LONDON responded to terrorist attack on July 7th in true Blitz style: rescuers were heroic, and ordinary citizens showed compassion and fortitude. Or so the politically correct version goes. A report this week from the London Assembly takes a sterner line. In fact, radios failed to work, medical supplies were lacking, some ambulances arrived inexplicably late and traumatised people were left to wander off.

　　伦敦方面应对7月7日恐怖袭击时的情景跟当年遭遇德军闪电般空袭时如出一辙：救援人员英勇无比，平民百姓富有同情心而且不屈不挠。从政治角度来看，这么做大概无可非议。不过，伦敦议会本周发表的一份报告则较为苛刻地指出了其中存在的问题，比如无线电通讯不畅，医疗支援不足，有的救护车还莫名其妙地姗姗来迟，以至于受伤群众无人过问。