I am just reading about the mumbai attacks and I am really sad. Almost hundred people dead and many injured.. I cannot believe that this is happening. May be I am missing my facts here...
How easy is it to target a city, especially the financial capital of India? Mumbai, which has borne the brunt of many terrorist attacks now, will as usual be quick to get back on its feet.
Are we learning from past attacks? Are we doing everything we can to prevent such attacks? Are we equipping our police departments to handle such attacks in the future?
Our government has to learn from the West and start taking more proactive measures. It is not enough to beef up security after the blast. Most of us forget about the blasts within a few weeks. I pause for a moment and think about that. Terror attacks have become so common place in our country, that we accept it and move on very quickly. That is a sad indictment of the state of affairs in our country.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
8 comments:
I agree. A rude shock to our state of preparedness. Chinks in our armour have shown up .
Interesting follow-ups on security situation and what needs to be done on
The Indian Express
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/deadly-confusion/391988/
The Pioneer
http://www.dailypioneer.com/137553/Clueless-India-fumbles-again.html
Fareed Zakaria on how we need to make the muslims a part of the economic boom to prevent them from becoming disillusioned and partnering with the militants
http://www.newsweek.com/id/171006
Yes very disappointing.
I felt the worst when I heard a CNN analyst say that muslim extremists are attacking the weakest and most unprepared countries (India) to get at western folk... Its all about them, is'nt it?! Grrr....
The lack of co-ordination between the different security forces is disappointing. Was this the first time, that NSG, state police departments and army/navy got involved?
Like the author in Indian Express, I am surprised that NSG personnel and others were being interviewed. It is well known that some TV channels can go to desperate levels to get interviews(I cannot digest some of the videos aired on NDTV during such calamities). One would presume that elite security forces would a)not be put in direct spotlight by a responsible media or b)have some media rep to deflect questions..
By the way, look at this article for a completely different perspective on the attack. Though I was aghast at the direct association between BJP and hindu extremism, I think I can't provide a strong counter argument to refute some of the claims(like Advani's involvement and the Gujarat massacres) . May be one of you guys can help me out :-)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081129.DOUG29/TPStory/Comment
Ahh i left out an important point - the author in globeandmail(dsaunders) sees this as more of an internal conflict and not a terror attack. Like many others I have attributed external sources for most terrorist attacks on Indian territory.
Here's why the author has me questioning my traditional belief..: Terrorist organizations(LET or any other mujahiddeens), irrespective of the training grounds, and links to pakistan predominantly recruit locally right? Irrespective of where the funding, training comes from, these locals are Indians... My belief is that some people can be brainwashed using religion, but not all. I do not think that a person will go on a suicide mission if he/she doesn't believe in a cause..
I am not trying to defend terrorists here.. And if it weren't for the godhra and similar regrettable events, I probably would have tried to counter the author's perspective - clearly these attacks were fabricated by hindu fundamentalists..
So is it really a case of Indians vs Indians? Arguments anyone?
There is indeed some substance in the argument that the the author in the the globeandmail makes. But I do not agree that Karkare's death was a planned assasination.
Karkare and his colleagues who died in the attack were working near the VT station when the attach happened there. As members of the Anti-terrorist squad and responsible people that they were , they rushed to VT with automatic weapons .But they were no match for the terrorists who were very heavily armed. As to why a senior officer like him was operating on the ground is still puzzling. But , the fact that remains that he has gone to VT out of his own accord. His helmet was shoddy and his bulletproof vest useless . Look at this article in the Express
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/karkares-response-to-a-death-threat-a-smiley/391325/2
I am not sure if there are any connections with the Malegaon blasts investigation and this attack. Although , it seems like there is a connection , the level of organization does not suggest the involvement of any local hindu groups. An eminent strategist like K Subrhamanyam clearly points out that this is the work of LET . If it is indeed the work of LET why would they want to disrupt an investigation that was indicting Hindus . It was actually beneficial to them.
But the attacks are a blessing in disguise for the BJP and its allies as they can now play the anti-terrorism card to their benefit. It will definitely become a major part of their political rheotric in the days to come !
ahh good insightful comments volume.. do u have any links to the subramaniyam's article?
I think I saw his comments on The Indian Express . I can't find the link now . I will post it as soon as I see it .
New developments :
Home minister has resigned
Pakistan deploys 1,00,000 troops on the Kashmir border in anticipation of an Indian escalation . A possible move to create a deterrence effect so that the Indians don't mobilize at all . Government is under intense pressure to react . How are they going to react ?
Post a Comment