The New York Times
The New York Times observes that the attacks “seem likely to sour relations, fuel distrust and hamper, at least for now, America’s ambitions for reconciliation in the region”. The paper quotes an American official as saying, “If the Indians believe this was Lashkar-e-Taiba and Al Qaeda, as they are suggesting, we could see a crisis like 2002 with enormous pressure to do something. The key will be if the Indians see an ISI hand.”

The Guardian, UK
Former UN secretary-general Shashi Tharoor writes that bombs cannot destroy India and if the attacks lead to the demonisation of the country’s Muslims, the terrorists will have won. Author Suketu Mehta answers the question of why terrorists keep attacking Mumbai—because, he says, it is where money is made. In addition to expert comment on “India’s 9/11”, The Guardian has a live blog tracking every move of the commandos.

The Jerusalem Post, Israel
Israeli officials have criticised India for ‘mishandling’ the situation, but ironically, the ties between India and Israel— which is also grappling with Islamist terror—have been cemented further by the attack on Mumbai, writes Herb Keinon. Observing that terrorism has become war, not just sporadic attacks, the paper calls for a turnaround in the world's response to it.

Time, US
Talking of the “huge gap between Muslims and Hindus”, Aryn Baker writes that the inter-communal crisis has been 150 years in the making. The article concludes that a sense of persecution defines the Muslim identity in India today even as there is a lack of “strong political and civic institutions in the region for people to have faith in”.

The Economist, US
Suspecting an al-Qaeda involvement or inspiration, The Economist recounts that a few years ago, when US President George Bush was introducing Manmohan Singh to Laura Bush, he had said that India was a country of 150 million Muslims and not a single al-Qaeda member. The magazine terms the attack on Mumbai “a serious setback or even turning-point in the battle against al-Qaeda and its clones”.

The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
Much is at stake in India, whose struggle with terrorism had gone unheeded by the Western media, writes Sandy Gordon. The Sydney Morning Herald warns that “increased India-Pakistan tension would be highly damaging to the broader war on terrorism”.