Nadir of the Summit

And now we interrupt your program "Perth Reminiscence" for a few short messages.

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Tomorrow is the final day of the G8 summit. Today, London is bombed.

An immediate question that comes to mind is, of course: Are the two linked?

Blair's overt determination not to let the bombings stop the summit suggests such a link. In particular, his comments about the intended timing of the attacks - to coincide with Africa talks on opening day - are quite revealing.

If the attacks were indeed a form of pressure amplifying debt relief demands by much of the anti-poverty movement, I am deeply disturbed by 2 things on the part of the perpetrators:

i) Blatant disregard for the British civilians' right to life

ii) Counter-productivity for the anti-poverty movement by a) disregard for the rule of law; and b) sending a diametrically contradicting message of objectives for economic justice through acts that conflict with social justice

I am particularly disappointed about the damage that these acts have inflicted upon the work of so many others - who have been fighting so long and hard for economic justice and rights - for the very people who suffer at the hands of such wanton recklessness.

No, I am not disappointed. I am angry.

I am hoping that this anger mounting inside me is at least in part due to lack of terrorist intelligence from the recency of the attacks. I want need to be proven wrong.


Technorati: G8, poverty, London, Scotland