Via Reuters: Rocket attack at U.S. embassy in Athens :
Suspected leftist guerrillas fired a rocket at the U.S. embassy in Athens on Friday but no one was hurt in the blast, police and government officials said.In the most serious attack against the mission in 10 years, the small rocket launched from across the street shattered windows and woke up nearby residents in the central Athens area at 5:58 AM (0358 GMT).
“There are one or two anonymous phone calls which claim that the Revolutionary Struggle was behind the attack,” Public Order Minister Byron Polydoras told reporters outside the embassy. “Most likely, it is an act by local perpetrators.”
Not to make light of the attack, one almost wants to say “Leftist guerrillas? How quaint.” Certainly in comparison to the 1998 attacks on the two US embassies in Africa, this is of substantially lower magnitude. When trying to put the attack in context, it is noteworthy that the building has been attacked before by a similar group:
In February 1996, November 17 claimed responsibility for a rocket attack at the back of the compound, which caused minor damage to three diplomatic cars and some surrounding buildings.
As such it is difficult to try and fit this attack into any broader “war on terror” context–especially when one considers that a leftist group wouldn’t have much in common with al Qaeda-types. Still in the post-9/11 world attacks like this will be perceived, by many, as part of the broader issue of terrorism. On the one hand, the action can be labeled terroristic (in a tactical sense). On the other, this type of attack really is of a different type (almost certainly) in terms of who did it and why when compared to other recent attacks that fall under the current terrorism discussion.
Nonetheless, the political buzzword when it comes to violence of almost any kind these days is “terrorism” and hence (via the AP): Blast at U.S. embassy called ‘terrorism’:
“It is very likely that this is the work of a domestic group,” Minister Vyron Polydoras said. “We believe this effort to revive terrorism is deplorable and will not succeed.”
And in the Greek context that is a fair assessment, at least in a general sense. The problem at the moment, however, is that to an American eye and ear the evocation of “terrorism” leads to connections to al Qaeda, Islamic radicalism and/or threats to the security of the United States. In the grand scheme of things, however, Greeks with revolutionary dreams and rocket-launchers, dangerous as they may be, are not a threat to the security of the US. Indeed, they are likely no more than a nuisance to the Greeks.
I am not trying to downplay a violent act–simply to forestall attempts to make this event what it almost certainly isn’t.
Some will hear “attack” and/or “terrorism” and jump to conclusions, as did Tammy Bruce, who in her post on the subject, not only jumps to conclusions about the perpetrators, but using the opportunity to attack the Democratic Congress (as if Nancy Pelosi was asleep at the switch in regards to Greek Communisits…)
And what are the Dems focused on as Islamist savages continue to wage their Global Jihad Against Civilization?
RightWinged also makes the wrong connection:
Don’t tell Michael Moore, after all the authority (of trans fats) emphatically told us “there is no terrorist threat!”
Ed Morrissey, on the other hand, understands the distinctions to be made here:
this attack came from a Golden Oldie of terror — the rabid European Marxist type.[...]
This event has more to do with Greek politics than with the global war on terror, but the US had better remain engaged in getting to the bottom of this attack.
Although I would say that the attacks have everything to do with Greek politics and essentially nothing to do with anything else.
January 12th, 2024 at 10:43 am
come on, i’m sure you can blame this on iran if you try.
January 12th, 2024 at 10:49 am
Ah, yes, leftist guerrillas. The good old days.
January 12th, 2024 at 2:01 pm
While there’s probably no connection here, you should remember that 30 years ago there were very strong ties between European leftist terrorists and Arab terrorists.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:01 pm
there’s probably no connection here
“probably,”? how about “conceivably”? come on, we got another war to sell! there wer 15 iranian hijackers! zarqawi is iranian! the sunni terrorists in anbar are really iranian agents! the IEDs of the sunni insurgency are made in iran!
OTOH, you’re only 30 years behind the times, better than most.