In fact India ought to be apprehensive of impending terror attacks at any moment as it is widely known among us that such elements like eagles are waiting in the wings to strike at anywhere. It is an acknowledged, unfortunate truth that India, Pakistan, Indonesia to name a few, are more prone to such attacks in spite of stepped up coverage especially by our nation. But we are not paranoid, actually we ought to, but enlightenment has already dawned upon us that there is no point in getting paranoid at the very signal of a terror-strike.
Look for instance, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi, potential targets for terrorists since all of them are potential targets in the eyes of militants. Mumbai, being the Financial Capital, Delhi, National Capital, where all our rulers reside and roam around where countless important functions are held, Press conferences on a daily basis held and when it comes to Bangalore, it is the IT Capital of India. No need mentioning Jammu&Kashmir as that part of the country is a perennial flashpoint or a fuming volcano since decades about to erupt any time.
Mumbaites and Delhites have already learnt to live with attacks, its' intensity and magnitude heinous, frightening and mind-boggling such attacks since the latter involve hundreds of deaths sometimes and many maimed for life, valuable properties destroyed resulting in foreign nations like US, Britain, Australia, Germany, France etal issuing travel advisories to their people intending to undertake travels across India which ultimately affect our tourism sector badly.
But we remain without getting paranoid, unlike US, Britain, France, Germany, Australia, a host of nations since they have begun to experience - years after the South Asian countries began to undergo such ordeals. Moreover countries like US and Britain, in fact all Western countries did keep a complacency of sorts on the lines of 'No such horrors won't dare to visit us at any time as we are powerful, developed and mighty nations.'
With that complacency and over-confidence in mind, unshakable beliefs on their part, much against its cherished values and ethics to force the erstwhile Soviet Union withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989, US leaders befriended , dreaded Al-Quaeda leaders like Osama Bin Laden to fight against Soviet Union. Furthermore, such militant organisations were lavishly provided with enormous funds and logistics. The 'cameraderie' lasted for a while, similarly former Iraq President Saddam Hussein was once a close ally of US when they wanted him badly and after whatever they could achieve from him, during his illegal occupation of Kuwait in 1990's US got enraged and declared war against Iraq as Kuwait was a long trusted ally of US and still is. Massive bombardment alongwith territorial attacks took place forcing Saddam's forces flee from Kuwait. The friend in need later turned out to be a steadfast enemy since then. What transpired later is history still very much alive in our minds.
Such tactics were applied by Pak rulers in their own country, they funded and provided a group of militant elements with training and logistics to sneak into Indian side of J&K and began to unleash terror strikes of the worst kind killing thousands, targeted potential targets and destroyed invaluable properties including landmarks of historical importance like mosques and shrines. The leaders of Pakistan got elated over the grand performance of their proteges and even went to the extent of calling them 'freedom fighters'. These freedom fighters in course of time turned out to be Frankenstein Monsters, they got multiplied and multiplied like amoeba turned against the very leaders who fed them with whatever they needed. Now Pakistan is literally burning, even at the moment of penning this piece, that nation is licking the wounds of massive terror strike which led to the ruthless murdering more than hundreds of innocents the other day.
On the fateful day of 9/11/2001, while the whole world was somewhat moving along a plain surface one of the well-known landmarks of US, the twin-towers of World Trade Centre (WTC), two heavily, strongly built steely towers were they, turned to a heap of rubble within two hours by two jet airliners forcefully murderously hitting them killing almost three thousand occupants that moment. Another one targetted Pentagon buildings causing much harm and the fourth one missed the target. The impact was that much stronger which shook the very foundation of nation the collective spirit of the steely fabric of the world's powerful nation went asunder. Not only US and the whole nations world-wide stood benumbed at the very sight of two crumbling edifices flashed repeatedly by the visual media. The whole US went into shock, silence, anger - too frightening it was, etched in each American's memory forever. An enraged George Walker Bush, the then President of US declared before the world his determination to book the culprits and bring them to justice at any cost. As US apprehended and anticipated, Al-Quaeda elements reportedly had owned up responsibility for the entire heinous deed and that claim further enraged the already infuriated George Bush.
Without much delay with the intention of capturing the dreaded Osama Bin Laden, the former friend of US, dead or alive and declared war on Afghanistan as he was believed to be holed up in his safe-haven in the harsh terrains of North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, now Paktun Paktoonika. Even now Osama is at large and Bush's vow of fishing him out at any cost during his term itself however not came to fruition.
Then came three suicide bombings in London, four years after 9/11, in an Under ground train killing more than fifty, that caught Britain unawares and it proved shocking. The responsibility of the attack owned up by Al-Quaeda elements soon after. Tony Blair flared up and vowed like his all weather-friend George Bush to nab the culprits at any cost and bring them to justice.
Ever since 9/11 and 7/7 attacks in US and Britain respectively the Western nations always remain paranoid and suspicious of aliens landing in the two countries. A person be he/she is a celebrity or not, in case the air-port authorities get suspicious is subjected all kinds of search, a few even strip-searched and subjected to hours of grilling. A few Indian celebrities also ended up before their eyes and were promptly subjected to searches, strip-searches and grilling.
Former Defence Minister George Fernandez too had to undergo such an ordeal but he kept it a secret as he took it in his stride. Later the matter flashed across India but Mr.Fernandez played it cool. Some others like Shahrukh Khan, Bollywood celebrity also underwent checks and grilling, though taken aback, kept mum fearing harm to his health. Mollywood Superstar Mammootty underwent the same ordeal, he too kept mum living up to his prestige and status. Recently it was reported that Praful Patel, our Aviation Minister also underwent the same ordeal and grilled upon arrival at the airport, but he took it in sportsman spirit.
Only Shahrukh made it public later, true to his nature and vowed never ever he won't visit US again. He is very adept in cracking jokes. If my memory is correct the Superstar keeping his vow very safe in his suitcase went on a promotion tour of his film 'My Name Is Khan' to USA. Nice guy.
9/11 was an eye-opener not only to US but the entire world, and it was a belated enlightenment for every nation howsoever mighty they are, terror could strike anywhere and that all ought to be prepared to face it and hence at almost all international conferences Terrorism has turned out to be a hot subject for discussion. And to root out this evil what all we should have to take care of are to deliberate upon the same and chalk-out modern strategies collectively.
Recent cargo-parcel bombs 'export' from Yemen targetting certain Western countries have further intensified Paranoia in the minds of Western rulers and as per today's reports Al-Quaeda has owned up responsibility for the same.
All nations irrespective of big or small, developed, developing or under-developed are prone to this menace and it has turned out to be a global phenomenon.
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