• The Mumbai attacks show the moribund state of our intelligence networks. We can no longer predict attacks nor work out a mechanism to prevent terror, let alone implement such a mechanism to root out terror. We’ve now become the victims of endless terror. It’s no longer a question of if, but merely when and where, the next devastating attack will come. After an attack, there’ll be the usual platitudes from politicians and then things will be back to square one: that is, another attack.

Salute them

• Hats off to Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad chief, Hemant Karkare, Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and the other police officials killed during the fighting on Wednesday night. Praise should also be given to the Indian Navy and Coast Guard who managed to apprehend M.V. Alpha — the ship believed to have carried the terrorists and ammunitions into Mumbai waters — and started investigating the crew members.

Indian politicians of all different parties should shun the an appeasement policy and start acting tough. The meltdown, financial crunch and elections are all secondary issues. The first priority is tackling terrorism.

— Kulbhushan Kanwar

Chandigarh

TV, framed

• I am pained and shocked to see the grossly irresponsible attitude of the television news channels which continued to beam live telecast of the commando rescue operations. They must have been aware that television broadcasts are now fully available even on mobile phones. This could seriously hamper the effectiveness of the operations and the lives of people trapped inside.

Now that the 24-hour television news channels have perforce become a very visible part of our social space, it would do well for all of them to at least be sensitive and sensible enough towards the larger goals of our country and be able to check misguided zeal.

Further, the government also needs to firm up a detailed action plan and procedure for different bodies, including all media, in such emergencies.

— Rahul Gaur

Gurgaon

Be united

• The latest Mumbai terror attack has left the entire nation shocked. Post-attack, as usual, the same rhetoric will be heard. Now the time is not for asking questions, but to find urgent and meaningful answers. But how is that possible when the political parties are not interested in national security? The common people just want to know how long the political parties will continue to play with the lives of the ordinary people.

When will we learn to unite as one nation?

— Samir Talati

Pune

Lost tigers

• Mumbai burned this week. Where was Raj Thackeray through it all? He says he owns Maharashtra. He challenged a police officer to come out into the streets of Mumbai to find out to whom the city belongs.

Where was the “tiger” when police officers were dying defending Mumbai?

— N. Kunju

Delhi