The terror attack on The Taj Mahal Hotel and The Oberoi-Trident in Bombay—not so much the attack on the Victoria Terminus, though—has seen an explosion of middle-class machismo.
At one level, there is a verbal outrage against the political class as evidenced from TV studio discussions, candle light rallies, and posters and placards. At another level is the slight suggestion of the frustration brimming over.
“Enough is enough,” has been the battle cry on several lips, demanding “action” (short hand for a military strike short of war).
But a dominant strand of discussion has been the United States’ response to the attack on the World Trade Centre towers. “See how well they have guarded themselves. There has not been an attack on their soil for seven years,” is a line that trips off tongues with effortless ease.
“Look at tiny Israel. See how they protect themselves.”
Really?
***
P. Sainath, in today’s Hindu, attacks the notion that India should “learn” from the United States about how to respond to the appalling slaughter in Bombay:
“Look at the USA,” goes the refrain, “after 9/11 has there been another attack on the US?”
“This knocks at the doors of insanity. The US “response” does stand out as worth learning from. There is very little it did not get wrong.
“It launched two wars, one against a country that had not a single link to the events of 9/11. Close to a million human beings have lost their lives in that response. That includes 4,000 US troops in Iraq and nearly 1,000 in Afghanistan. That is apart from several hundred thousand Iraqis losing their lives. Countless Afghans die each month, as one of the world’s poorest States sinks deeper into devastation. Millions have suffered dislocation and deprivation….
“There are other lessons. Almost every week now, the US bombs some part of Pakistan—its firm ally of decades. Civilians are routinely killed by this…. The media too have much to learn. The “embedded journalism” that disgraced some of America’s leading media institutions…. The damage of whipped up hysteria with the United States…. The barbaric prison camp at Guantanamo from where several prisoners have been released as innocent after years of brutal torture.
“Inside the United States, the curbing of civil liberties—a vital 9/11 response—was at its worst since the McCarthy period. The Patriot Act was just one symbol of these. And Geroge W. Bush now ranks among the most despised US Presidents of all time. “
Read the full article: Why the United States got it wrong
Please please don’t quote P Sainath. First show me how many times he has written against facist attacks on press in Left ruled West Bengal, Kerala. Or for that matter, in China. Average Person in USA enjoys much much more liberty, freedom than anywhere in the world.
Now, coming onto the issue: It was really great to see willy Pranab Mukherjee (who is said to have celebrated destruction of Babri with celebration in his Delhi house :)) competing, rather surpassing Advani in fixing Pakistan inside Parliament.
Its stuff of the legend that are rarest of the rare.
Add another thing to the caption: Had Sardar not been there, Nehru would have granted special rights to Hyderabad as well.
Nehru gave Kashmir. SP Mookerjee has the last laugh.
The Hindu can never write anything good about India or US. It is a moth piece for china.
Typical donkey twaddle from Sainath! Even he cannot dodge his responsibility as a journalist. So I have copied the last paragraph of his commentary here below.
..”There is a need for a strong and vigorous response to the appalling outrage in Mumbai. Parts of what that should be are obvious: bringing the guilty to book, revamping the intelligence networks, overhauling a range of security agencies, being more prepared. It is no less vital, though, that the immediate response also be to deny the authors of the outrage the success of their goal. To ensure that further polarisation within Mumbai society along religious, sectarian lines does not occur. To make sure that innocent people are not killed or terrorised in the “response.” To dump the notion that shredding civil liberties and democratic rights helps anybody in any way. Shred chauvinism and jingoism, not the Constitution of India. To strongly counter those attempting to foment communal strife, regardless of which religion they belong to. To see there is no repeat of 1992-93 when close to a quarter of a million people fled the city in terror. That would a great reply. But to learn from Mumbai’s events that we should emulate America’s response — at the very time Americans are figuring out how poorly they were served by it — would be to repeat history both as tragedy and as farce….”
I never thought he was worth anything and I am continuously reminded of my own good opinion of him! What a moron?!!
Probably we should shove this down the throats of “strategic analysts” who goes gung ho about FBI’s involvement this time around.
We as a nation has wholeheartedly accepted the incompetence of our agencies and is now going ga-ga over FBI in India.
