No 7/7 public Inquiry
Apparently it will 'take too long', 'be too expensive' and 'only tell us things we already know.'
We have spent a thousand days in Iraq and £3.1 billion. Is that too long? Is that too expensive?
Is the link between Iraq and July 7th what we already know?
Of course it is.
Christ, even Blair knows it as the Q&A on 26th July shows. Everybody knows it.
I don't need a public inquiry to work it out, but I still want a public inquiry.
A public inquiry should tell us how this happened and try to explain why, and it is the why I am really interested in, because in the why are the answers to the future.
A public inquiry should look to the future as well as what happened, a public inquiry is there to answer the questions of the public.
Even if the politicians think it will 'take too long', be 'too expensive 'and they think they know the answers already and they don't want to talk about what they know.
It is the public who were the targets, not the politicians, Mr Blair.
We still are the targets. Ordinary people pay the price, ordinary people deserve the answers.
Every time I fight to get on a tube, or a bus, I know I and the people travelling with me are targets. It never gets any better. Each day a nail bomb doesn't explode, but then each day I think the probability counter re-sets, the likelihood increases. Bang, screams, death, maiming. Not today. Tomorrow?
We all have questions about 7th July, let them be answered independently, with dignity and clarity.
Even if you don't like the questions, don't like the answers, think you know the answers already, Mr Blair, it is us, not you, who are paying the cost for this, every single bloody day. If the cost of answering questions makes you squirm, then too bad. We voted you in, we pay for you and your wars and your policies to be implemented and you say you act 'in our name'. We run the risks on the trains, the buses, the streets each day. You answer to us, the public and if I could shame you into answering us now, my God, I would.
How dare you presume you know our questions and how dare you presume that they can be answered by a 'narrative of what happened', as if we are children to be placated with a story. I know what happened, I want to know why. I want a debate, Mr Blair, I want a dialogue.
I will not shut up about it either. And nor will many of my fellow passengers.
Sign the petition for a Public Inquiry http://www.petitiononline.com/July7th/petition.html
We have spent a thousand days in Iraq and £3.1 billion. Is that too long? Is that too expensive?
Is the link between Iraq and July 7th what we already know?
Of course it is.
Christ, even Blair knows it as the Q&A on 26th July shows. Everybody knows it.
I don't need a public inquiry to work it out, but I still want a public inquiry.
A public inquiry should tell us how this happened and try to explain why, and it is the why I am really interested in, because in the why are the answers to the future.
A public inquiry should look to the future as well as what happened, a public inquiry is there to answer the questions of the public.
Even if the politicians think it will 'take too long', be 'too expensive 'and they think they know the answers already and they don't want to talk about what they know.
It is the public who were the targets, not the politicians, Mr Blair.
We still are the targets. Ordinary people pay the price, ordinary people deserve the answers.
Every time I fight to get on a tube, or a bus, I know I and the people travelling with me are targets. It never gets any better. Each day a nail bomb doesn't explode, but then each day I think the probability counter re-sets, the likelihood increases. Bang, screams, death, maiming. Not today. Tomorrow?
We all have questions about 7th July, let them be answered independently, with dignity and clarity.
Even if you don't like the questions, don't like the answers, think you know the answers already, Mr Blair, it is us, not you, who are paying the cost for this, every single bloody day. If the cost of answering questions makes you squirm, then too bad. We voted you in, we pay for you and your wars and your policies to be implemented and you say you act 'in our name'. We run the risks on the trains, the buses, the streets each day. You answer to us, the public and if I could shame you into answering us now, my God, I would.
How dare you presume you know our questions and how dare you presume that they can be answered by a 'narrative of what happened', as if we are children to be placated with a story. I know what happened, I want to know why. I want a debate, Mr Blair, I want a dialogue.
I will not shut up about it either. And nor will many of my fellow passengers.
Sign the petition for a Public Inquiry http://www.petitiononline.com/July7th/petition.html
posted by Rachel at 8:20 am
I too am incensed that the government are squirming their way out of having to answer the 'why' question. They're shirking all responsibility for this having happened, when their (sorry, America's) foreign policies quite clearly can't be helping.
