The Times Square car-bomb — VOICES for REASON

Fortunately, the three tanks of propane and two jugs of gasoline in the back of the Nissan Pathfinder failed to blow up. It remains to be seen who is behind the Times Square bomb plot; the arrest of a suspect — a Pakistani native — may bring more details to light. But looking at the evidence left behind in the truck and contemplating the bombmaker’s mindset, one expert remarked: “I can tell you that [the bomber(s)] thought it was the atomic bomb.” The bomber(s) “have more desire than ability.”

A desire for destruction of human life on a large scale definitely fits the m.o. of Islamic totalitarianism, the ideological movement behind the 9/11 attacks (among others). It figures, then, that one Taliban outfit in Pakistan has leapt to claim responsibility for the attempted car-bombing in Times Square. The claim may prove to be mere propaganda to win a perverse cachet within the movement, but if it is unfounded, it nevertheless underscores their wish to bring their holy war (back) to our shores.

image: flickr