A Welcome Failure

I was driving in to work this morning when the news of today's bombings in London came in. Thankfully they appear to have been an utter failure casualty-wise, due to faulty detonators. Investigators seem hopeful at this point that the undetonated bombs may yield significant forensic evidence that could identify the perpetrators of the attack, and apparently two suspects are now in custody in connection with the explosions.

Instapundit had the day's news roundup here, here, here, and here. John Howard's remarks seemed spot on to me.

Hold fast, London. We're with you.

A Reminder That Londoners Have Weathered Worse

A section of the exterior walls of London's Victoria & Albert Museum still bears damage from the Blitz, which has been preserved as a reminder of a time when Londoners lived under constant threat of attack.

I snapped these pictures during a visit last year, not imagining that I would soon revisit them with new eyes.

On the London Bombings

I wish to express my deepest sympathy to our valued friends, allies, and fellow human beings in the U.K., who on Thursday, July 7th endured a terribly vicious set of attacks on their home soil — attacks that were clearly premeditated to kill, maim, terrorize, and intimidate as many as possible. Know that I and many others around the world and in the U.S. stand with you, in firm resolve that we shall not capitulate to such contemptible, apparently anti-civilizational acts.

I was traveling outside the U.S. on the 7th, and received the news of the bombings in a frustratingly slow trickle via CNN and BBC World beginning Thursday morning. Having limited Internet access during such an event made me appreciate just how valuable the blogosphere has become to me as a source of news, analysis, and commentary; during a too-brief opportunity I managed to quickly check in with Instapundit and read a few posts and comments on neo-neocon's blog and a few others. Back at home now, I'm frantically catching up with these and all the other sites I regularly read...

I tend to agree with others who've asserted that whomever was responsible has probably just made a very bad strategic mistake. They have underestimated the strength of our resolve and of our love for what we hold dear. We will not be intimidated. We're not afraid.

It would certainly be good to see a widely supported anti-terrorism protest in London. I hope there will be one.

Heaven, To Me

I'm making a slightly early Independence Day post, since I don't know whether I'll be able to get to a computer on the 4th.

I'll remember 2005 as the year I first had the pleasure of hearing Madeleine Peyroux sing “Heaven to Me”, which caught me by surprise and moved me to tears of joyful recognition. It expresses with quiet grace what's in my heart on this occasion, and every day:

When I hear them say, there's better livin’
Let them go their way, to that new livin’
I won't ever stray
‘Cause this is Heaven, to me

‘Long as freedom grows, I want to seek it
If it's “Yes” or “No”, it's me who'll speak it
‘Cause the Lord, he knows
That this is Heaven, to me

If you've got your hands, and got your feet
to sing your song all through the street
You'll raise your head when the day is done,
shout your thanks up to the Sun

So when I hear them say there's better livin’
Let them go their way, to that new livin’
I won't ever stray, ‘cause this is Heaven, to me
‘Cause this is Heaven, to me...

Happy Birthday, America. Thank you for my life and for my freedom, and for all the wonderful things that they have made possible.

And last but not least, heartfelt thanks beyond the power of my words to express, to those past and present who have risked all, and in some cases sacrificed all, that we might live the lives of free men and women. May we be worthy of all that they have given up for us.