The Islamist war on civilization continues apace.
Add Mumbai to the list of targets – Madrid, London and, of course, the United States of America – selected by people whose religious imperatives command them to seek the conversion of unbelievers via mayhem and murder.
And how odd, at this late date, that violence on the scale visited on India’s most populous city Wednesday retains the power to shock.
But it does. Profoundly so.
America, understandably transfixed by its economic woes and lulled by months of relative tranquility in Iraq, may have lost interest in the War on Terror.
But the terrorists have not lost interest in America, and in the West in general.
Even as news of the Mumbai attacks began to emerge, the NYPD was beefing up subway security in the city – and that was only the most obvious measure being taken to keep New York safe.
To be sure, the usual suspects hardly ever shut up about the security initiatives undertaken in New York and nationally since 9/11 – and they have been particularly vocal about their desire for a quick rollback when the Obama administration takes office.
Maybe that will happen.
But there is reason to believe that perhaps the new president really does get it when it comes to terrorism.
His early cabinet picks (see below) suggest that this is so.
And here is what an Obama spokesman had to say about the Mumbai massacres:
“These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism. The United States must [work] with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks.”
Barack Obama‘s approach to terrorism will be different than that of George Bush. And that’s not necessarily bad.
But there can be no accommodating terror. Mumbai proves that.