This is quite contrary to the new found love for our “jawans and commandos”
After all how many of these people came out in public to support the Jawans when they asked for a pay rise, couple of months ago?
This attack has not only polarised our society but has brought forth a barrage of opinions which will put anyone to shame.
Guantanamo is bad, terrible but it pales in comparison to the torture centers and interrogation and detention centers in countries like Saddam’s Iraq, Iran, former USSR, etc. etc.. Inmates who are unfortunate enough to have been in both camps (Guantanamo and a dictatorship’s torture center) testify that Guantanamo is a walk in the park in comparison..
DB
Alri… Sainathu neevu quote madiro paragraphnalli enu badkotidare antane gottagollvalla :)
As someone said, chindu is just a media front for china.. Churumuri, stop quoting from chindu .. it’s views are utter rubbish!
Churmuri and Chindu have a mutual admiration campaign running betwee them. P Sainath should preach this tolearance to his father land China and advise them not to persecute the peaceful tibetians and see their reaction.
>>And Geroge W. Bush now ranks among the most despied US Presidents of all time. “
>>
This sentence takes the cake…nay the bakery.
What a pathetic loser this sainath is.
“Soon to come on Churmuri, a post bashing the hindutva brigade”.
Churmuri of late is becoming so predictable and boring. Time to spice it up :) and for christ sake stop publishing this half baked commie theories. Communism is passe, try to move on with your life and try not to get stuck like a old gramaphone record in commie theories.
Mr.Sainath should stick to droughts and Magsaysay awards.
Does he know what was the provocation Indira Gandhi had for banishing our freedom between 1975 and 1977? Was there a 9/11 attack on India in 1975? Why talk of conditions worse than Mcarthyism in US. Mr.Sainath’s heart cries out for Pak perpetrators of terror, but not for the Indian victims.
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. In a war like situation, the US of A has successfully defended American Interests. But, India has miserably failed to do so. Therefore, it is better that India takes initiative and emulates the US initiative rather than wait for green signal from the developed countries.
While we may or may not agree with the methods of the United States, let us not get too carried away in our arm chair-hind sight giri – especially when we have no cogent ideas or effective responses of our own, and have absolutely nothing to show by as a matter of record.
Whether good or bad, US/West’s response is the only actionable response to the omnipresent Islamic terrorism out there. Being the first mover on the issue, may be they got some things right and may be they got many more things wrong. but that does not take away from the fact they were largely successful in pointing out the underbelly, shallowness and the tribal jingoistic nature of the middle-eastern world.
In anycase, the west is governed by nurtured a system that is dynamic and nimble enough to recalibrate their own response.
The only reason transgression of individual liberties in the west is abhorrent and invokes self righteous condescension by the likes of sainath, is because only the west actually implemented it, made it a norm and propagated the myth of individual liberty. China monitors which websites you visit, and how many kids you can have. The question of human rights does not even arise in china. Transgression of human rights is a matter of self-righteous indignation of critics world over only because the west has actually implemented these rights. These critics themselves live in a world that is blinded by its own houri or secular theories.
Contrast the western system with response within the Middle Eastern world. They are so static and so convinced about the absolutes of their own worldview that are pivoted on the tribal norms of 700 AD, that there are hardly any signs of a living system and hardly any signs of recalibration and introspection. There is nothing in that entire system which betrays any confidence that is worthy of emulation.
That brings us to our own response to terrorism, which has gone on unceasingly since 1947.
Sure, I will heed to your warnings on nationalistic jingoism. First, let me experience your unequivocal, unyielding opposition to Islamic jingoism. Show me that you have cogent and effective responses to address jingoism of the ummah. Show me that you believe in the supremacy, justice and politics embodied in the constitution of India. Show me that you are unequivocally willing to stand up to it and the correction mechanisms encoded within it. Show me that you really believe in the rational comity of the contemporaries and will not yield to any regressive ideology and will not use it to justify any act to undermine the secularism, no matter when it originated – 5000 BC or 700 AD.
