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7/7: The London Bombings and the Iraq War
by Milan Rai
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Pluto Press (2006-02-24)
ISBN: 0745325637
EAN: 9780745325637
Dewy Decimal #: 942.1086
Paperback: 208 pages
SKU: B417-B-1001
Condition: New
Comments: In stock - Immediate despatch from an efficient and professional leading British bookselling firm.
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Customer Reviews
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A very human tale, for those that care
Rating  (3)
Date: 2006-05-03
6 out of 8 customers found this reveiw helpful
Milan Rai's conclusion at the end of this quite detailed report is quite forthright...
'Violent fundamentalist Islam is a danger to the world. So is violent fundamentalist Christianity, and violent fundamentalist Judaism. What British Muslims have been united in demanding since the July bombings ... is honesty from the British government about the part played in this disaster by Britain's violent and inflexible - 'fundamentalist' - foreign policy.'
This isn't a great book in the sense that it goes all round the houses to reach a predictable conclusion - extreme foreign policy breeds extreme resentment. However, it offers an unsensationalised alternative to any government packaged 'narration' of events.
The biographical detail of the bombers is interesting, particularly that of Mohammad Sidique Khan. We hear from his Headteacher that as a primary school learning mentor 'He was great with the children and they all loved him. He did so much for them, helping and supporting them and running extra clubs and activities. Sidique was a real asset to the school and always showed 100% commitment.'
And so this book succeeds in bringing the 'war on terrorism' back to a very human level of good people, despairing at the bad stuff they feel powerless to change. Men of very good character, we learn, are capable of suicide bombing. Men of good character, Iraq tells us, are also capable of bombing and torturing and allowing children to starve under sanctions. But, only one storyline has the full weight of the government's spin machine supporting it. Finally, in this tome, both sides of the equation are allowed a voice and a human face...
'our words have no impact upon you, therefore I'm going to talk to you in a language that you understand. Our words are dead until we give them life with our blood... Your democratically-elected governments continuously perpetuate atrocities against my people all over the world. And your support of them makes you directly responsible, just as I am directly responsible for protecting and avenging my Muslim brothers and sisters. Until we feel security, you will be our targets. And until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture of my people we will not stop this fight. We are at war and I am a soldier. Now you too will taste the reality of this situation...'
Mohammad Sidique Khans statement (broadcast by al-Jazeera on 1 Sep 05)
'The invasion of Iraq may not have caused the bombings in any simple linear causality but when they chose to attack the US, London, Madrid, Australia - the allies - it's symbolic. These are not acts of mindless murderers but strategic symbolic acts. It is absolutely no coincedience that what happened in London happened at the time of G8. Far more than feeling angry with the bombers or angry about what has happened to me, I feel angry with the political leaders.'
Professor John Tulloch, who was severely injured on the Edgware Road train. (Guardian 10 Nov 05)
Khan allows the reader to connect the dots.
The book also includes lists of those killed in the London bombings, a list remarkable for the number of people in their 20s, of varied ethnicity, each with their own jobs, hopes and aspirations.
Finally this is a very human tale, for those that care.
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