Symbolic cartoon from Times of India:
My views...Heartiest tribute to the martyrs, the Police, NSG or Army and victims of the Mumbai attacks.
On 26th November this year, the worst terrorist attack on the Indian soil took place. It was a massacre of Indians and the tourists. The terrorist attacks in India nowadays are becoming a normal phenomenon. There have been more terrorist attacks this time than festivals occurring in India in a year! This exposes the our impotent struggle against terrorism.
After every attack, there are same sequence of events occurring, Government condemns the attack followed by the world and reiterates that India will fight against terrorism, well with a change in voice for every event, media covers the whole event with so called "Breaking News" tag almost every second, ministers visit the site and the victims, express condolence, there are investigations and then dust settles. In all this, its the average Indian who suffers.
After the attacks, there's mounting enormous pressure on the government to act and public outrage. It's to be seen what path the government takes. Seeing the way things are going, looks like the govt. is more inclined to use US pressure which I don't think will make the Pakistanis budge. For simple matter of fact, the so called democratic Government of Pakistan is more like a "Public Relations" section rather than the one which controls the country. The real reins maybe in the Pak Army's hands. India, during Musharraf's regime had to deal with the General who was a single center of power, but now problem is dealing with two entities independent of each other viz., Army and Govt. Zardari's statement is a pointer.
Indian Response:
There has been some public sentiment for controlled military action, but it looks highly unlikely given that any such action will ever take place since there are chances of it to get out of control to full-scale war which will undermine US efforts in west Pakistan which has implications on India as well, given the al Qaeda's influence on terrorists in Pakistan. And any war at this juncture will undo what we've achieved in last 20 years. India may postpone peace talks and CBM's, but I ain't sure if there will be any results. As said earlier, looks like India is trying to build international pressure, especially US pressure on Pakistan. A covert ops might be better option...
