Mumbai Terror Attacks: A Colossal Intelligence Failure

The present Cong led UPA government in India is an embarrassment of massive proportions. They have been more interested in playing politics with India's security than staying alert to protecting the nation against real terror threats. In past month, they have been too busy coining and establishing a new term, "hindu terror" for narrow political ends. For this, they have dedicated a lot of attention and resources to fabricating false cases against some innocent so called "hindu terrorists". With attention of intelligence agencies, media and entire nation thus diverted to cheap games, of course, India was caught unawares of planning and execution of "real terror attacks". This is a colossal intelligence failure, probably one of the worst in history of independent India. Just imagine, how blatant and shocking these attacks have been! Foreign terrorists arriving by boats to India's western shore, landing near the financial capital of the nation. For all practical purposes, this is nothing but an invasion by a small militia! And, none of this made even a blip on radars of India's security agencies?

This present UPA government is focused on appeasing minorities and playing politics with national security ever since they came to power. One of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's first decisions was to repeal the POTA (Prevention of Terrorist Act) law passed by the BJP-led NDA government. This was an anti-terror law, not an anti-hindu or anti-muslim law. Only the pseduo-secularists with their eyes on minority vote bank could label this as an anti-muslim law. The need of the hour is to stop playing communal politics with national security. That will go a long way in helping India do a much better job fighting terrorism and preventing future terror attacks.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has reported in an article titled, "Murder in Mumbai" that "A lack of political leadership is to blame":

"A lack of political leadership is to blame. Yesterday Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised that "every perpetrator would pay the price." Yet his Congress Party has done little more than bicker with its coalition allies over the past five years on how best to fight terrorism, as Sadanand Dhume writes here. Or it has tried to deflect responsibility by blaming Pakistan. It may pay a price for its incompetence at the national polls next year."

In another article published by WSJ, author Sadanand Dhume blames Cong-led UPA governement's scrapping of POTA:

On taking office in 2004, one of the first acts of the ruling Congress Party was to scrap a federal antiterrorism law that strengthened witness protection and enhanced police powers.

Recommended Reading:

Newsweek: Flunking the Intelligence Test
Newsweek: Right Tilt
IBNLive: Govt knew about the threat, did nothing: Arun Shourie

CNN Video: India Vs China

A very interesting comparative analysis of the world's two most populous and fastest growing economies, their strengths, weaknesses as well as the challenges the face as they grow: