The Political Conundrum!

This column is another in the ongoing series on the terrorist threat to India and the surrounding region by Frank Hyland and Animesh Roul.

Almost a day after Mumbai was struck by multiple terrorist attacks, a warlike situation still prevails on the ground, as security forces continue evacuating hostages. The Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed 125 deaths and 327 injuries in the country's biggest and now the longest-ever terror seige. At least 14 police personnel are known have been killed in the attacks, including, reportedly, two of the nation’s highest ranking anti-terror policemen. The dead also included six foreigners. Five suspected terrorists have been captured thus far; five others were killed, while three reportedly have escaped. The terrorists, who came probably from Pakistan via the sea route, dodging the coast guard, and struck targets such as the Leopold Cafe, Hotel Oberoi and Taj International, Colaba Wadi, the BMC office, Cama Hospital, GT Hospital, Nariman House, Vidhan Bhavan. Hundreds of people were held hostage in the Taj hotel, the Trident hotel and Nariman house. Hundreds of those hostages were evacuated from the Hotels and from the Nariman house, a Jewish Center run by Chabad Lubavitch group. At the Trident Oberoi, security forces had evacuated 60 hostages and some 400 stranded guests as of Thursday evening. Terrorists holed up inside the Taj hotel with hostages demanded earlier in the day the release of all terrorists (Mujahedeen) held in Indian prisons. One of those was identified as a member of Deccan Mujahedeen group, which was born out of a desperate attempt to give more of a homegrown Indian flavor to this ongoing Jihadi-type terrorism.

Deadly Cargo:

Sometime ago, proposals from Pakistan were put forth to make Mumbai and Karachi sister cities for their shared common features and geographical proximity. There was also a plan for regular ferry service between the two cities. The idea, perhaps born out of good intentions, turned out to be the route used by Pakistan-based terrorists who used the sea routes to reach the Mumbai coast on November 26th, then wreaking havoc.

As pointed out earlier, the latest Mumbai terror events have been perpetrated by the Lashkar e Toiba-affiliated (LeT) Kashmir-centric Islamist group. Some accounts point the finger at Al-Qa’ida as instigators and supporter. Even though the Pakistan-based militant group denied any hand in the Mumbai Mayhem, its footprints are quite evident. One Abdullah Gaznavai, LeT chief spokesman denied any involvement or association with these attacks. At least 10 of the terrorists affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Toiba and reached south Mumbai had arrived in inflatable speed boats, landing near Sasson Dock, very near to the Taj Continental Hotel. Two Pakistani ships -- MV Al Kabir and MV Alpaha -- are suspected to have transported terrorists, playing the role of 'Mother Ship', and have been detained after a joint operation by the Border Security Force and Navy Coast guards.

Intelligence Failure, Again!

The Mumbai attacks were a well-planned and coordinated series of terrorist attacks, as AK47-wielding terrorists with grenades in their backpacks targeted a number of high-profile locations frequented by Westerners and wealthy Indians. It appears to have been a massive intelligence failure as Indian security agencies were caught napping, this despite reports that Indian Authorities had been aware for some time of rumors of an impending attack, including even mention of the Taj Mahal Hotel. Interrogation of at least one perpetrator reportedly confirmed to Indian Authorities suspicions of the Pakistan-related origin of the plot. Despite the repeated failure of the Intelligence the administration’s public response thus far appears to be curiously complacent. The Country's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Intelligence officials pointed fingers very cautiously at an 'outside force', an obvious reference to Pakistan-centric terrorist groups. Manmohan Singh promised tough measures to take on the terrorists, including that of setting up a federal investigating agency.

Click on image below for map of attacks

Late this afternoon, Al-Qaida's official As-Sahab Media Wing released a new Q&A-style video interview with Al-Qaida Deputy Commander Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri titled "Al-Azhar: The Lion's Den." There does not appear to be any reference to Mumbai, India, or even the Kashmiri conflict in the video. Al-Zawahiri gives no indication of foreknowledge or having played a role in the Mumbai attacks.