Perhaps you could email your post/a link ot your blog to Tony Blair? Or your MP?
Hi Rachel,
My personal view is that Tony is the most ineffectual leader this country has had for a very long time - he just isn't prepared to take a lead on anything.
It took far too long to agree an inquiry into the poor Dr Kelly's death (which was uncomfortable enough for Mr Blair) - it will take a lot (and I mean A LOT) of pressure from within the House to get what we deserve - fortunatly the likes of David Skinner and George Galloway are probably the public's best allies on this (how perverse is that?)
There is much we all know (the Iraq link, etc), but it is also the how, when, with whom and above all, why those particular bombers that we don't really know.
All the best,
Gary
I was reading through comments on the BBC website. I saw one which was recommended by quite a few people. I knew it would be you! Well done Rachel.
Paul :)
Agree with you wholeheartedly.
I share your outrage but what is needed is collective outrage from everybody - victims/families of 7/7 included. There feels like there isn't nearly enough of it right now.
Once again Teflon Tony will get his lying scheming way, even after bringing murder and carnage to the streets of London.
Anonymous said: "fortunatly the likes of David Skinner and George Galloway are probably the public's best allies on this (how perverse is that?)"
Sorry, why is this perverse exactly?
Rachel,
I picked up on you and your excellent blog via blairwatch.com
They're encouraging other bloggers to band together in support of you - and I intend to do so, pretty soon, on my This Old Brit blog.
Meanwhile, please accept my best wishes & sincerest hopes for a just outcome. And incidentally, here's a comment I just posted at blairwatch.com
==================================
* So an inquiry will "already tell us what we know ..."
So, who's the "us" and "we" they're talking about here? Tony-the-liar Blair & Co?
Damn right it is. The same crew who told us they "knew" Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. And that they could be deployed against us - within 45 minutes. The same crew that "knew" about the none existant "yellow cake". I could go on, but I won't - not here, nor not right now.
But, boy, have I got news for them. There's another "us" and there's another "we" - and together they make up "the public".
And we/us - the British public - both demand and deserve a public enquiry. It's in the public interest to have one. And by logical extension, it's in the national interest. It's also in the interest of national security - though not this particular political crew's personal, very vested interests.
Of course, they know all this only too well. So they don't give a damn about a legitimate public enquiry. The fact is that they'll do all in their damned power to prevent one. Well, damn them, I [and many others] say. Damn them all to hell, along with the perpetrators of the bombings. Because, in their own particular way they are patently, equally perverse.
To answer Johnb,
They are (or were) Labour Party members and on the very left of mainsteam politics - as for me - well I'm a Tory voter (hence perverse, possibly ironic may have been a better choice).
Gary
Costly? Yes. Timeconsuming? Yes. But not as costly and timeconsuming as allowing the mess we're in now to continue. Only an inquiry can clear up this mess.
The best way for the government to avoid having to face expensive public investigations is to stop committing crimes that need investigating!
I will post on my blog, and i will SHOUT about it, many things are hidden in our world, it's CRAZY!! The ruling elite are now making it legal to hide the truth, it's becoming very close to make it illegal to speak about any form of truth other than what they announce via the sick media!
The world is growing to be much like a big single Faschist nation! can any one tell me how much damage terrorism has inflicted compared to the damage "War on FUCKEN terror" has inflicted on all aspects of our lives? from personal and political freedoms, to civilian deaths... to think that this War on terror is anything but a big PLOT for a bigger purpose is to be a proud living WINGNUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
truth is the only thing that will keep us all safe...
rachel our hearts and souls with you..no matter what the truth...we want it
Rachel,
Well Said, have posted on my blog and send you my best wishes.
Love
Sharon
Rachel. You say that "It is the public who were the targets, not the politicians, Mr Blair."
Why are you saying this? If you were to become Prime Minster, the probability of suffering a violent death would increase significantly.
The previous two prime ministers had highly visible attempts made on their lives by terrorists. That makes being PM more dangerous than being a London commuter.
