PhotoDude.com

Thu. May 20, 2004

Olympic Class Caving

Is Glenn Reynolds turning into Larry King? Here’s a post, in it’s entirety: “BOMBS, CHAOS, AND PEOPLE WHO HATE US—I think we should pull out of the Olympics.”

I see no indication this is sarcasm (brevity has a real downside), but I suppose he could be trying to mock those who say we should get out of Iraq now. If we follow Glenn’s link, we do find a “BOMB” but the report is pretty skimpy on the “CHAOS,” as well as “PEOPLE WHO HATE US.”

Police destroyed a small time bomb found near a major complex for the Olympics.

The device, blown apart Wednesday in a controlled explosion, appeared similar to alarm clock-triggered bombs that damaged an Athens police station May 5, police said.

The group Revolutionary Struggle claimed responsibility for the three blasts earlier this month in a declaration that denounced the stringent security measures for the Aug. 13-29 games.

AP: “Police Destroy Bomb Found Near Olympic Venue”

In fact, there’s not a lot in that report to go on at all. Even if you do some more digging, compared to what we’ve faced, the threat hardly seems immense.

Revolutionary Struggle, which reportedly could have about 20 members and indirect links to Greece’s oldest extremist group ELA, claimed responsibility for the May 5 bombings and warned that visitors to the Olympics were unwelcome.

“All senior members of the international capitalist system, from multinationals to businessmen, mercenaries from across the world and state officials as well as wealthy western Olympic tourists who plan to attend the Games are undesirables,” said the letter published in a weekly newspaper.

It said the massive security operation and NATO’s involvement had turned Greece into a fortress which meant the Olympics were not a celebration but a “war,” the letter said.

Lycos News: “Greek extremist group claims attacks, warns Olympic visitors”

So a mere 3 months before the Games, this group decides to use violence to encourage the world to stay away.

If Glenn’s words aren’t sarcasm, it looks like it’s working. And if they are sarcasm, well, it sure is open to misinterpetation. It sounds like, “let’s let the mere threat of terrorism cause us to bail out of a tradition over a century old.” That would be a fine message to send, wouldn’t it? Because we all recall the dozens of nations who left the Olympics after the massacre in Munich, and caused the Games in Montreal to be abandoned.

And remember, there was also a terrorist attack at the Atlanta Olympics. It only takes one individual to hold the whole world hostage.

If you let them.

Later: From the NY Times: “Olympic Doomsayers’ Spiel Is as Predictable as Cicadas”: “Like 17-year cicadas, journalists emit their own cyclical loud buzzing noises before every set of Summer Games. Listen. You can hear us now, fretting about construction, security and ambience in Athens in August.” He then details the 30 year history of pre-Olympic fretting.