Thursday 14 July 2011
Obama condemns "outrageous" Mumbai attacks
Again. 2003, 2006, 2008, 2011. These are the years of terrorist attacks in Mumbai in the last decade.
Yesterday, they struck a crowded bazaar, a bus stop and at Opera House, a diamond district. On a personal level, they struck close to home. Opera House is 500 meters from where I live. In 2008, Ajmal Kasab was captured a kilometer from my house. Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of Mumbaikers at one time or another can claim such proximity to an attack.
Indian authorities have responded but India isn’t Israel. In India, we realize that our security measures are pretty much a joke and will always be inadequate. To go to the mall, we go through a security pat down. A security guard, often a kind old man, waves a wand. It always beeps. We explain the beep away, saying it’s our mobile or wallet. He smiles and lets us in.
Security is a charade and we all play our role. It’s true at the mall, the hospital, office buildings, government offices, hotels and the like. There is little alternative. The stream of people going into any of these places would overwhelm any security apparatus.
After 11/26, the date Mumbai was held hostage by 10 Pakistani terrorists, the Mumbai police bought Marksman armored vehicles that look like a cross between a tank and a Humvee. In urban India, they are bathed in green, jungle camouflage, making them stand out. The imposing (and most often parked) vehicles typically have Mumbai policemen nearby, sitting idly on chairs twiddling with their mobile phones. They have machine guns sitting next to them, just within arm’s reach. At least we hope.
US President Barack Obama today condemned as "outrageous" the attacks in Mumbai and offered support to bring the perpetrators of the "terrible crimes to justice".
"I strongly condemn the outrageous attacks in Mumbai," Obama said in a statement.
"India is a close friend and partner of the United States. The American people will stand with the Indian people in times of trial, and we will offer support to India''s efforts to bring the perpetrators of these terrible crimes to justice," he added.
"During my trip to Mumbai, I saw firsthand the strength and resilience of the Indian people, and I have no doubt that the India will overcome these deplorable terrorist attacks," he said.
Yesterday, they struck a crowded bazaar, a bus stop and at Opera House, a diamond district. On a personal level, they struck close to home. Opera House is 500 meters from where I live. In 2008, Ajmal Kasab was captured a kilometer from my house. Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of Mumbaikers at one time or another can claim such proximity to an attack.
Indian authorities have responded but India isn’t Israel. In India, we realize that our security measures are pretty much a joke and will always be inadequate. To go to the mall, we go through a security pat down. A security guard, often a kind old man, waves a wand. It always beeps. We explain the beep away, saying it’s our mobile or wallet. He smiles and lets us in.
Security is a charade and we all play our role. It’s true at the mall, the hospital, office buildings, government offices, hotels and the like. There is little alternative. The stream of people going into any of these places would overwhelm any security apparatus.
After 11/26, the date Mumbai was held hostage by 10 Pakistani terrorists, the Mumbai police bought Marksman armored vehicles that look like a cross between a tank and a Humvee. In urban India, they are bathed in green, jungle camouflage, making them stand out. The imposing (and most often parked) vehicles typically have Mumbai policemen nearby, sitting idly on chairs twiddling with their mobile phones. They have machine guns sitting next to them, just within arm’s reach. At least we hope.
US President Barack Obama today condemned as "outrageous" the attacks in Mumbai and offered support to bring the perpetrators of the "terrible crimes to justice".
"I strongly condemn the outrageous attacks in Mumbai," Obama said in a statement.
"India is a close friend and partner of the United States. The American people will stand with the Indian people in times of trial, and we will offer support to India''s efforts to bring the perpetrators of these terrible crimes to justice," he added.
"During my trip to Mumbai, I saw firsthand the strength and resilience of the Indian people, and I have no doubt that the India will overcome these deplorable terrorist attacks," he said.
