In Wednesday's late WaPo:
"Half of the United States thinks it's at least somewhat likely there will be a terrorist attack at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, next month, according to a new poll.
The Quinnipiac poll shows 12 percent think it's "very likely," while 38 percent think it's "somewhat likely."
Another 45 percent say it's "somewhat unlikely" (26 percent) or "very unlikely" (19 percent).
Recent threats to some European countries' Olympics offices have largely been dismissed as hoaxes, but there continue to be concerns about an attack marring the games."
Since Munich, 1972, terrorist attacks have threatened the goodwill of the Olympic Games like clockwork. The problem for the Sochi site is that it is in Russia, a country presently experiencing turmoil in several parts of the country, caused by its Muslim population and other disenchanted groups.
The modern Olympic Games first occurred in 1896 in Athens, Greece, the home of the ancient games. Fourteen countries competed when King George I opened the games on April 6, 1896.
The event was the idea of Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France who traveled the world to gather support for his dream to have nations come together and overcome national disputes, all in the name of sport.
Now, the irony of this and other years' games, in 2012, the London Games was played under the threat of terrorism, due to the attacks which took place in July, 2005. At the Centennial Games in Atlanta in July, 1996, two people were killed, 111 were injured and one person died from a heart attack.
Presently, there are conflicting news reports concerning the credibility of prior threats. On Wednesday evening, CNN reported that an email stating that an attack was imminent was a hoax. However, Russian police and military continue to hunt for "black widows", a group of women who are alleged to have been responsible for terrorist attacks in Volograd, Russia, a city near Sochi.
Presidents Obama and Putin have discussed sharing technology to hopefully thwart an attack in Sochi. Details have not been made public.
I believe in light of the fact that it is too close to the games and security issues have not been resolved, while it would appear that the world has surrendered this year's games to the terrorists, prudence dictates that common sense prevails at this time. I believe the IOC should postpone the games for the safety of the athletes and the "in-house" spectators.
God forbid the games go forward and countless people are killed or injured, knowing tragedy could have been avoided. The evidence of unrest and danger is quite evident. In this case, fortune will not favor the foolish.
Cancel the games for the good of us all. Is national pride in a sporting event worth the risk?
It will be too late should something tragic happen.
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