I am trying to find a wrap-up analysis of the Mumbai terror attack, but cannot find one. I postponed my own my thinking because I was hoping for some explanation that would invalidate my own conclusion, which is difficult for me. Having passed three days, I have no choice than conclude that the whole Mumbai terror operation's object was to kill Jews and nothing else.
Patrick Buchanan writes that the operation was directed to create friction between India and Pakistan. I dont believe it. There are much efficient targets for creating international friction than burning Mumbai's Chabad Center. You dont kill six Jews to create friction between pagan India who couldnt care less for the Jews, and Muslim Pakistan, who hates them more than sin.
It appears to me that the attack was focused on the Chabad Center, where they rounded up all the Jews around and tortured them and killed them. All the other attacks - of two luxury hotels - were just diversionary actions. Apparently the attacks on the hotels had no hostage taking objectives, as all the foreigners were allowed to go unharmed and no one was reported killed. I share an opinion published in HaAretz, my liberal fishwrap:
"It's a very difficult feeling because we know this was targeted against us," said Eliahu Tzadok, 41, of Jerusalem. "It's a continuation of acts against the Jewish people when the Jewish people did nothing to deserve it."
4 comments:
I do suspect they wished to drive a wedge between India and Israel, which they would not like to see co-operating. I am not sure this was the primary motivation, however. But there is a pattern in these attacks, in which Jewish interests are coincidentally also tageted.
How would an attack on a Jewish center drive a wedge between India and Israel? It will certainly reduce Israeli tourism in India, which is sizeable. But more than an operation motivated by a political or military reason, I see unrefined, unreasoning, visceral hate alone. Very discouraging.
The Saudis are the primary funders of Islamic schools around the world, and their worldview is taught in every madrassah in Pakistan, and around the world.
I think it drives a wedge by sending a message to the Indian people that if they associate with Israelis or Israeli projects they will also be targeted. It is very clear to me and very strategic. I don't doubt for one moment that it is also motivated by extreme hatred; however , in my opinion, when they strike they try to achieve several aims at once.
The terrorists would, I think, be rational to anticipate that Israel and Hindu India would have common interests and would be expected to pool their economic and other resources to defeat terror. They have a lot to fear from this; fanatics always make this mistake, which is to fight with everybody simultaneously. This is a weakness.
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