Plot to blow up aircraft flying from UK was "intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale," police spokesman says.

From CNN - London's Metropolitan Police said a months-long intelligence operation by the anti-terrorist branch and security service resulted in several arrests overnight, according to a Scotland Yard news release.

The aim of the alleged plot was to explode devices carried aboard planes in handheld luggage -- especially on flights from Britain to the United States, according to Scotland Yard.

***Right, and what do we learn from this? What lessons has the West learned from the unending terrorist suicide bombing jihad?

Nothing.

This is a cultural war and there is no compromise in sight nor will there be. In a sense, the Muslim terrorists are correct, the West is decadent - we tolerate them, we tolerate the unending threats and attacks. We tolerate changes to our chosen way of life, we tolerate losses to our fundamental Freedoms. We are being very stupid and I'm very afraid we will pay the price.

Beyond all else, as a woman, there is no acceptable place for me in a fundamentalist Muslim world. Don't tell me there are moderate Muslims. I don't see them crying out against terrorists and suicide bombings and jihad. All I see is them gathering in to support the destruction of Israel and the West. When I see the leaders of Islamic nations stand up in the UN and unilaterally denounce Islamic terrorists without reservation, when I see them break off diplomatic relations with all nations and groups that support this terrorism, then I will begin to believe again.

This truly tears at my heart. I worked for 8 years with Egyptians and other Arabic nationals and it was one of the best experiences of my life. They were good people, kind hearted, generous. We had years of excellent discussions between myself as an Amercian, female, Jew and they as Arab, Muslim men - and deeply religious Muslims at that. And it was always that we, Muslims and Jews were family, shared a common religous point of view of life in contrast to Christians. There was never any hate or intolerance. So where does this insanity spring from?

I think the problem is that Islam never went through a Reformation period, never endured the fires of intellectual enlightenment. So in many or most of Islamic populations, the culture is that which was acceptable 1000 years ago. It's not acceptable now.

Perhaps I was just lucky to work with such a wonderful group of Egyptians. I'm grateful for the many years I worked with them. But I also think it was because they had chosen to come to America, to persue the American Dream for themselves and their children. That was their own personal reformation that gave them a different perspective on life and life's priorities.

It's a sad time and a sad state of things in the world. The West needs to put its collective foot down and say NO to the Islamic bullies. Just say No.