Turkey has been attacked.
More precisely, Britain has been attacked in Istanbul. And although this attack does not match the number of dead in Bali or New York, but indications are that the same parties are responsible.
There are still many that say Al Qaeda is no longer a threat, and that the Coalition should withdraw from Afghanistan. I would think that recent events might help them to connect the dots. This, my friends, is why I am doing that which I do. I don't want my friends, my children, or complete strangers to be trapped in a world where they have to worry about random acts of violence, or avoid travel and the experience of other cultures.
If you recall the events in Bali, you may also recall that Bali has no military presence in either Afghanistan or Iraq. Turkey has only limited involvement in Afghanistan, and no one in Iraq. And yet, even now, there are people gathering in London to express their desire that the coalition fold up tents and go home. I am grateful for this overwhelming show of concern for my safety, but I must respectfully decline. If Bali is not safe, and Turkey is not safe, then none of us are safe. Until we are, I will stay on the job.
As for Istanbul, I am sorry I was unable to prevent this. We mourn with you for your dead, we pray for your wounded, and we will go to our graves, if need be, to keep this from happening to you, or anyone else, again.