Prime Ministers are human beings who have as much as anyone to gain from a successful challenge to terrorism.
I understand that you are angry about being the victim of an outrage. But a public enquiry is only really appropriate when a public body of some kind may have been responsible for the incident in question.
In this case, I've not heard of anyone outside of the lunatic fringe who would argue that the British state actually planted these bombs. There appears to be overwhelming evidence that four murderous thugs did it and they claim to have done so on religious grounds. One of them even made a video to explain his motives.
A transcript is here.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4206800.stm
He provided a list of reasons why he planted his bomb. He blamed the public for voting in elections and he blamed Democratic governments for a range of alleged crimes against Muslims.
So what can a public enquiry acheive? It won't be able to interview the perpetrators. Sociologists may even be able speculate as to why people who grew up in our society became so alienated that they were prepared to kill themsleves and dozens of passers-by. But they won't be able to draw any actionable conclusions - or even any conclusions that will command the respect of more than about 49% of sociologists.
If you want a public enquiry like that, then say so. It can provide a platform for all of the usual talking heads to speculate - that's all.
But be assured, Rachel, when they do speculate, they will do so according to a pre-prepared agenda. Those who think that the war in Iraq was wrong will say "If the UK hadn't invaded Iraq, this wouldn't have happened." Those that think that we should drive cars less often will say that "it all happened because the UK felt that it needed to invade Iraq to secure an oil supply." People that don't like Bush will blame him. People that don't like Blair will blame him. People who don't like George Galloway will blame him for glorifying Islamisist 'martyrs'.
And so on. But a public enquiry will acheive nothing. It will only reward people who think that the entire flow of public life can be hi-jacked by a bizzare act of self-immolation. The message will be "Kill yourself and passers by and we will sit up and listen to your concerns."
And what if there were an enquiry, and through some weird chain of events someone could prove that these thugs would have restrained themselves if the UK hadn't sided with the US in Iraq? What does that tell us? Does it present any evidence that the war in Iraq was itself wrong? Would you like to live in a country where politicians don't ever do anything that will annoy men who would like to abolish democracy, shroud and circumsize women, execute homosexuals, and forcibly convert large parts of the world to their religion?
Personally, I don't know if the war in Iraq was a policy that I should support. But an enquiry will only draw the usual suspects out of the woodwork. The people who were killed an injured on July 7th will be fought over and patronised, and a society that doesn't really need to go on trial will be convicted in so many eyes.
We're a democracy. That's what elections are for.
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Paulie, if you read the Sunday Tines article which is on the links on the right you will see why I and some of the other survivors want a public enquiry.
The article is here http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-1937542,00.html.
Perhaps you would like to read it rather than simply assuming that I am after a public enquiry because this is some kind of therapy for me and I want 'closure'.
You might also see my posts about conspiracy theorists, so you can assure yourself that I do not think it was some kind of 'black ops nonsense.'
And - guess what? I have actually taken a rather close interest in the investigation since my train blew up in July. And fancy that - I am already aware of the transcript an dinterview of Mohammed Siddique Khan. Isn't that amazing! It's almost as if I have an interest in the news and politics, rather than 'blogging prolifically about victimhood' - as you claim on your post on your blog about me. ( Have you actually read my blog?)
But, anyway, thanks ever so for pointing it out to me ( the bomber's video).
Also Paulie, in response to this
'Rachel. You say that "It is the public who were the targets, not the politicians, Mr Blair."
Why are you saying this? '
*Cough*
Because Blair does not use public transport?
And the attacks and the failed attacks in July were aimed at public transport and those who use it?
That last actually made me laugh out loud. Sheesh. *rolls eyes*
I totally agree with you, we need to get out and leave them alone.
Hi Rachel,
Maybe all those people who regularly tune in to Radio 5 live will remember the interview given during the afternoon of 7/7. When a former Scotland Yard security chief Mr Peter Preston informed the listening audience of a "Drill"
taking place at the exact time and locations the bombs went off. I wish to support the demand for a unfettered public enquirey.