Bleeding India

[gretchenm]

John Sherffius, Colorado, Boulder Daily Camera
12/3/08

The cartoon shows India bloody where the financial and entertainment capital, Mumbai, is located. The blood splatters from the west coast area where terrorist attacks occurred. The event occurred on November 26, the night before Thanksgiving, and included armed gunmen and explosives-bombs- that attacked ten different sites. Major sites were the Taj Mahal hotel, the Oberoi hotel, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, and the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish center. The city is one that receives many foreigners, and fifteen foreigners were killed, as well as six Americans who were participating in a spiritual program. Pakistan shares an extensive border with Afghanistan, so the activity was suspiciously considered similar to those of Al Qaeda and the Taliban. A major belief is that the attackers were trained by a Pakistani militant group called Lashkar-e-Taiba, which even though not legal is suspected to exist. For this reason the cartoonist placed the bloody dagger in Pakistan.

Most likely the Pakistani militant group was responsible for the terrorism because Pakistan borders India, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and itself has warred with India four times since Independence from Britain was achieved by both. India is a large democracy connected to the United Sates and the West, so it is a prime target for terrorists. Pakistan should not be so defensive against India to the extent of moving troops from the Afghan border to the border with India as an assumption of war. It is important that security against Afghanistan remain while security is improved in India. The 150 dead in India and a bomb threat in a train station are valuable reasons for citizens and officials to worry and improvements in security to be had. Innocent lives were lost. Children, brothers, sisters, friends, men, fathers, women, and mothers were shot for no good reason.

[joshuak]

I would have agreed with you about the armed forces on the border situation if this attack didn't happen. Pakistan should be worried about India now. India may not have cold-hard evidence but they do have a reason to be suspicious, especially since the two countries are moral enemies. I also heard that the terrorists targeted certain groups. I heard that the terrorists targeted a Jewish congregation. What I found odd though is that Israel is in the middle-east, and hearing that a Jewish congregation was targeted may spark a conflict there as well. I also heard the tourists were a target. No matter the case, no matter the targets, this was an act of terrorism and something must be done to stop the madness. Terrorists need to be taken care of and they need to be taken care of now. They're ruining countries, lives, and the world as we know it.

[hinas23]

Well i disagree with this cartoon, since just because Pakistan and India are enemies, if anything goes wrong, they shouldn't automatically blame one another. If thats the case, then there are many bomb blasts in Pakistan, but they don't automatically suspect India for the attacks. Until any evidence is found, India has no right to suspect Pakistan for terrorism. Pakistan may share an extensive border with Afganistan and may also be recognized as one of the nuclear nations, there are still many others who share the same qualities. The hatred between the two countries has been growing for many years now. If India has any right to suspect Pakistan for this attack, then Pakistan has every right to suspect India for any attack on them. I do agree with the last 2 sentences of your analysis because terrorist do need to be taken care of now because they are ruining countries, lives, and the world. But before any conclusions are made, strong and hard evidence must be provided.

[priyap09]

It is mere impossible for anyone to not suspect that certain militant group had something to do with the events taking place in the country. Specific militant groups are known to operate in distinct regions and use particular type of techniques. India does allegedly suspect a Pakistani militant group as being involved with the attacks because of the fact that Pakistan has supported and funded various militant groups. The ISI, Pakistan’s intelligent service, has been known to support and train covert operatives for use in terrorist activities. However, the Prime Minister of Pakistan (Pakistan government is very weak at the time) seems to have very little control over the ISI even though it is under the department of Military of Pakistan. The only gunman captured in Mumbai said that he belonged to the militant group, Lashkar-e-Taliban which has been long seen as a creation of the ISI. The Lashkar-e-Taliban group itself has claimed that its main aim is to destroy the Indian republic and to annihilate Hinduism and Judaism. However, this does not denote that Pakistan supports terrorism; it is just that the government is too weak to rid the country of corruption and militant groups. Moreover, the only assaults made by India on Pakistan are fair-minded during warfare. The bomb blasts that have taken place in Pakistan are suspected to be the actions of Al-Qaida and Taliban. (Great use of if-then fallacy in your response)

[Mr. Wells]

Great conversation, scholars. Priya, if Hina's if-then claim is logical, it may not be fallacious. Perhaps she is correct.

[Mr. Wells]

Description: 10
Interpretation: 10
Knowledge of Topic: 10
Argument: 10
Reply to Classmate: 10

Great work, Gretchen