TERRORISTS: STILL FINE AND KICKING

Post 9/11 leaders of the US (and the rest of developed world), had been busy waging war against terrorism, mainly the Taliban. In name of finishing terrorism, a nation, which probably had little to do with terrorism, was attacked and destroyed. Lots of public money and human resource of the country( of which the leaders belonged to) had been squandered to nab those who were behind the 9/11 tragedy, but even after eight years no concrete result has come out as of yet.



Instead the bad news is that the terrorists have just shifted their base. Earlier they were illegally operating from parts of India's immediate neighbour in the west, Pakistan; now they have, sort of, legally occupied a part of that country- the Swat Valley- to carry on their missions and operation. This is bad news for India which had terrorists moving one more inch closer to its backyard.

The billion dollar question is, what happened to 'mission infinite justice' of the US, which was meant to nab the masterminds of 9/11 and destroy the roots of terrorism from the world? May be it has prevented another terrorist assault on its soil, but it has made the rest of the world vulnerable to the attacks of the terrorists. Will the US administration care to answer this; whether Democrats or Republicans doesn't matter, as terrorism is still a reality. The terrorists are still fine and kicking (while we are facing bad time with recession); probably laughing while listening to the rhetorics of the world leaders in the past.

Pakistani connection to the healing touch

Yesterday, the Trident hotel re-opened after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. It had made the point clear that they are also towing the Government line and won't entertain any pakistani guest in their hotel. Meanwhile, during the week BCCI canceled India's tour to Pakistan to play cricket tournament next month. The Government of India continued to build pressure on Pakistan to act tough against the terror.

In the back drop of all these important developments, watching the second test match between India and england was a breather. Kevin Pieterson was entertaining, as the english team continued to score runs at a quick pace. The cricket test series between the two teams turns out to be 'healing touch' kind of experience. We Indians are thankful to the English side that even after the tragic incidences in Mumbai, they have not only come back to play in india but also giving a good competition (as a test team they are performing better) to the home team.

However, if the sad memories Mumbai attacks had a Pakistani hand, so does the healing touch of cricket have a Pakistani hand in it. If you are watching the match carefully, then you will notice Umpire Asad Rauf who is also a Pakistani national,is helping in the proceedings of the match. His presence in the field is a reminder that while chasing the bad people,we should not forget the good ones.. Not all of Pakistan is an international migrane, its a just a few of them who are posing threat. And the world should seperate those weeds only.

Fair & Handsome

It is the women who are often criticized for putting on make-up or relying too much on cosmetic products. The usual charges that one comes to hear of, is that they don't understand the need of the hour or undermine the value of time by wasting time on looking fair.

This will be Breaking-news for those critics. Guess who would care more for looking fair when they are on a serious mission (though the mission was mass murder)? It's the bunch of terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008.

It could not be more surprising to discover that the terrorists along with carrying the other essential commodities to survive on the trawler Kuber on high sea, were also carrying tubes of fairness cream. The security agencies have found along with tooth brushes, tooth paste, dairy whiteners, clothes, soap detergent, namaz caps, instructions to operate arms in urdu and satchets of fairness cream shipped from Dubai.

Cold cream would have made more sense than fairness cream given the dry season that has already set-in, in the region.Though the guys were going to launch a killing spree in a city at the end of their voyage, they could not care less to look fair. And the cream certainly have worked wonders, as the eyewitness who saw these men getting off a dingy in Macchimar colony described them as "gore-chikne ladke" ( fair and handsome men).

Living with terror

It was not long that I experienced a terrorist attack at the heart of the capital Delhi-- the Connaught Place--popularly called C.P. Was recuperating from the terror that the blasts caused. Everyday passing by the Regal Cinema (from where a live bomb was recovered) and Barakhamba road bus stop (a bomb went off there in the September blasts), I have this Goosebumpy feeling. Yes, I was not there, nor any of my friends. Though, most of us have to pass by those places everyday.

Most of the time, I tell myself that a criminal does not strike a place that has already been struck. But such logic stands defied when I watch the city of Mumbai attacked once again by terrorists. Well this time the terrorists were roaming around the city shooting people in cafes, train terminal, hospital, innocent bystanders on road and then taking hostages in the luxurious, prestigious and landmark hotels in the city. Our security forces did a great job in record time. Their bravery installs the faith that somebody is there who can protect us from these anti-humanity elements.

But the other scary fact remains that now you cannot live without the thought that you can die any moment. The larger fact remains that the terrorists have been striking at their own will. Whether our policy makers are at fault or the intelligence sources or both, I refrain from commenting on that but the larger fact remains. As it was said in the movie, ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ that “its easier to get killed by a militant than getting married/a decent husband” (not sure of the part said after ‘than’, but the first part about being getting killed by terrorist I remember pretty well) is indeed becoming true.