This entry was posted on
Tuesday, June 6th, 2006 at
8:47 am and is filed
under The War on Stupid.
Hm. Totally reliable intelligence. A weapon of mass destruction. That may or may not exist. Yet another microcosm of Iraq? Looks like it.
No matter. Perhaps they’ll find evidence of weapons of mass destruction programmes. Or perhaps we’ll be assured that the east London house raided on Friday now boasts a burgeoning democracy…
BSSC: Following on from Friday’s counter-terrorism operation, those ubiquitous anonymous police sources are now briefing journalists that there may never have been a viable chemical device. Have the Met shot another innocent person? It’s too early to be sure but it’s looking increasingly likely… Terrorism is about using fear to force a society to make changes to their behaviour. The target government is not supposed to be a willing accomplice.
I’ll go one further than that. When the target government does seek to exploit the threat for political gain, it is important to remember that; it’s the public that’s meant to be kept in a perpetual and disabling state of fear and anxiety, not the authorities.
UPDATE: Make of this what you will…
“It is a microcosm of Iraq, isn’t it?” – Ian Hislop discussing ‘Forest Gate Gate’ on Have I Got News For You, 9 June 2006