First show me that you are unwavering and unequivocal in tackling all forms of subversive ideologies. Show me some action. And that was the crux of the initial reaction in Mumbai. Instead, in continuing the glorious tradition of arm chairing of Indian secularism and Indian intelligencia, you have managed to raise a bogey man of Indians calling for US like response, as if that was the sum total of all that was said and expressed, and managed to shadow box it.
What about the cynical vote bank counting response of the Congress and the overarching leadership of Indian intelligencia, including Sonia Gandhi and URA, who presided over it?
Convince me that I am wrong and my fears are misplaced. Convince me that there is a cogent secular response that is willing to stand up to the secularism that it swears by. So far, all I see are efforts to cover up the jingoism of the ummah. So far all I see are enormous efforts to bend and distort empirical experience and create cognitive dissonance by distorting the experiences of ordinary Indians. No No No you might be getting blasted and terrorized but it is not because those who terrorize you are bad but because hey are wronged. You might have have done nothing wrong yourselves, but you still need to bend over backwards till you submit to the will and happiness of the ‘wronged’.
All that Indian intelligencia has managed to is statis and status quo induced from armchairgiri and theory peddling to pyscho manipulate the empirical common sensical experience of ordinary Indians. They themselves have nothing concrete to offer other than words. Why? Because their theory rely on blaming the victims rather than the terrorists. Muslims of Mumbai had a more realistic and human response to all this. They refused cremation of these terrorists on the same pedestal that ordinary patriotic Indian muslims were honored in.
Jingoism of nationalists is far more secular, temporal, and localized and thus rational than the jingoism of the ummah. More over nationalist jingoism is based on realism of what is possible and experienced. and so nationalist jingoism is far more benign than ummah jingoism.
i may not have been directly effected by sunnis and shias kicking out the ahmediyas in mangalore. but all the ideals of secularism were surely raped in that event. all i want to see is seculars of india to be true to their won secularism and stand upto the rights of the ahmediyas against the tyranny of the majority.
Vinay>>Guantanamo is bad, terrible but it pales in comparison to the torture centers and interrogation and detention centers in countries like Saddam’s Iraq, Iran, former USSR, etc. etc..
Sahi bola sir- Soviet, CHinese Gulas pale in comparison.
———
What we can say, congress is now unnerved by jehadi terrorism, in many ways, its own creation, that many of its leaders justifies.
This unnerving started with Modi appearingin South Mumbai and giving a crisp lecture. Anti-Pakistan stand by Congress and Govt started from that moment.
At last its forced to take strong action which BJP has been asking to do since the very beginning.
Morale of the story is: COngress takes action when its about to loose vote. Whether its Jehadi terrorism or illegal Bangladeshi infiltration in Assam. At least pretend to act- only time will tell whether they can act.
Why should India need green signal from other countries to safeguard its interests? Politicians should not interfere when the government takes stern measures. Religion and such other considerations should be set aside.
“Emulating the US initiative” is easier said than done in India’s context. The US of A is happily located thousands of kilometers away from the badlands of Afghan-PAK and the Arab world. India needs to think of the consequences of outright war with Nuclear-enabled TSP (Terrorist State of Pakistan). This is why emulating the US is not as simple as it sounds. I found in an article, the following suggestions to screw TSP. Not all of them are viable, but some of them certainly seem attractive. I have taken the liberty of briefly listing the points here:
Identify the major export items of Pakistan (like Basmati rice, carpets etc) and provide zero export tax or even subsidize them for export from India.
Identify the major countries providing arms to Pakistan and arm twist them. Tell Brazil and Germany (currently planning to supply massive defense items to Pakistan) that it will impact their ability to invest in India. Tell Germany that retail license to Metro will be off and other existing projects will be in jeopardy.
Tell American companies that for every 5% increase in FDI limit for them, their government needs to reduce equipping Pakistan by $5 billion. Remember, international economics is politics by another name.
Create assets to print/distribute their currency widely inside their country. To some extent, Telgi types can be used to outsource this activity. Or just drop their notes in remote areas.
Pressurise IMF to add additional conditionality to the loans given to them or at least do not vote for their loans.
Create assets within Pakistan to destabilize Karachi Stock market – it is already in shambles.
