generalspeaking

"Elements" in Pakistan

Mumbai is seething with anger, resentment and unappeasable grief. Their government has much to answer for. In its muted response over the years to continual assaults from Islamist terror groups. For not taking sufficient steps to ensure their population is protected. Yes, it's difficult to counter the stealth onslaughts of deadly-minded fanatics, but more must be done to ensure the safety and security of India's people.

By ignoring the breadth of the problem, by taking it on the chin, perhaps hoping the phenomenon will fizzle out, die a natural death of gradual disinterest, that the dedicated jihadis will begin to drift away, becoming sick and tired of their own gruesome bloodletting, India is only setting itself up for a dreadful backlash. Where infuriated Hindus will increasingly target their Muslim-counterpart citizens.

As though the country hasn't enough to keep it concerned about the well-being of its disparate ethnic and religious groups. Where Hindus target Christians, and Sikhs battle with Hindus, and Muslims and Hindus seek one another out to wreak revenge for wrongs real or imagined, past and future. In the process, allowing the terrorist groups to achieve the real victory they're looking for.

To set the vast majority Hindu population against its huge but minority Muslim population. Where the groups were accustomed to living in peace with one another, after the horrible paroxysms of mass killing after partition, they are once again eyeing one another with dire enmity, and succumbing to fears and animosities ending in bloodshed.

That's the true triumph of the dreadful assaults on Mumbai. Where the country looked on in horror as its security forces, its military, its police, proved inept at forecasting the danger that was ahead through an intelligence network, and apprehending it. And where once launched, the combined forces were incapable of swiftly removing the threat.

Granted, terrorists infiltrating themselves into places crowded with people are difficult to isolate and to disarm, but a mere handful of well-armed young jihadis were successful in murdering hundreds of people, wounding far more, and destroying valued historical properties, unsettling an entire population in one of the most populous cities of the world.

Where the police response has come under scrutiny by an angry public, the heroes of the murderous onslaught appeared to be those who have no training in public protection, people such as those employed by the two hotels under attack. From kitchen workers to maintenance staff, they stepped forward calmly, doing their utmost to save people, and succeeding admirably.

Staff of the Taj Mahal Palace hotel were responsible for saving hundreds of guests by their clear thinking, taking them to places of relative safety, and in some instances becoming victims of the attackers because of their efforts for others. While an unprepared military and police are being faulted for lack of intelligence, inadequate response and dilatory action.

A mere handful of fanatics were able to stave off thousands of security, police and military personnel for three long days of holding innocent people hostage to their murderous intent to destroy the confidence and the lives of the people of India. Incredible, and intolerable.

Labels: Terrorism, World Crises

posted by Pieface @ Sunday, November 30, 2008