My heart goes out to the Nicois at this terrible time. Having just been there, I'm hopeful the wonderful people we met are safe and secure this evening. I can just imagine many people lining the boardwalk, watching the fireworks on Bastille Day. (The reports now say 73 dead)

How incredibly sad!

What terribly sad news. I've seen some of the awful pictures on Twitter - wish I hadn't - and I sincerely hope the death toll doesn't rise, but I fear the worst as reports are saying the driver drove up to 2k into the crowds :( My thoughts are with the friends and families of those poor, innocent people affected by this latest tragedy.

My son was just there with a group from school. Just so sad. They got through the Euro Cup, demonstrations, and strikes pretty well. Then this.

I don't get what the terrorists are trying to achieve? This is the way to achieve it?

Enough of this! It's just heartbreaking. I saw a graphic video on Instagram and like raphaella, wish I hadn't. I cannot imagine one minute enjoying a beautiful, festive evening out with loved ones, and the next - cradling a broken body in my arms. It's unconscionable.

I don't get what the terrorists are trying to achieve? This is the way to achieve it?

*******

Terrorists terrorize, and yes, this is exactly how to achieve it.

The goal of these particular terrorists is exactly what they have stated, both ISIS and Al Qaida: to bring down Europe as it is now and to create a caliphate in its place - a single unified land under religious law and ruled by a caliph (as was the Ottoman Empire before WW1). They also go on constantly about striking the U.S., but this is more problematic. They are very patient and are willing to take a very long time to do this.

Goal #1 now is to wreck tourism - thus the strikes at airports and places of public gatherings both large (Paris, Orlando, Nice) and small (Boston, San Bernardino).

The count is now at 80. My heart aches for the victim's families and friends. I am also thinking of the gracious and welcoming people we met and helped us -- I hope they and their loved ones are safe

84 now. Before I went to bed I heard that children were among the victims who died. And yes, tourism is affected. I know people who have proclaimed that they won't travel to France again or for a long time.

Earlier this month.

Ignored

There are reports of ten children having been killed with a further 50+ children injured. I read also that a whole class of school kids from Germany are as yet unaccounted for :( Absolutely tragic.

And for what?

I am so worn down by all the sadness and cruelty in our world. This event is horrific, as was every act of terrorism and mass killings that preceded it. It feels as if we walk around with a heavy weight over us constantly, just waiting for the next bad thing to happen. I see no end in sight.

Tibbrix -And for what? I don't believe we know for sure at this point but probably for another world religion with a view towards apocalypse… The ego of men! They believe that they can bring on the end of the world and that when they do God will come back to THEM. Why? Because of THE POWER THEY WIELD.... They can kill... They have power over a life and death all that power arrrrrrgh… What a load of hooey. It's a bunch of (generally young) men acting badly and looking for a justification. But it can sure do a lot of damage and kill millions of innocent people along the way. We've seen it for thousands of years now. The God of the people of the book is jealous and apparently intent on murder, at least that is how he is represented in the Talmud, the Bible, and the Koran. Do you invite murderers into your house? I hear most of the millennials are atheists...which should come as a surprise to no one.

And brushworks, I did not ignore Baghdad.

Oh, come on. Is it really necessary to try to turn this thread into a religious debate? I'm not interested in your (or anyone else's) take on books of faith, which many of us hold sacred and dear. People are dead not because of the Talmud, the Bible, or the Koran, but due to the acts of an evil man.

A family member has a caregiver who is Muslim, and she weeps, saying "This is not Islam!"

I spent some time watching itele.fr's live stream last night, and I can tell you there were several grieving Muslim families on the Promenade des Anglais last night. Their children were just as dead as anyone else's.

From BBC:

Among the 84 who died - of which at least 10 are said to be children - was Fatima Charrihi, whose son said she was the first to die.

"All I can say is she wore a veil and practised Islam in the proper way. A real Islam, not the terrorists' version."

It's crazy and no end in sight. It's an insidious attack that we seem to have no idea how to defend against. They embed themselves amongts innocent people and know we'll never just blow them all off the face of the earth. It's so tragic that this aggression and killing of other groups has been going on forever.

Honestly, no soft target is safe. I was participating in an 4th of July parade and was talking with one of the Vietnam veterans we were driving in our Mustangs that really there is no way to prevent someone coming in with a suicide vest or AR-15.

there was no religious "debate" the truck just ran them down.

The God of the people of the book is jealous and apparently intent on murder, at least that is how he is represented in the Talmud, the Bible, and the Koran. Do you invite murderers into your house? I hear most of the millennials are atheists...which should come as a surprise to no one.

Then I have no earthly idea what point you were hoping to convey with these comments.

@texanjana -- this is a beautiful part of the world and you are right not to let fear rule your travels.

Undoubtably, this will have a big impact on tourism. Already tourism was down quite a bit in late June -- combined with the Brexit this is quite a toll on the people. Among the victims were people of all nationalities and creeds.

Sadly, I read that perhaps 50 more people are between "life and death" with half on life support.

Practigal, I think "religion" is what people like this use to convince themselves that their actions are pious. It think the motive is more secular, namely angry young men with no prospects, rejected by women, economically disenfranchised.