The unfortunate situation created the terrorist attack that happened yesterday in Madrid has generated a rather predictable 'reign of terror' over Europe. Wether in the end the terrrorist attack was done by ETA members or not (and chances are at this stage that even if it was ETA's hands that did the killing, there was probably some sort of Al Qaeda extremism behind the act and the planning) is not something that matters so much at this stage. This has been the worst terrorist act in Europe over the past 100 years and is certainly something that will have implications on our every day life. I would like to think (and hope) that we will not sacrifice our daily freedoms for the sake of security but this is something that we may end up doing in the end.
The implications for the Athens Olympic games are going to be many. I have already heard a rumor that the American Olympic team is not going to stay in the Olympic village durinmg the Athens Olympics but will be hosted in an American base outside Athens.
What I am certain of is the fact that the security in teh Athens Olympics is going to be very tight. The fact that this horrible Spanish Tragedy happened just five months before the Athens Olympics will mean that the government will give extra care to security issues and cover things that were not even imagined before. To give an example of the situation the initial security budget for the Athens Olympics was about 150 million euros but the actual budget has ended up closer to 700 million euros.
The news also is that the Greek goverment will seek help (in infrastructure and personnel) of the NATO forces and I am sure that there will be a quite substantial number of American soldiers on Greek ground during the games.
In other words I think these will be (and hope will be) the safest and best guarded Olympic games ever. After all Al Qaeda never strikes where its expected. I just hope that they will never surprise us again.
Posted by Erica at March 12, 2004 03:11 PMGod can stand being told by Professor Ayer and Marghanita Laski that He doesn't exist.
Posted by: poker online at September 4, 2004 11:42 AM