Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says terrorists had planned to fly planes into St. Peter’s on Christmas. Thank God it didn’t happen. In fact, I firmly believe that it was the prayers of everybody for a safe Christmas.
While the Italian government has backed off from the prime minister’s statement, they don’t contradict it. That validates what we knew before Christmas when Israel’s Mossad warned Italy and the Vatican that terrorists were planning to attack Catholic targets in Italy over Christmas. Looks like somebody sees that as a war of cultures and religion.
That brings to mind another point: there’s been some criticism of the US government for calling for an orange alert over Christmas and then nothing happened, with people complaining that the alert was for nothing. Huh? Maybe it was the alert that foiled a terrorist attack which is what it’s supposed to do. If they didn’t call for the alert and terrorists successfully attacked, what would these same people be saying now?
The ability of men to deny what they wish were not true is apparently limitless. Sure, we don’t *want* a religious war with Islam, but if enough Muslims want one and the very existence of Christianity and the greater power of the nations of Christendom is such an affront, I don’t see how Christendom has much choice in the matter. In fact, I think that’s the nub of why so many continue the “Islam means peace” mantra and chant “Not In My Name” and say “if we descend to their hate, then the terrorists have won.” Nothing is more outrageous to a secular modern Westerner than being told he has no choice about something. And so being told, “you are in a religious war because *someone else* says you are” (be he Bush, the Pope or bin Laden—it doesn’t matter), such an involuntary imposition strikes at the very core of Our Modern Beings.
re terrorism: this probably will not be a national story but we had two incidents that point to vulnerablity—a small plane flew thru La Guardia airport’s restricted air space, over my house, and around the Statue of Liberty without challenge & a drunk managed to steal a bus from a bus terminal.
re Victor’s comment: that’s why Bush’s statement that you are either with us or with them is such a powerful message of moral clarity.