On Saturday, two explosions occurred in an area full of shoppers in central Stockholm and it’s being reported that it was an act of terrorism. The issue with the story lies not with the fact that it happened, but that it is happening again. On 9/11, the U.S experienced a horrible act of terrorism and now Sweden may be facing similar circumstances. Reported as Sweden’s first suicide bombing, this attack is perhaps taking Sweden down the wrong path, which could be potentially very dangerous. Although nobody was hurt, the act itself was symbolic of trying to inflict hurt to a large population. E-mailed threats were saying things like “now your children, daughters and sisters will die like our brothers and sisters and children are dying,” explaining a link between the explosions and the presence of Swedish troops in Afghanistan.
America is a country which we like to think we are leading the way in many positive things, however, this may be a time in which America is leading the rest of the world down a very scary path. Regardless of your political beliefs, there should be no disagreement in the fact that our conflicts with other countries have been large, long, and seemingly everlasting. Each country does not act independently, with no regard or affect on others. Everything that happens in one place somehow affects another, whether it be through policies and procedures or ideas and mindset changes. Everybody knows about 9/11 and all the pain America has endured from that terrorist attack, along with the ongoing war we are part of. The attacks in Stockholm were in a very populated area and had the explosions been successful, it could have been very catastrophic...the same way the terrorist attacks on the twin towers were.
It’s unlikely that these attacks were planned because of 9/11, yes, but there’s no question that this wasn’t just a random act of terrorism. Whether we want to admit it or not, the attacks that day have changed the world and given others ideas that perhaps are small, but nonetheless are there. Although it failed, this was a well-thought out plan to plant an explosive in a populated place, with someone having enough hatred and emotion that they were willing to take their own life for it. There are many conflicts going on in the world, but it is no coincidence that tension has risen and acts of terrorism are more of a threat after the attack on 9/11 and the presence of the U.S in the Middle East. And I can't help but think that perhaps our countries horrible past is leading other countries into horrible futures.
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