Sunday, October 30, 2005

Delhi Bomb Blasts


Over 60 people dead and counting. People who were busy with their holiday shopping. Diwali, the festival of lights.

I went to Delhi when I was real small. I remember one of the places from then that was one of the sites for a bomb: Connaught Place.

These are not Muslisms. Muslims are like Hindus, or Buddhists, or Christians. They are people of faith, many are poor and illiterate, they just want the best by their families. These are Islamists. Islamists are like fascists, Nazis, like the evil brand of communists. The Islamists are like the KKK, they are a hate group. They will not think twice before they kill innocent Muslims. Their fight is not on behalf of Muslims of any ilk. Or they would at least spare Muslims, but they kill them too.

They are not seeking a debate. They are armed. They mean damage, physical damage. They mean to kill.

Mosquitoes are a problem. The drain has to be swamped. Proactively spreading democracy until every single country on the planet is a democracy is the only true solution. But it is also a military problem. It is also about fighting armed, evil men with arms.

They have to be fought on many fronts all at once.

The democracies of the world need to unite.

I am feeling a little numb right now. India is a poor country. For all talk of an emerging India, outsourcing, and software and calling centers, all that dazzle touches only a very small segment of the population. An average Indian is dirt poor. People die to diseases and train wrecks, to hunger. But this is different. This is murder.

Evil is for real. It exists. It has to be countered. Its sophistication and tenacity has to be understood. This is like medical science and a new strain of virus. They are not a standing army that can be fought in traditional ways. They ask for novel approaches.

"Move through the villages like fish through water," Mao advised his fighters. JFK countered that with the Peace Corps program. But also by talking from a position of strength.

It is not a choice between military strength and spreading democracy. And it is not just about military strength. The old tools are too blunt. New tools have to be shaped and put to use.

A social backlash against the Muslims would be the worst possible response. There are more Muslims in India than in any other country. Socio-economically speaking the Muslims in India are like the African Americans in the United States.

I would not be surprised if Muslims were among the dead.

Tomorrow is October 31. I think that is Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. Why did I just say that? It just occurred to my mind. I am a little confused.
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