London Shows Stiff Upper Lip, Welcomes Tourists in the Wake of Attacks
Saturday, July 09, 2005 04:00 AM
"London Bridge"
Although still in shock after four horrific terrorist bombs this past week, London refuses to hide the welcome mat.
When traveling anywhere whether it is London or any European city you should always make sure that someone at home has your travel itinerary and knows where and how to contact you in case of an emergency. Leave a copy of your passport and proof of citizenship with your family or friends. You will need a passport to go to England, you should make a photocopy of your passport identification page and keep it with you and it is advisable to have travel insurance also. You should always keep your passport and your money separate.
It is wise when traveling in any foreign country to make sure that people know you are from Canada. It will make your traveling easier.
Travellers can expect increased police presence and security at major airports and throughout transportation networks in Western Europe and elsewhere. Canadians should exercise caution and maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times and in all places. Also if you notice any package left unattended let security know about. London subways are generally very clean so if you see anything unusual report it.
London is returning back to normal and welcoming all visitors to their city.
Travelling around London is still best done by bus or train. However there will be no service on the following lines until further notice.
Piccadilly line – no service between Hyde Park Corner and Arnos Grove. A special bus service will operate between Arnos Grove and Finchley Central to connect with Northernline services. Circle and Hammersmith & City line there is no service at all. Metropolitan line there is no service between Baker St and Aldgate. District line no service between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road. Also King’s Cross St Pancras station is closed.
Remember always take precaution when traveling in a foreign city.
Keep this number handy, you never know when you may need it. For emergency assistance after hours, Canadians may also make a toll-free call to the Department in Ottawa at 00 800 2326-6831.
Looking for further information go to following website:
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/foreign/fordest/foreign_view_client-en.asp
- Jami Wiitso
Japatedon Travel & Cruises
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Posted by: Chadermando on July 9 2005 6:24 PM
By Charley Reese
7-9-5
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and President George W. Bush went into their standard routine after the London bombings. This was an attack against civilization and all civilized nations, they said.
That's bosh and hokum, and it does a disservice to the people. The first step always in solving any problem is to define the problem correctly. There are no terrorists anywhere in the world whose goal is the destruction of civilization, Western or otherwise.
The terrorist attacks against the U.S., Great Britain and Spain are motivated exclusively by Western policies toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the presence of Western military forces in Islamic countries. Al-Qaeda, the ideological source of these attacks, has always been crystal-clear and specific about its reasons for declaring war against the United States.
You can't win a war unless you know who your enemy is, know why he is your enemy and know what his objectives are. Only then can you properly direct your military and political forces to combat him successfully.
Unfortunately, very early on, President Bush decided to create a mythical enemy of vague and ambiguous proportions and irrational motives. This was done to give carte blanche to the government to pursue policies that really had nothing to do with fighting al-Qaeda - e.g., invading Iraq, putting North Korea and Iran in the "axis of evil" and including groups on the enemies list that were in fact not our enemies.
The confusion this causes was illustrated by television coverage of the London attacks. Several commentators lumped together the terrorist attacks against public transport in Moscow, Madrid and London. However, the Moscow attack had nothing to do with the attacks in Madrid and London, or with us. Moscow is fighting Chechen rebels who want independence for Chechnya. Chechen attacks against Russia, like Palestinian attacks against Israel, are not directed at us. They are motivated by specific political objectives. Chechens and Palestinians have no desire to destroy civilization; they simply wish to take their place in the family of nations as independent countries.
You can't have a war against terrorism because, as many people have pointed out, terrorism is a tactic employed by people who have no real military power. It is not an entity. There is no worldwide terrorist organization.
Terrorist tactics work because we live in a wired world. Ten or 12 people can set off a few bombs in London, and the world turns its electronic eyes on the story and chats, discusses and shows video clips until some other event distracts it. The media attention and the inflated rhetoric of politicians magnify the terrorist act far beyond its actual import.
These attacks - pinpricks, really, in terms of any damage they do to national power - cannot be completely stopped. A few malcontents inspired by someone's rhetoric can get together and set off a bomb or two or shoot some people. Terrorists should be considered criminals, and their acts as ordinary crimes. Physically dealing with terrorists is properly ordinary police work. There is no war involved.
What the United States should be doing, instead of invading and occupying countries, is re-examining its foreign policy vis-à-vis the Islamic world. There is no natural conflict between the West and Islam. The followers and true believers of Osama bin Laden are a tiny minority. The best way to cut the ground out from under him is to develop and pursue policies that treat all of the Islamic countries with fairness and respect.
We don't do that at the present time. Because of the power of the Israeli lobby to skew our policy to benefit Israel, our Middle East policies are riddled with double and triple standards and reek of hypocrisy. Because of that, we are the best recruiter Osama bin Laden has.
But in the meantime, remember that terrorist attacks are primarily media events. You still have more to fear from the flu or accidents than you do from terrorists.
c. 2005 King Features Syndicate