Goodbye to illusions, again

India and Israel face tough choices in the global war against terror | Marvin Olasky

While Americans last week continued to debate how to treat captured terrorists, Indians and Israelis reacted to new attacks by those on the loose and capable of killing all in their paths.

At least 200 people died in Mumbai, India, after seven explosions destroyed parts of commuter trains on July 11. Police suspected groups such as the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India, but government leaders were reluctant to acknowledge that Islamic terrorism now has strong roots within India. As Delhi journalist Swapan Dasgupta noted, "The Congress Party, the regional parties, and the Communists who are the constituents of the ruling coalition, depend substantially on Muslims—13 percent of the population—for political sustenance."