on his nation, the worst since World War II, was likely the work of Islamic extremists and pledged not to rest until the bombers are identified and brought to justice. Speculation is, that the bombings were timed to coincide with the opening of the Group of 8 industrialized nations summit meeting in Scotland, hosted by Blair -- President Bush's most important ally in the Iraq war.

Counterterrorism officials believe that four British-born men, Muslims of Pakistani heritage, detonated the explosives in four separate suicide bombings. British police are hunting a fifth man who may have been involved in planning the attack. Investigators identified the explosives used as high grade, military quality and technically advanced.

The bombing of London, reminiscent of the March 11, 2004 attack on Madrid's train system that killed 190 people, has stoked fears across Europe and America that more terrorist attacks targeting civilians could soon be launched by groups associated with al Qaeda. While President Bush has long maintained that the war in Iraq was being waged in order to prevent terrorist attacks in the west, it's clear that his reasoning is without foundation. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with commentator Rahul Mahajan, author of "The New Crusade, America's War on Terrorism." Mahajan looks at the debate over effective ways to fight terrorism in the wake of the bombing of London's transit system.

Rahul Mahajan is author of the book, "Full Spectrium Dominance: U.S. Power in Iraq and Beyond," published by Seven Stories Press. Read Mahajan's commentaries online at www.empirenotes.org

Related stories:

"British bombers: Worst fears true," by Dominic Casciani, BBC News community affairs, July 12, 2005

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