During his interview, al-Zawahiri addresses several different subjects. He calls upon Muslims in the Palestinian territories and Egypt to stop sitting around, and to take up arms against "apostate" regimes which are oppressing them. He also identifies a number of Muslim scholars who he deeply respects, including a lengthy diatribe on the blind Shaykh Omar Abdel Rahman, who is currently being held in a U.S. prison cell. Dr. al-Zawahiri also cautions Al-Qaida operatives to avoid deliberately causing harm to innocent Muslims, either through their own action or by inviting public retaliations by secular governments in the Muslim world.

One other small note of interest -- Al-Qaida seems to have done a rather sloppy job of marketing this video. Bin Laden's propagandists went through the trouble of creating custom, animated, English-language advertisements for al-Zawahiri's interview -- but very prominently misspelled the word "Lion." For an organization like Al-Qaida, which typically prides itself on its professionalism and a fastidious attention to detail, this was a pretty glaring error.

(Developing...)

Bouhammer’s Note- The following blog post is an entry written by my good friend, LTC Paul Fanning who is currently deployed in Kabul, Afghanistan.

It’s been weeks since I have submitted an entry. I have been very busy, and the end of our mission here in Afghanistan is in sight.

Our successors from the Illinois Army National Guard’s 33rd Brigade Combat Team are beginning to arrive here at Camp Phoenix and we are conducting the hand off of responsibilities known as Relief in Place - or RIP.

With Thanksgiving arriving tomorrow I have given thought to the many things that I am grateful for, not the least of which is the prospect of coming home in the not too distant future.

I am extremely grateful that I have had the honor and the privilege to serve in the New York Army National Guard for 31 years and was deployed to Afghanistan with friends and comrades, some of whom I have known for many years.

Our mission in Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VII has been a tremendous personal opportunity and both a life and a learning revelation at many levels. I have only a few years left in the Guard before retirement, and I look at this mission and the total experience as a professional “capstone” for my service. I have seen, felt and lived a lot over the last year, not including all the training and preparation that I underwent in 2007 before I was deployed.

I am very thankful for my wife - the one person who was always meant for me and who has stood by me and “us” through this period. Though separated by a tremendous distance - half a globe apart - we have approached this deployment and withstood it as a partnership. She has truly supported my service and me. I couldn’t have done what I have been doing over here without her backing and personal support.

I am grateful to family members, friends and neighbors who have helped my wife at home in my absence and sent messages of support my way. Their efforts are deeply appreciated and have made a big difference to me.

I am grateful for the team I served with here each day and the new friends and comrades I have made as we worked together. They are my “battle buddies,” and this relationship will last long after we are home.

I am grateful to have been able to witness the courage, determination and dedication of so many soldiers and have been able to write about them in some of my previous submissions.

I am grateful to have been given the honor to speak through the written word, by voice, by photos and by video to Americans back home about the dedicated service of men and women, doing the nation’s business and trying to help the oppressed and impoverished people of Afghanistan.

America’s future certainly depends on the development and education of more civilian professionals in the many technical and service fields. I pray our nation never stops also producing dedicated men and women with the “Warrior Spirit” who will secure and protect our democracy from the enemies of freedom, justice and peace. They are not costumed superheroes; they are common people with great hearts and a willingness to take personal responsibility for the nation’s defense.

I am grateful to have known great and good men who have given their lives for our nation over here and to have been able to stand with other comrades to commemorate their lives and service from the combat zone.

I am grateful to the many people back home who send greetings, messages of support and donations to help us in our humanitarian support operations over here (A reporter was among many who sent a box of school supplies and personal hygiene items that we can give to Afghan children).

I am grateful to know and to have worked with some truly outstanding journalists who have come to Afghanistan to cover our mission and inform the American and other publics though accurate, skillful and objective reports. I am also grateful to many news organizations in New York, including the Daily Gazette, which have sought and conducted interviews by phone and e-mail, published photos and blog submissions and helped remind the public that we are here serving the nation.

I am grateful that I have been given the chance to serve in a combat zone with an historic New York command and now wear the Orion patch on my right shoulder as my “combat patch.”

I am grateful that upon my return I will be considered a “veteran,” as was my late father, who served in Europe in World War II.

