One doesn’t quite know what to post after an attack like the one on Bombay. The terror attacks have been termed as India’s 9/11 and I find the analogy quite apt as it exposed the utter unpreparedness of the authorities. As a leading columnist put it, India is disgraced by Mumbai Failure. Though it seemed for a moment that the shock of the events would result in India and Pakistan joining hands to stop the horror from engulfing them, that was just too good to last. Pretty soon, we were back to playing the same old record of mutual recrimination and accusations. Madeline Albright was right on the money when she said that Pakistan was an international migraine. I have seen other commentaries in which the US-Pakistan relationship is described as one in which Pakistan is constantly holding a gun to its head and threatening to pull the trigger. The same applies to India-Pakistan relations and the Mumbai attacks are the latest instance of that. One can expect these attacks to recur since our dysfunctional state apparatus makes us such an easy target. So, how do you deal with a problem like that???

I think part of the problem lies in the fact that Pakistan is yet to become a normal state after the end of the Cold War. Its ruling establishment  had got so used to its being a frontline state and having attention showered on it that it has almost become a Pavlovian reflex to keep seeking attention, even if it means having to resort to self-destruction. The US has brought it to this sorry state, and only the US can get it out.

Going by the fact that both India and Pakistan are cut off the same cloth, I refuse to believe that Pakistan is beyond redemption. Like in India, the vast majority in Pakistan are peace loving, and simply want to get on with their lives. The Obama Administration has the right ideas in trying to build up civili society in that country and strengthening institutions. But, it also faces formidable obstacles in the form of the jihadist elements and vested interests that are quite happy with things the way they are.

The United States can also help India by passing  on the lessons learnt during 9/11, and improving cooperation in counter-terrorism. A Commission based on the 9/11 model should go into the acts of commission and ommission that resulted in our 9/11.  As one of its members summarized the raison d’etre of the Commission,

Here is the American bargain. Each of us, as individual citizens, take a portion of our liberties and our lives and pass them to those we elect or appoint as our guardians. And their task is to hold our liberties and our lives in their hands, secure. That is an appropriate bargain. But on September 11th, that bargain was not kept. Our government, all governments, somehow failed in their duty that day. We need to know why.”

The same is the case here, and unless people are held accountable and  punished for lapses, things will continue the way they are. Among the main reasons why the Commission succeeded in its efforts was because it could question the top leadership of the country including the President to establish the chain of events, and because an earnest effort was made to stay non-partisan. Right at the outset, it was also decided that the findings of the Commission would be published in their entirety. Reports such as the Kargil Committee Report could be swept under the carpet because much of its findings and supporting documents were classified. If some of those recommendations had been implemented, 26/11 could well have been mitigated to some extent.

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