I wrote this initially for my LJ, but it reflects my thoughts well enough:

I'll never understand the motives behind acts such as these. Plain and simple, these attacks represent the very worst of what people can do to one another.

There is a lot of speculation going around right now because so few facts are in, but in my opinion, this looks to be the work either of Al-Qaida, or another group that supports them in their efforts from a grassroots level. Though the blasts haven't been confirmed as suicide attacks, they impact of them, the location and the timing clearly confirms a fully coordinated effort on many fronts.

I don't think this has anything to do with the Olympics, quite frankly, because that would mean they only had 24 or so hours to plan this whole attack, especially because the bid could have gone to France, as others pointed out. Instead, this was done, almost certainly because of the G8 summit meeting, which had been announced a while ago and gave them ample time to plan this who terrible act. Since so much security was placed in Scotland, attacking there was probably out of the question, so the alternatives probably revealed London to be a primary place, especially since, sadly, they had not been attacked yet as both the US and Spain have.

It's so sad to see this happen after such much goodwill had been in the air recently from the Live 8 concerts to the Olympic bids, but all this happening probably sweetened the pot for them significantly.

What's important to note, is the level of condemning these attacks have garnered from all over the world, especially in Islamic nations, which seems to indicate that public opinion has shifted more than a little bit in the last few years, as many more Muslim people are speaking out against these attacks that so greatly disgrace the religion it's said to be carrying out by.

The war on terror is sadly, not a war on a person or group of people, but a war of ideology, something that cannot be easily seen or figured out. Though we can try to weed out potential organizations that fund or harbor terrorists, that only solves part of the problem. It's mostly, as some many have said, a problem of mindset, a problem of people believing in corrupt morals, that the death of some glorifies themselves to a level of existence higher than before, and that, for some who hear it long enough, can be enough to turn doubt into steadfast belief and force hatred into the hearts of even the most innocent or noble.

The real battlefront is one of education, of open-mindedness, that the whole world must sign on to, where differences aren't picked apart, or blame isn't forced, but rather, tolerance, understanding, compassion for humanity and for culture is embraced. It's not an easy fight, but it is one that must be fought to ensure that some degree of sanity can be restored in our lifetime.

For those who were lost in this tragedy, words cannot do justice the level of pain that will echo for a long time. The love of those who must now carry on, who will hold onto their memories, their legacies, can only be used to lift us all up from here on out, not to bring us down further. For even in death, the power of life, the joys of hope and of a better future still beam brightly ever onward.

Take care all, and of one another.