Feeling London's Pain

200+ years ago, the British were our enemies. Today they are seen by Americans as part of our extended family. As little as 15 years ago, the Soviet Union was an enemy; 60 years ago, the Germans, Japanese and Italians. Now they are friends. I live in hope that one day, we will all be friends and no longer feel the need to kill each other to get our points across. However, today I feel no kindness toward these fanatics and feel only sadness for what the United Kingdom must endure. -- Theresa Stachelski

In the twisted minds of terrorists, there is a more twisted rationale that if they do these barbaric attacks on a democratic, free society that we will all cower and bend to conform to their radical views. They have forgotten that we became the free societies that we are, not from condescending to tyrants and their kind, but by getting stronger and uniting more tightly with every blow and once again the "sleeping giant" awakes and they will pay the price. -- Dolores Ford

After the lies of the WMDs that never existed in Iraq, by Great Britain and the U.S., why has no one raised the matter of 100,000+ Iraqis that have been killed by U.S. British and other coalition forces? The news media in the West has always kept all of this out of the news. Yet, we see the great hue and cry about the Madrid and London bombings. Are the lives of those innocents who died at the hands of foreign invaders in Afghanistan and Iraq not worth mentioning? There seems to be a double standard when reporting so-called terrorist attacks, why so? There is an element of subtle racism in reporting by Western news correspondents which is at issue here. -- Kenneth T. Tellis, Mississauga, Ontario

This is a serious crime. If it is proven that this is the work of terrorists in connection with Iraq and Afghanistan I fear what the retaliation might be. Every time there is a terrorist attack it brings the world closer together and stronger in the fight against these monsters. Innocent people in these "terrorist" countries die needlessly as well through our retaliation. If this continues throughout the years the Middle East may be nothing more than an international parking lot. Also I believe we as a world community should look at the reasons why they are doing this. If it is because we are in Iraq then ask why we are in Iraq. The truth must be told. The lies must be revealed and those who lied must be dealt with accordingly. -- Mark McCabe

I feel sympathies with all victims of the London terrorist attacks on 7th July 2005. Attacks on innocent people should not and cannot be justified by any religious group or nation. However, if these attacks have been produced by an Islamic terror-network then the Iraq war is one prominent reason behind these attacks. The Blair government's loyal participation in the bloody Iraq occupation is a tragic factor which cannot be underestimated when explaining why someone would target London. The solution is to bring the UN into the conflict resolution and for all powers to accept the decisions by the international community. -- Atilla A. Iftikhar

First and foremost, my deepest sympathies go out to the families of the victims of this cowardly attack. Second, I hope that we, as a world, will not let this small hand full of evil extremists frighten us into their power. They will only stop when we stop them. That is the bottom line. -- Stephanie

We stand again at a crossroad. Not just America, not just Great Britain, but the world. This action was not just a shot at America or Britain or the other G-8 nations. This affects our world as a whole. If we bow down and cower to the evil that was directed at Britain, we are all in trouble. These people will NOT stop. They want to dominate the world. All of our countries must ban together. We must put aside our political agendas and even our disdain for other cultures and societies and work TOGETHER. This type of evil transcends our geographical, political and social boundaries. Hate is behind this terror and NO ONE is exempt. -- Heather