Cricket and Bollywood are the opium of the Indian middle classes. Both have been adequately manipulated/ controlled by the D-company since the eighties. Chase the D-company money in cricket/ Bollywood and punish by burning D-assets in India instead of trying to have them auctioned by the IT department when nobody comes to bid for it.
Encourage and allow scientists/ academicians/ elites of Pakistan to opt for Indian passport and widely publicize that fact since it will hurt their self-respect and dignity. It is rumored that Adnan Sami wants one. Do not give passports to all – make it a prized possession. Let it hurt the army and ISI controlled country. This one step will destroy their identity and self-confidence.
Discourage (I would say prevent, not discourage) companies from India from investing in Pakistan, particularly IT companies, till Pakistan stops exporting its own IT (international terrorism).
Americas role in Mumbai attack?
now that american economy is in trouble…make India and Pak go for war ….american arms industry can give a boost to economy!
this is nothing new…in the past americans have resorted to such tactics…
@etvraviraja,
Though it sounds like a juicy conspiracy theory, there is a lot more truth to it.
The best solution to handle Pak is to instigate Israel and make them more afraid of Pak. Somehow we need to convince them that Iran, the nuclear infant is not the threat and Pak with ready-to-fire nukes is the enemy No. 1.
May be we can get some mullah ministers in Pak to say wipe-israel-from-earth type things and give it extra wide publicity. Once Israel gets in USA will be automatically dragged in. Our role would be protect ourselves with everything we got
>>Encourage and allow scientists/ academicians/ elites of Pakistan to opt for Indian passport and widely publicize that fact since it will hurt their self-respect and dignity. It is rumored that Adnan Sami wants one. Do not give passports to all – make it a prized possession. Let it hurt the army and ISI controlled country. This one step will destroy their identity and self-confidenc>>
This suggestion is questionable. Who wants academics and scientists from this Jihadi country to own Indian passports. This would be a sure fire way for AQKhan types to indulge in mischief using the Indian passport. This is akin to the british born 2nd generation pakis using their british passports to get visas for their next terror attack.
Sainath forces me to think deeply;
Who am I?
Am I Hindu? Or am I Secular?
These are important “options” one must think about.
I feel, choosing to be Hindu is endearing and brings me closer to my people. Choosing to be Secular is alienating. How can I be Secular and also be close to my people?
So, what are our people? Hindu or Secular? I believe they are very Hindu. Then, are there no Secular people amongst us? Of course there are, but then, they cannot be Hindu.
Please allow me to explain.
To be Secular, is State policy (Separation of the “Church” from the Temporal) and not man’s natural choice. Think about how easy it is for the Secular State to separate itself from all the organic oneness of the society it supposedly represents. Can its citizens do the same? They can.
Please follow my reasoning….
This brings me to Liberalism. The Liberal ideology is the Natural Citizen’s compromise with the Secular State. Here, the Natural Citizen says to the Secular State;
“Ok, I will surrender my natural strength unto you. I will do this in the belief that you will rule over all of us justly”.
This makes a lot of sense when you think about the fact that both Liberalism and Minority Rights were born at the same times. I.e. At the end of World War Two.
Liberalism as an antidote to Nationalism and Minority Rights as insurance against Majority tyranny. Keeping in mind the peculiar historical backdrop, it even made sense to most people.
However, this was also so obviously “induced” from above and went terribly against our natural human grain. People who knew better then, shut their mouths because…now get this…because it became ***Politically Incorrect*** to question any notion that supported the Natural Citizen’s compromise with the State (Liberalism) and its policy of Minority Rights.
One must realize that it takes sufficient alienation from one’s natural surroundings to “lose” oneself. It is this “loss” of self that makes it OK for a normal human being to surrender himself to the State.
Please follow…
It’s also true that “Individualism” is the mother of Liberal ideology. It is the Natural Citizen’s “progress” from a natural collective into “selfish” individuality that gave him the leeway to allow for a future Liberal compromise, which otherwise would never have happened keeping in mind his larger “duties” to his own natural society.
Now let’s look at where this state of affairs landed us. Here, I believe, the West and India are sailing in the same boat.
Let’s remember three players; The Liberal, The Minority and the Natural Citizen.
