If it influences Singapore’s politics, pigs will fly

Singapore ran a terrorism drill on its MRT system over the weekend, simulating an attack like the one that happened in Madrid.

“The Madrid bombing was used effectively to make a statement on Spain’s position over Iraq and influence an election.”

Anyone who says supporting the war in Iraq had no appreciable effect on the dangers countries face as targets for terrorists is too obsessed by politics to see reality.

“But if the terrorists think that if they do something in Singapore and hope that our national position on Iraq would change I think they are mistaken,” said Chen. “But having said that, they may miscalculate and actually do something.”

Singapore’s deputy prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, is due to replace current leader Goh Chok Tong this year, possibly as early as August. No election will be held.

The ‘national’ position on Iraq is the PAP government’s position. Since there’s not going to be an election when the mantle of PM is handed over, and Lee Hsien Loong is PAP through and through, I don’t think even the dumbest, most crazed terrorists would be deluded enough to think an attack would make an ounce of difference.

In Singapore’s case, however, I think our ‘national’ position on Iraq would be secondary to their original intention, to destroy the country as we know it in order to create a completely Muslim region. Support for the Bush administration’s foreign policy in Iraq just provided another reason to make sure we pay with blood.

• 22 Jun 2004