It sounded very eerie when the papers said “London is under attack” just as if it were World War 1 or World War 2.  It sounded scary, too. Frankly I don’t think it is possible to carry on as normal under such conditions. You might say you are doing so. But in reality measures are being taken. Things are different. The mood and attitude aren’t the same at all. For instance, this London terrorist attack will mean increased security. Homeland Security here keeps on growing apace under every President since Bush. New regulations keep on getting issued for airlines. The latest here is something about no computers or tablets on certain flights. It gets to the point that you will do everything you can to avoid the situation that causes such inconvenience. In other words you won’t fly unless you absolutely can’t avoid it. You might avoid downtown London or New York unless you can’t avoid it again. I remember after 9/11 people said they were going to stop going to shopping malls. Suddenly after 9/11 tourism to places like Yellowstone started to spike instead of trips to cities. Of course it depends on the individual. Some individuals will act as you say and stubbornly insist on carrying on the same schedule terrorism or no. But their numbers get thinner all the time.

I am still confused why countries like Britain and America act the way they do and go after their own citizens instead of foreigners in reaction to terrorist attacks. Romans would NOT have behaved like this. If they knew there was an enemy called ISIS they would have leveled them and wiped them from the face of the earth. They might have taken slaves and the women and children would have been raised in Roman i.e. American/British ways. Not that I like such military activity myself, but at least it spares the native population. I’m beginning to think that the West in the grip of the World War 1 syndrome (which assumes WW2 was just part of WW1). WW1 is the hundred years war that is still going on. They question all their values. They become pacifist, etc. I don’t know when the Great War will ever end. Then maybe you can recognize enemies as enemies and stop imposing on your countrymen and your native populations.

Of course the Edward Ware Thrillers at War Series starts with the opening rounds of World War 1 when the Lusitania gets torpedoed in the novel Key to Lawrence Special Edition.