We Didn’t See This After 9/11 …
… Indian Home Minister Resigns In Wake of Mumbai Attacks
I just read this paragraph on the New York Times website:
The security official, Shivraj Patil, the home minister, became the first senior official in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s administration to leave office over the Mumbai attacks, which have traumatized the nation for their audacity and have laid bare glaring deficiencies in India’s intelligence and enforcement abilities. The pressures on the government are especially acute with elections only six months away.
This would’ve been like both the FBI director and the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement resigning after 9/11. As I recall, we handed out more Presidential Medals of Freedom to senior officials after 9/11 than pink slips.
Anyhow.
So, I know nothing about Mr. Patil or how good or bad he was at the job he just gave up. What I do wonder is whether or not it’s really accountable to resign before the smoke has even cleared from the bowels of the Taj Palace Hotel? Change at the top of an organization brings uncertainty on many different levels. Is hours after a cataclysmic event the time for uncertainty and for shuffling the Indian Home Ministry’s management team?
There does seem to be a heightened sense of personal honour among our fellows in the near and far east. I can’t help but think that this sense of honour may lead to a perverted sense of duty.
Finally, I’ve heard the old phrase over and again this weekend, “India, the world’s largest democracy.” This is undoubtedly true. What’s also true is that in democracies as this world knows them, the franchise is also accompanied by freedoms. Societies with freedom of movement, speech, association, religion, press, etc. are soft targets because they are free. I hope that if Mr. Patil bent to public pressure and resigned, this will not embolden an emotional and enraged public to begin turning its back on the freedoms that make it the world’s largest democracy.
Many More Than 1,100 Affected by GM Moraine Closure
Filed under: Big Three Automakers, Ohio Economy, U.S. Economy
Sign at an abandoned warehouse across the street from GM's Moraine plant.
A story in the Dayton Daily News today headlined, Gas prices, crossovers, other factors doomed Moraine plant got me thinking about a conversation my wife had with her mother last Thursday morning.
My wife’s family hails from north central Michigan, a good two hours from Detroit. Their part of the state is more dominated by national forest and whitetail deer than vast expanses of industrial landscape. That doesn’t mean that Detroit’s slowdown - specifically the flat-footed businesses known as GM, Ford and Chrysler - doesn’t have a great effect on the their local economy. It’s remarkable how pervasive the Big Three’s supply chain has become - or once was. And, it’s remarkable how the downward trend in one industry is decimating Michigan, Ohio and other areas of the Midwest. Read more
Map of How Franklin County Voted in Prez Election
From the looks of things, there is a distinct core of reasonable, thoughtful folk dedicated to the change we need surrounded by a throng of Sarah Palin fans several miles wide but only an inch deep. Thanks to the Columbus Dispatch. To see the original, larger version of the map go here.
Video: Obama’s National Security Team, Face the Nation, Woodward, Zakaria, Mayer, Dyson | November 30
Filed under: Afghanistan, Hillary Clinton, India, Obama Transition, Terrorism, U.S. Economy
The following 16 minute video is well worth watching - insightful talk with Bob Woodward, Fareed Zakaria, Jane Mayer and Michael Eric Dyson regarding President-elect Barack Obama’s announcement tomorrow unveiling his national security team. One interesting comment from Woodward:
SCHIEFFER: …the president, if all goes as expected, at 10:50 Eastern time tomorrow will
announce his new national security team, to be headed by Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of
state.Mr. WOODWARD: She never goes away, she and her husband. It’s an amazing national security team that Obama appears to have selected. It’s kind of like “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”
You’ve got too cool, which might be–or at least appropriately cool, General Jones as the national security adviser; Gates is kind of just right, in the middle; and Hillary Clinton, hot. This is going to be a whole new center of gravity for the news media, for the whole world. My assessment without having any knowledge, really, is that the economists and the economic team around Obama convinced him that the economic crisis is so deep and going to require to much time, go ahead and give Hillary and Bill the world.
Yikes. I’m not sure that’s what I voted for, Bob.
Sunday Papers – November 30 – National – Economy, India, Pakistan, IL Cuts, Ted Stevens, Bill Clinton, Illegal Immigration, Opinion, Obama, Etc.
Filed under: Barack Obama, Big Three Automakers, India, Iran, Obama Transition, Pakistan, U.S. Congress, U.S. Economy
National
- Bill Clinton to name donors in deal with Obama – New York Times
- India faces reckoning as toll nears 200 – New York Times
- Attacks imperil U.S. role among two rivals – New York Times
- Mumbai Siege Tales – Washington Post
- Defiant Pakistan rejects Indian charges – Washington Post
- Auto dealerships in trouble – New York Times
- The General as Lobbyist – New York Times
- Healthcare: U.S. ‘Not getting what it pays for’ – Washington Post
- Economic rescue could cost $8.5 trillion – Los Angeles Times
- Illegal immigrants going home, labor market at risk – Miami Herald
- Opinion: What Would Keynes Do? – New York Times
- Op-Ed, Joseph Stiglitz: What Obama Needs to Do – New York Times
- Magazine: Google’s Gatekeepers – New York Times
- The Joint Chiefs and Obama – Washington Post
- Op-Ed, David Ignatius: Bush’s Iran Policy Has Failed – Washington Post
- Op-Ed, David Broder: Governors look to Obama on economy – Washington Post
- Illinois’ budget doomsday – St. Louis Post Dispatch
- Will Alaska pay price for ousting Stevens? – Anchorage Daily News
Pakistan Newspaper: Pakistanis Could Pull Troops from Afghan Border, Tribal Areas
Dawn, a Pakistani newspaper reports Sunday that Pak officials deem the next 48 hours crucial in determining the near future of Indian-Pakistani relations.