Who is the Natural Citizen in the West? – The White Christian Majority. (For the sake of this argument, I’m limiting myself to NA and Europe)
Who is the Natural Citizen in India? – The Hindu Majority.
Who is the Liberal in the US? – Any individualist who has compromised with the State’s policy of Secularism and Minority Rights
Who is the Liberal in India? – Ditto
Who is the inheritor of Minority Rights? – Racial and Religious Minorities respectively.
Please allow me to clarify now.
Minority Rights per se, are not bad at all.
However, in the above scenario; wherein the compromised Liberal has sapped the strength of his Natural Community by taking control of its “brain” and “brawn” as the case might be, and is faced with an Assertive Minority who by definition is not obliged to become a compromised Liberal; it is in this scenario that the Secular State straddled by an emasculated Natural Society led by the compromised Liberal intelligentsia, reaps the whirlwind.
Today’s Liberal West and India, amongst other Liberal regimes, are faced with a very assertive Minority which in itself is propelled by a definitive program to overcome and overthrow Natural Societies inimical and/or even different from/to its wavelength.
It is my conviction that Mohammed created a Nation. The Ummah. No matter where and howsoever widespread and “different”, they have a common thread running through them. Not even their internecine quarrels and killings, can break this thread.
This is important. Muslims are NOT Liberals. Not even when they are the Natural Citizens (Majorities). That is why they remain in control of their lands and they cannot get along with seemingly “Islamic” governments that threaten their Natural Societies. (See – Saudi Arabia for instance, where the Royalty (The State) has compromised with the Wahabis. They needed this compromise to be able to continue holding American Liberal hands.)
Connexion –
***Sainath – “Pre-war Iraq was the Arab country most ruthless towards Islamic fundamentalists.”
– Correction – This Arab “State” was most ruthless because its Natural Community would not compromise itself without a fight.****
The Muslim Assertive Minorities will not compromise with Natural Non-Muslim Majorities because, first, they are not obliged to (Minority Rights and Liberalism being enablers) and second, they are obliged, by the impulses of their “own” Natural Community, to overawe the Non-Muslim Majority. It is their bounden duty to do so. It’s natural condition. Not a conspiracy.
The West (NA & EU) has in fact, bigger problems. Liberals are in a Majority within the White Majority. Muslims are assertive no doubt, but they are not the only Assertive Minority. There are Hispanics, Blacks, North Africans and Turks etc. Non-Muslim Asians may fall under the Non-Assertive Minority bracket.
India is fortunate to have a “Conservative” Majority within the Natural Majority. Here, Liberals are in a Minority. Our problem then, is that our “Conservative” Majority is still inarticulate and lacks leadership, and so, is easily led by the nose by the Liberal intelligentsia. We have our Non-Assertive Minorities too, in the Parsees and Christians to a lesser extent.
Connexion –
Sainath – Provides further proof of Natural Hindu Conservatism when he worries about rage and repercussions post Mumbai, in India.
**”It is no less vital, though, that the immediate response also be to deny the authors of the outrage the success of their goal. To ensure that further polarisation within Mumbai society along religious, sectarian lines does not occur. To make sure that innocent people are not killed or terrorised in the “response.”” **
How is all this relevant to this thread? We must imbibe “action orientedness” from the US no doubt, but both our problems have deeper causes. Unless and until the cause is not tamed as observed above, no amount of “action orientedness” will help.
Connexion –
***Sainath – “A lot of Pakistan’s distress arises from the very kind of strategic ties with the United States that India’s elite would so love to have themselves.”
– There is some truth here. A Liberal establishment led Secular Indian State tying up with the US, another such State, is in danger of becoming its handmaiden. (Conservative Hindu India must determine goal before taking the plunge.) Right now, I have no cause to see the BJP as different from the Congress. Basic Instincts apart.
– While the US went headlong, without determining root cause, into war, Liberal Sainath prescribes a watered down “domestic” version of the same drug. “There is a need for a strong and vigorous response to the appalling outrage in Mumbai. Parts of what that should be are obvious: bringing the guilty to book, revamping the intelligence networks, overhauling a range of security agencies, being more prepared.”
