Bali bombing takes political and economic toll on SEA
KUALA LUMPUR The political and economic fallout from the Bali bombing hangs like a radioactive cloud over Southeast Asia, poisoning the region long after the sound of the explosion has died away.
The immediate victims were the nearly 200 people, mostly young Western tourists, blown up as they danced on a warm tropical night on a paradise island renowned for its peace, surf and laid-back style.
But the bombing is still taking a toll on regional economic recovery, civil liberties, religious tolerance and relations with the rest of the world.
The blast came on October 12, exactly one year, one month and one day after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, which the United States said had changed the world.
While nobody would make a similar claim for the Bali bombing, it remains the most deadly terrorist attack since those in the US, and dragged Southeast Asia irrevocably into the global terrorism war.
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