It is impossible for us to know what effect the whole Homeland security business has had in managing the likelihood of another terror attack. It is the unfortunate process of the government to keep everything a big secret and to tell us about the occasional arrest of some purported terrorist cell. In looking at the airport security, I doubt that much has been accomplished by all the billions that have been sent. The airport security takes away a one inch blade on a wine opener then the airline gives you a five inch metal knife in First Class plus a fork. They take your shoes and search old ladies for some unknown reason. But not at every airport.

One thing the billions have done is let the government continue to scare as many people as possible. Rule by fear is sure effective. What on earth is an "orange level"? No one knows or cares but the announcement over the PA gets everyone's attention that there is something sinister going on.

And the $35,000/year rent-a-cops are there to save us. 1/20/09.

You are a proven lunatic or a colonial hangover who liked to have his bare brown ass baked by the indian sun.

Here we have over 100+ killed indiscriminately irrespective of religion, creed or nationality and all you can dig is colonial attitude.

Even now we have 7 separate independent channels ALL blaming corrupt politicians, dumb shit local administration, careless and poor planning and every other murderer who got his palms greased.

And we have 41 different national newspapers clamoring for every damn minister's resignation.

And we have 82 FM radio stations all interviewing and relaying random on-road comments on this and people's anger on this.

If there was any agenda of the terrorists, it was to probably take down as much as they can.

If there is any agenda of our stupid government in this, it is probably to let this one also slide and continue to act as if nothing has happened.

Its a good thing we have elections coming up in 5 months.

We have a pretty good idea whom to throw out and whom to bring into power.

And its a good thing for Pakistan that it is democratic now.

Frenzied X-mas shoppers

Zealous terrorist berserkers

The Whys of Mumbais

Herds of NY holdiay shoppers

Taj shopping malls

Stampeded to death

Wal-mart workers...

Once again, we see all the expected kneejerk responses:

Newspapers calling for war and vengeance, US intelligence blaming it on their favorite "bad guys", fearful and angry voices calling for suspension of democracy. It sounds all too much like Rummy and Bush blaming the Iraqi's hours after the 9/11 attacks. Two years later, most Americans still mistakenly believed Iraq was involved.

After almost a week, this is what little we know about the attackers: They were young, arrived by inflatable craft from the sea, wore Versace casual clothes, and one of them carried credentials from the African East Coast country of Mauritania. Could they not be Indian Ocean Pirates carrying out vengeance on India for the recent gunboat attack on their Mother Ship? Such a group would possess the mobility, armament, brazeness AND motive for retribution on India. If that were the case, then the hatred, threats, schemes, and plans directed toward Pakistan go up in smoke.

And nobody wants that, do they?

if the 180+ people killed were lower-class Indians and not rich people, would there be as much coverage and discussion?

If the world wasn't watching India's reaction, would the 7 independent channels, and 41 newspapers and 82 FM radio stations be filling the airwaves with talk of this tragedy?

Were the airwaves full of this outrage during the 2006 bombings? I can tell you, the rest of the world might have shown some concern/interest, but not as much as there is now.

That being said, Deeply Imbedded should understand that the way this attack was done is likely what is causing the reaction - as it was mentioned (in the article, I think), this attack was not a bomb in a garbage can, it was an invasion that caught the police and defense personnel with their pants down.

It's also a testament to the way India is being viewed by the world - that is, as a country that is starting to become part of "the club". If a similar attack happened in Pakistan or Bangladesh, do you think the world would care as much? Probably not. We'd say something stupid like "oh those backward people".

Thousands of people are dying in Iraq, and Afghanistan and in the Congo and in Somalia and in the Sudan and in Georgia and in Zimbabwe and in Haiti but we don't give a hoot, because those countries are part of the club.

India used to be on the outside, but now it seems that we gave them membership so it's OK to care about them (well, only the rich Indians, anyway) - see guys, you don't need oil for the world to care about you; all you need a Louis Vuitton store!

of you Sandip for you to write this 'turn the other cheek' letter in an elite hyper liberal magazine. You should get a Nobel Peace Prize for not giving into the lowest common denominator. Of course one of your family member wasnt killed so its for you to write touchy feely feel good articles about the terrorists.

Most of the people who died who ordinary poor Indians whose families most probably lost their sole breadwinners. In country like India where there is no such thing as Medicare and Medicaid such a loss is very very devastating....ok I would understand your point if they just targeted the rich and elite in these fancy hotels (not that I condone it) but why kill the poor? do they have any control over how the Indian govt enacts policies over Muslims in India. Whats that I hear you say? they are collateral damage, is that right? of course that is the standard default answer for anything that doesnt go right. Many Muslims in India are uneducated, but that isnt the Indian govt fault. A lot of them, they want to have many wives and children, and whenever the govt tries to put in a law to outlaw polygamy, they come out with their swords to threaten the populace with civil war. Indian govt cant force all of them to go to school and get an education.

the fact of the matter is that the Indian govt became lax with security. thats the issue here. nothing else. India needs to teach Pakistan a lesson and beef up its own security. for too long Indians have kept quiet.