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When they come again

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    • Jaithirth Rao Tags : terrorists, India Posted: Monday , Dec 01, 2008 at 0152 hrs

    Six, drive us into silly excesses passing new laws when we cannot implement existing ones, creating new government agencies when we starve existing agencies of funding and resources.

    Let me stick to practical steps which I hope (or is that hoping for too much?) no one can disagree with. One, there will be another set of attacks in Mumbai or in another Indian city. I have no insider information. I am just making a prediction that we know in our heart of hearts is true. While our intelligence needs to be strengthened, nothing is going to prevent a determined group of terrorists getting through. Indulging in blame games about intelligence failure is precisely what the terrorists would like us to be trapped in.

    Two, when the next attack happens, can we have just ONE disaster management crisis group in each metropolitan area? Can we have one agency with one website with a helpline and with clear messages to be given to citizens and media?

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    Three, in Mumbai, we had the police chief speaking to journalists, the chief minister making inane statements (he had the least credibility), the army general speaking to the media and so on. Can we have just ONE control room where journalists can be briefed by one official spokesman giving the correct versions of events? The terrorists (wherever they are holed up) are watching TV and are being briefed by their friends on the outside who are watching TV. When the chief minister states that he thinks there were twenty-five terrorists, he is letting the terrorists know how little the authorities actually know; when the home minister discloses the logistics of NSG movements, he emerges willy-nilly as a terrorist source; when a TV journalist discloses the location of the room of a fellow-journalist or the presence of Unilever seniors the beneficiaries of this information are the terrorists. Incidentally there is no need to sugarcoat official communications. Transparency and honesty are key. During World War II, Churchill began one of his greatest speeches with the truth: “The news from France is bad.” And at one stroke gained the credibility of the world.

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    questionsBy: Avinash Mulye | 09-Dec-2008 Reply | Forward Somehow I do not think that the terrorists are so strategic and so brilliant. They know that they need to hit the economic nerves of India but anything more than that ... I do not think they are so brilliant stratgists. Your article sounds like - the terrorists hired a strategy expert to design their approaches and strategies.
    India is neither a democracy nor a secular oneBy: Dr.G.Srinivasan | 11-Dec-2008 Reply | Forward But do we have a secular democracy.I think when the PM is nominated and stays for a whole term without contesting an election the word democracy loses its meaning .No democracy can have an unelected person heading a democracy.We are not secular either .I think even in dictatorships and the most oppressive regimes people do express their opinions fearlessly -- it all has something to do with the inner sense of fearlessness.We had a constitution imposed on us.Our politicians do not think people should be part of decision making process-- except in elections .Sixty and odd years at no point did they approach people with important problems -- not that there were not any.There were no referendums.Politicians betrayed us by impsoing a democracy on us -- it turned out to be FEUDALISM
    Your article on terrorist attack in MumbaiBy: wooded lot | 09-Dec-2008 Reply | Forward Sir, You are eminently qualified to take over as the next Security Czar for India!
    Reforms!By: savi | 02-Dec-2008 Reply | Forward I agree with what the article says. We need a sea change in India and the whole system needs to be changed along with all ministers not to contest elections for more than two terms, and all candidates have to contest elections from different places each time so that only that constituency is not benefitted every time.(Ex:Amethi) Also the parlimentary seats should NOT be hereditary. Make the politicians work for the citizens. They are our representatives, aren't they? Why are we letting them go so easy? There is a Gowda, a Sonia, and so many others that come to mind, that have to be banned from politics. We need army leaders who know how to deal with attacks to be made defence ministers and home ministers. We need people like Mr.Kalam who are the pride of the country as opposed to the Thackerays and Sonias who are both not good for India. We need professionals to deal with international crowd, not some goon who has not idea about anything.
    Mumbai Terror AttacksBy: Jacob Varughese | 02-Dec-2008 Reply | Forward Jaithirth,Very good, excellent analysis. The mindless terroists were trying to kill as many birds as possible with their shots. The surge of India in various fields and dimmensions would raise the eyebrows of many and definetely create jealousy among enemies. This henious act of crime is a challenge against humanity in whole. This has exposed the poor state of affairs of many vital orgns of the systems.
    very well writtenBy: Sam | 02-Dec-2008 Reply | Forward Well said Mr. I hopelessly hope that people rise above the divisive mindset and show some common sense. And just as hopelessly I hope our government shows some spine and forethought in dealing with such situations.
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