Aside: Sainath, wherein he castigates the NYT for lecturing India thus – ““India will have to look inward to see where and how its government failed to protect its citizens.”
– The exact same stance of Sainath’s own tribe.
Aside: Sainath – “Inside the United States, the curbing of civil liberties — a vital 9/11 response — was at its worst since the McCarthy period. The Patriot Act was just one symbol of these. And Mr. Bush now ranks among the most despised U.S. Presidents of all time. (Though he did succeed, in another constituency, in bringing more popularity to Osama bin Laden than Al-Qaeda’s leader could have dreamed of.)”
– McCarthy’s Commie hunt provides unceasing grist to Liberal mills even today. Is it so strange to believe that the Liberal always will target his Natural Society’s very natural instinct toward self preservation? Which is what McCarthy’s drive against Communist fifth column was and the Patriot Act is.
This, the Liberal Sainath does, all the while blaming the Natural Society’s response as being responsible for its enemies growing “popularity”. In one word – Blackmail.
Enough said!
What next? What of us Hindus? We have a little time. Just enough time before our Natural Society’s Conservative Majority is overwhelmed by despondency in its awakening leadership.
Hopefully, this leadership retains the stamina and cunning to outrun and outmaneuver the Liberal upstart. Refreshingly, I can see this leadership springing from any side of the Center-Right political spectrum.
TS,
A super reply to Sainath’s column!
Full of wit and some secular wisdom. These lines were my favorite: …”All that Indian intelligencia has managed to is statis and status quo induced from armchairgiri and theory peddling to pyscho manipulate the empirical common sensical experience of ordinary Indians. They themselves have nothing concrete to offer other than words. Why? Because their theory rely on blaming the victims rather than the terrorists. Muslims of Mumbai had a more realistic and human response to all this. They refused cremation of these terrorists on the same pedestal that ordinary patriotic Indian muslims were honored in….”
Should any country learn best practices from another country? Sure. Learn and then adapt it to suit your local condition.
So are practices followed in every other country perfect? No, especially when we talk about security.
So does not mean we think we do not have to learn from anybody? Absolutely not.
Why make such a big song and dance about it?
For America it is easy to prevent such islamic jihadi attacks, because after 9/11 every person who enters USA having a brown or dark skin/dark beard/headgear/arabic features is being prodded & examined with a large barge pole before allowing him inside.
How can u tell the difference between a Pakistani/Bangladeshi/Srilankan if he is sitting just beside in lalbagh.
So what is P Sainath suggesting here? Learn from Somalia and everyone convert to Islam to save themselves? He is using the usual tactics of America bashing of starting with 9/11 and end with Iraq.
There is no question. America is highly successful in curbing Islamofascism. There is not a single attack on American soil since its first attck on 9/11. Which is quite contrary to India, which has had more than 4000 attacks after its first experience in 80s.
We can either accept the reality and fetch your hands to US and Israel for help or be arrogant and suicidal and stay the way we are. Likes of P Sainath are of no practical use other than their usual ideological rants.
Tarlesubba : You have rightly pointed out Ahmadiya issue. I disagree we are not affected directly. We all are affected because it emboldens Jehadi Islamism in India. And sooner or later, we are in jeopordy, if not already.
Ahmadiyas are most moderate, educated Muslims. Respected Physicist Dr Abdus Salam had to flee Pakistan when Jamat-E-Islami (with whom Yechuri recently launched movement) launched anti-ahmediya movement in Pakiland in early 1950s. His hometown Jhung is now hotbed of worst kind of terrorist group Lashkar-E-Jhengvi.
Not only in mangalore, birth centenary of Amhadiya’s religious head was banned by Andhra Govt of YSR. Congress can do anything for appease Jehadis- little care for rule of law. And sooner or later, its going to backfire, if not already.
——
Vinay: Congrats for the set of suggestions you made to bleed Pakistan.
Unfortunately, even after bleeding so much, we are behaving as a soft state. Unless we confront this evil of Jehadi Islamism- political Islam, and its breeding ground of pakistan- we cannot make any progress.
Once again, let me emphasize Indian media is little aware of the root, goal of political Islam- Islamists, Jehadis.
