The Pakistan Hotel Bombing - Who's Next?

Yesterday's terrorist bombing of the Peshawar Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar, Pakistan is not something that we in the West should ignore.

According to a Fox News report from the site of the explosion, the homicide bomber attack breached the hardened checkpoint at the entrance to the hotel, and then the vehicle containing about a half ton of explosives was driven to a pre-arranged position in the hotel where the driver detonated the bomb. So far, eighteen people are reported dead. Damage to the hotel is pretty heavy. The bomb left a crater about six feet deep and about twelve feet wide, according to a Fox News reporter who was standing in it.

It sort of reminds you of the Oklahoma City bombing doesn't it? An explosive-laden vehicle causes massive damage to a large, concrete building. This was not a small explosion. The motive behind the Peshawar bombing is obvious: retaliation for the Pakistani government's military campaign against Al Quaeda in the Swat Valley. But what is also interesting, is that the hotel was under consideration by the United States government as a possible location for a U.S. Consulate. Either way, the bombing demonstrates that Al Quaeda is capable of attacking soft targets in response to military or diplomatic actions that it perceives as a threat.

As Al Quaeda seems to be regrouping and becoming bolder, I think it is certainly possible they could again stage similar attacks in western countries. Terrorist organizations need two things to flourish: money and active supporters. The way for Al Quaeda to continue its campaign of murder and terror is to appear to its supporters to be proactive and successful. And that is accomplished by attacks like the one in Peshawar. At some point, the terrorists will once again turn their attention to western Europe. Illegal immigrants from Afghanistan have already proved that once they gain access to one of the European Union member states, they can travel freely throughout the continent, and even into the UK. It isn't hard to imagine that terrorists can do the same.

Al Quada must surely be loooking to pull off another high profile bombing such as the ones in England in July, 2005, and in Spain in March, 2004. Free and open societies are vulnerable to these attacks. The question is, who's next?

We have to be vigilant. Terrorist attacks against civilian targets are not always prevented by the authorities. As individuals, we have to take care of our own personal security. And that begins with being constantly aware of our surroundings. If you are not already living in Condition Yellow, I suggest you read my essay, "What is Condition Yellow and Why Should We Care?" on this blog site.