In the story, officials are reported as saying that the Indian government is turning up the heat on Pakistan without evidence of Pak involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks. The officials are also reportedly saying that Pakistan would pull its troops from the war on terror on the Afghan border to ostensibly maintain a better defensive posture in the east on the Indian border. The text of the story is below:
By Mubashir Zaidi, Dawn Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Nov, 29: Pakistan’s security apparatus on Saturday warned of mounting tensions with India in days to come following Mumbai terror attacks.Quoting the recent statements emanating from New Delhi, security officials termed the next 48 hours crucial to determine how the situation was going to unfold.
The security officials said Pakistan would wind up its “war on terror” on the western borders if the situation in the east spiralled out of control.
In a background briefing for journalists, the top security officials categorised the current state of Pakistan-India relations as tense.
“They (Indians) are taking the escalation level up at a very brisk pace,” a top security official said.
The officials went on to dub the situation as crisis-like and said Pakistan would pull out ‘all the troops’ currently deployed in the country’s northwest in case India deployed troops on the border with Pakistan.
They said that there were about 90,000 troops fighting militant groups in the tribal belt.
They said no clue had been found so far about involvement of any Pakistani entity in the Mumbai attacks.
“If Indians have any evidence they should share with us,” said a top security official.
The security officials said officially India had only conveyed that Mumbai attack conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan.
Unbelievable: Captured Mumbai Terrorist Tells Docs “I don’t want to die.”
I couldn’t believe this roughly 1 1/2 minute video I found on the Times of India website. Apparently the single caputured terrorist, Azam Amir Qasab, told hospital staff where he was taken after his caputure that he didn’t want to die. According to the report he told officials at the hospital, “We had been instructed to kill to the last death.”
There are several other reported quotes from Qasab in the video which can be found here.
Mumbai Terrorist Siege Over - Now the Aftermath
- Battle for Mumbai ends - Times of India
- Pakistani foreign minister cuts trip to India short - Times of India
- Fears of rising British death toll - Times of London
- Mumbai seige over - New York Times
- Armed teams sowed chaos with precision - New York Times
- The aftermath - New York Times
- U.S. intelligence focuses on Pakistani group - New York Times
- Op-Ed, Suketu Mehta: What they hate about Mumbai - New York Times
- Pakistani militants at center of probe - Washington Post
- Pakistan: “We have nothing to hide.” - Daily Mail (U.K.)
Text: President-elect Barack Obama Statement on Mumbai Terrorist Attacks
(Source: Office of the President-Elect)
“President-elect Obama strongly condemns today’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and his thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of India. These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism. The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks. We stand with the people of India, whose democracy will prove far more resilient than the hateful ideology that led to these attacks,” said Brooke Anderson, Chief National Security Spokesperson.
Mumbai Terror Attacks: Update 10 a.m. EST - November 28
- Nariman House op still on; 5 hostages dead - Times of India
- Explosions continue at Taj Hotel - Times of India
- Paks will send ISI chief to India - NDTV
- Death toll hits 143 as fighting continues - New York Times
- Two Americans confirmed dead - Washington Post
Mumbai Terror Attacks: Evening Update – November 27
- In a first, India refuses to negotiate with terrorists – Times of India
- One terrorist left in Taj – Times of India
- Pak role under scrutiny – Times of India
- FBI team on way to India – Times of India
- Commandos fight to clear last gunmen – BBC
- Death toll expected to rise as end of siege nears – New York Times
- Al-Qaeda hallmarks? – Associated Press
- Who are Mumbai terrorists? – Sky News
Map of Mumbai Terror Attack Sites
From NDTV:
Click on Image to See Full Size Map
Update 9:30 a.m.: Mumbai Terror Attacks
Railway Station in Wake of Attack
- India sees ‘external links’ in attacks - Reuters
- Two MPs in Taj Hotel are safe - Sindh Today (Pakistan)
- 6 killed 200 trapped in Oberoi Trident - Times of India
- Army is preparing for final assault - Times of India
- Canadians among hostages - CBC
- Witnesses describe attackers arrival by sea - The Guardian
- Sophisticated attacks but Al-Qaeda link disputed - New York Times
- Indian troops work to free hostages - Washington Post
Click Here for Live Video Coverage from CNN-IBN
Full Text: PM Manmohan Singh Address to Indian People Regarding Terrorist Attacks in Mumbai
Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh
(Source: Office of the Prime Minister, India)
Dear Citizens,
The dastardly terror attacks that took place in Mumbai last night and today leading to the loss of many precious lives and injuries to many others have deeply shocked the nation. I strongly condemn these acts of senseless violence against innocent people, including guests from foreign countries. I offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and sympathies to those injured. The Government will take all necessary measures to look after the wellbeing of the affected families, including medical treatment of injured.
The well-planned and well-orchestrated attacks, probably with external linkages, were intended to create a sense of panic, by choosing high profile targets and indiscriminately killing foreigners. Read more
Mumbai Terror Attacks Update
- Report: Deat toll at 101 includes 6 foreigners - Times of India
- Terrorist in hotel issues demands - Times of India
- Commandos storm hotels - New Delhi TV
- Terrorists came on boats - New Delhi TV
- Foreigners seen as targets - New York Times
- Victims speak of night of terror - Associated Press
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