They suffer from a peculiar mindset- exposing, condemning jehadi islam as if is bad for Indian Muslims. But they shout from the top of their voice- terrorism is not related with religion.
Recently, I had a chance to go thro a book that documents some representative writings of Bin Laden, Azzam (his terror guru), Al Jawahiri etc. If you get a chance, pls go thro’ this- it will open your eyes what these guys want:
“Al Qaeda in Its Own Words”.
Please!
The most fundamental right is the right to live! And the government’s foremost duty is to protect that!
Some people can never be pleased, we should learn to ignore them. P Sainath would take any position that doesn’t involve mimicking the US.
George W. Bush Jr. secured the United States – the US went right after the root – Osama Bin Laden, and the Taliban.
There were at least 3 major attempts made on the WTC – only the September 11 attacks succedeed (the first attack was similar to what happened in Mumbai, but was disrupted cos of capture of terrorists before it happened). The first two attacks were in 1993, and finally the 2001.
The US did bomb afghanistan/terror camps after 1993 – but it wasnt enuf. After 2001, it went to the root – and hasnt faced a major attack after it.
Why? It strengthened defence and offence.
It killed most of the Al-Qaeda leadership and strengthened security at home.
Everyone can crib a hell of a lot about the US – but it is a lot more secure from, vigilant against terrorist attacks than before – and the security checks are very streamlined. Pass thru US airports, and compare the same v/s other airports of the world – see the difference in streamlined security!
Can anybody tell why both Tamil Nadu and Kerala are practically free from terrorist attacks? It might reveal some disturbing truth that explains why ‘The Hindu’ is so coy in its reports
The suggestions of IIMB prof Vaidyanathan,save a couple of them( posted by Vinay) are really worthy of putting into practice. I dont know whether it still holds but I remember India gave ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status under the WTO accord. WTF is the justfictaion for this?
BTW, interesting survey in TOI. Chennai and Blore have scored top on nationalism quotient. One more reason why northies should not be allowed to deal with Pakis! I have not seen many NI strategists talking about countering Pakis without bawling about their ‘estranged brothers’.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Snap_ties_with_Pakistan_Indians/articleshow/3823174.cms
TS, hats off.. Gem of a reply
Sainath’s editorial was one of the best on Mumbai terror attack with new insights. Media house in India have become mouth piece for corporate world. Hindu is the newspaper maintaining its credibility and publishing issues of national importance. I am shocked to see so much of outburst against Sainath and Hindu. Not only Stiglitz, evel Allan Greenspan ex-chiarman of FBI has severely criticized US invasion of IRAQ.
India should not follow the imperialistic mindset of the US.
Vasanth, I hope you can explain “Imperialistic mindset”.
What are the war-aims of the US in Iraq, according to you?
In so far as The Hindu is concerned, please explain how you can trust a rag that lambasts the US in Iraq but gloats over China in Tibet and supports China on Taiwan.
friends,
It is practically not possible to learn everything at a short interval from U.S.A.
The first and the foremost thing which we have to learn from USA or any other developed contries is to elect and select well educated people for the parliament or assembly in INDIA.
It is shocking to know that non of the political leaders of national parties whisper of selecting candidates on the basis of educational qualification. How is it practically possible to protect the country when our so called leaders do not have basic knowledge about AK-47 or any other latest arms and amunitions. Foreign treaties or international law is far from their understanding level….. except few.
In a democratic system like INDIA we have do depend on parliament or assembly for any new law.When most of our politicians are uneducated how can our politician understand bio- war,neuclear war etc and pass new law or allot required budget to ensure safety to ordinary citizen.
So,till we have all educated/qualified parliamentarians thinking of safe INDIA is near to impossible.
wait. isn’t that what LeT is doing? Fighting for Kashmir’s independence with AK-47s?
for P. Sainath
sabse phle charan sparsh.kyonki aap mere adarsh ho.aap 1 bar balumath aaye the rural devlopment par kitab likhne ke silsile me.aap se mujhe patrkarita me jane ki prerna mili.main Nrendra choubey ka bhanja hun.GGSIPU Delhi se Master of Mass Media kar rhan hun.aapse milne ki bhut jigysa hai.
RAHUL