| Trouble in Paradise |
November 2002
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Bali Bombing is the Future
Last month's bombing of a night club on the island of Bali, a paradise second only in the western imagination to Tahiti, is something we had all better get used to. The war against Fascislam is more likely to be fought in poorer, less secure places than New York, Paris or Berlin because that's where westerners are more easily slain.
No one at the resort was expecting death by explosion that night, and that is why it happened. Blame is not the intention here. The simple fact of the matter is that people want to relax at vacation spots like Bali, not worry about each and every new face that passes by. It's hard to unwind when there is a metal detector at the door and armed guards by the kitchen.
Moreover, high level security is only possible when the local technology is reliable. If the electricity goes off, all those devices to protect the visitors won't work.
It is not giving away any secrets to say that tourist spots in what was once called the Third World are lacking in security. An attack on a major western city is unlikely with the Al Qaeda disrupted as it has been over the last year. But nothing says Al Qaeda can't pick a softer target -- like a nightclub on Bali.