I am grateful to the American people for the incredible display of patriotism through the conduct of the democratic process during the recently completed election. It was a tremendous example and signal sent to the world and to America’s servicemen and women abroad, who are pledged to serve and protect the Constitution. As a serviceman, I walked a little taller the morning after the election. Despite our many challenges at home, its also reassuring to hear about the transition process under way before the inauguration of the next Commander in Chief.

And, I am grateful to have been born an American, a New Yorker and have been raised in the Capital Region. I am extremely fortunate. Coming here to Afghanistan has been a humbling and yet fulfilling experience. I hope that someday the people here will be able to live in peace, with security and prosperity - knowing that it will take a long time to achieve.

My experience here and my personal knowledge of America’s own history helps me appreciate how far we as a nation have come thanks to the service and contributions of military, government and private persons who have devoted their lives to defending, growing, educating and developing the America we know today.

The micro-blogging service Twitter has been providing updates to the attacks in Mumbai.

Link to Twitter feed.

Some of the commentary and links are off-base but it is a fascinating view into how the 'crowd' can monitor and report on real-time events. For example, there is a link posted to a 'google doc' spreadsheet listing known casualties. Link here.

Terrorist attacks may remain disturbingly similar but the way they are reported and examined changes in step with the rapid pace of virtualization.

Iraq's parliament today approved a landmark military pact that will see all U.S. troops withdraw by the end of 2011, ending the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and plunged the country into chaos. The pact was approved by 144 of the 198 members who attended the session of the 275-member assembly.

I am oh so thankful for all that I have today. I am thankful for my wonderful wife who has stood by me for the last 17 years, running the house while I have usually been gone; either deployed, in the field or in my civilian role traveling as a consultant. I am thankful for my youngest son, Hunter who keeps us laughing so much and just lights up my day with his insightful comments and observations. I am also thankful for my son Jordan who is so smart and so good in school that I am just spoiled with him. Not only is he a great student, but an accomplished thespian and musician too. Of course I am extremely thankful for my oldest son, Jon. He is not able to spend Thanksgiving with our family this year as he is forward on the front lines in the Global War on Terror. I am proud of him and thankful that he has turned into such an outstanding young man, a terrific medic and soldier, and a great American.

In addition to my family, I am thankful for my country. I am thankful for all the freedoms and liberties we have as a people and culture. We are the greatest country in the world and this is evident by people in countries all over this rock that want to come to our country and enjoy the freedoms and liberties that we have available to us every day. I am so thankful that my spirit was brought to the earth in this country and not in a place like Afghanistan, or Haiti or any other poor third-world country.

In my opinion, one cannot be proud of their country and not be proud of our military as a whole. We have such highly-trained, self-disciplined and outstanding soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines and coast guard troops not only protecting out own country’s borders but also going after the enemy in other countries in order to prevent them from coming here.

I am also thankful for the guaranteed rights that we have in this country that allow us to practice whatever faith we have, allow us a freedom of speech, allow us to own and posses guns for protection (even though that is tough in places like NY), allow us the ability to vote for our leadership, and all of the other rights we have which are guaranteed the citizens of this great country and even non-citizens.

Last but not least I am thankful for all of my other family and friends. Many of which read this blog and know that I am talking about them. Several friends I now have are as a result of this blog and me blogging in general. I am glad this simple “deployment diary” has generated so many positive things in my life, to include a lot of new found friendships.

I love my family, I love my country, and I love our military. For all of that and more, I am oh so thankful.

Afghanistan's president has sharply critiqued the seven-year Afghan war, complaining that U.S. and NATO troops have made life worse. Karzai reportedly said that if he could do so, he would shoot down U.S. planes that are bombing civilians.

Al Qaeda and other extremist groups aren't the only enemy facing U.S. troops stationed at this massive base in central Iraq. The Americans also are engaged in the mother of all battles -- against gaining weight.

Thanksgiving came a day early to the Warrior Inn mess hall on Fort Benning, Ga., where about 600 Soldiers bellied up to heaping plates of turkey and dressing served with a smile by members of their chain of command.

A Philadelphia police sergeant testified yesterday that Serdar Tatar, one of five men charged with plotting to attack Fort Dix, N.J., asked to talk to him in November 2006 about "a matter of national security."