Beyond the horrific reality of the dead and injured in Mumbai from last weeks terrorist attack is the uncertainty of ramped up state tensions between nuclear India and nuclear Pakistan. Pakistani’s weary of home grown terrorists and foreign instigators can sympathize with the fear and revulsion felt by Indians who are stunned by the event. But citizens of Pakistan are indignant about accusations of state involvement in the attack.
Given the weakened condition of the government in Pakistan and the sensitivity from chronic conflict with India, it is hard to draft a rationale describing what benefit the government of Pakistan might have in such dirty dealings.
We must trust that India can take a lesson from US experience with the attack-retribution reflex and find a way to prosecute those who planned this savage crime through police work rather than invasion across borders.
Lamentations on Chemistry 
Gaussling,
Terse post.
The government of Pakistan might not have been involved in these dealings directly, though it rogue intelligence agency just might be.
It is now clear that all the attackers were from Pakistan and were LeT men. The Indian government I don’t think would engage in any sort of a military rejoinder, but we hope they take some drastic measures for internal security. India needs to safeguard itself by a proper combination of good laws, technology, and strong political will. An armed conflict is not the option at all at this stage, it would bleed the economy. We do not want that at this stage, with another hostile neighbor next door (China).
It would be interesting to see the relative positions of the two nations after a period of five years if India is able to keep itself insulated from such distractions and keeps moving ahead at a fair to rapid pace. About 10 years back say at the time of the Kargil war, the situation was different, the Pakistani nation was somewhat more confident, now the Pakistani state is in disarray. It would be interesting to see what would be the position after 5 years.
It is hard to judge from the US just how culpable Indian political leaders were. It is very difficult to stop violence by people who are prepared to fight savagely and die.
I think considerably, but there is now such anger for change, that change seems inevitable. And it is already underway. There has been some “cosmetic change” with powerful ministers resigning owning responsibility. The real change should be bought about soon though.
Having said that, it is indeed very difficult to stop these people. That is what is the supreme challenge. One trouble is that they look like us, same color, same features. Can mix up with locals, makes it very difficult.
Pakistan might like to see India weakened but only if the acts cannot be tied back to them in any way – they can’t fight a conventional war with India, and while a nuke war would end well for no one, but India would probably still exist after one, while Pakistan would not. (Though for how long – ?) I don’t know how much of India’s accusations come from having a convenient target, but I thought that the ISI had a history of instigating attacks in India (the attack on Congress?), and so the accusations may not just be bluster.
This only makes sense to confirmed nihilists with death wishes or with someone with a very large bet on who will start the first nuclear war (where both sides have nukes) in world history.
I am hardly knowledgeable in Indian politics. I just hope that cool heads prevail.
Gaussling said-
“I am hardly knowledgeable in Indian politics”
Today’s comprehensive lesson of Indian politics:
Rule #1 Indians HATE Pakistanis
Rule #2 PakistanisHATEIndians
Goto Rule 1- iterate till all are dead or open up 7-11s in Delaware.
Gordon,
That’s a gross generalization. Your programme is bound to get errors. 😉
On a serious note, I don’t agree with you at all. Would have if you wouldn’t have generalized.
– S
“Would have if you wouldn’t have generalized.”
-So you agree most Indians hate Pakis and most Pakis hate Indians?