India's Deadly Open Wells

Villagers lower a ladder to a leopard trapped in a well.
Photo: Caters News Agency

A leopard was recently rescued by villagers in Dhundi, a village in central India near Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The story, with video, immediately went viral on Monday, June 4. It's a heartwarming story of human kindness.

But it is also a story about human carelessness. Far too often, leopards and other animals fall into vast, open wells. The lucky ones are rescued. "Another leopard was also rescued from a well using the same technique last month, after it had fallen into a well" near the same tiger reserve, reports The Daily Mail.

In May, Times Of India reported that, "An adult male leopard, estimated to be 4-5 years old, was rescued from a partially full well at Tudal, Gaondongorim, by range forest staff on Saturday."

In another report, in April, the Times reported that, "A five-year-old leopard, which fell into a 15m deep well was rescued on Saturday morning by forest officials. The leopard fell into the well while chasing a dog."

John Kerry To Visit Paris, But He's In No Hurry

US Ambassador Jane Hartley
attended the Paris march
Image: allgov.com

January 12, 2014 - The Cavalcade of Idiots, also known as The Obama Administration, can't help acting, well, idiotically. Embarrassed by their no-show at yesterday's million-plus anti-terror march in Paris, in a show of unity against Islamist terror, John Kerry will make a clumsy (and too-late) trip to make it look like the Administration cares about the recent victims of Islamist terror.

Nobody should be fooled by this act of insincerity. If they really cared, they would have sent someone. The US was officially represented at the march by Jane Hartley, our ambassador to France. But she was already there and she's not a national leader.

The fact that over 40 foreign dignitaries managed to gather in Paris on the same day, and with relatively short notice, is impressive. However, the so-called leader of the free world, the President of the United States, was conspicuously absent. Sure, Barack Obama's a busy guy. But it's safe to say that those heads of state also have a lot on their plates, yet they were able to rearrange their schedules to pay respect to the slain, show their defiance of terrorism, support free speech, and represent their own nations in a respectable manner.

That was too much to ask of Barack Obama, it seems. He couldn't even send a cabinet member to represent him - and the United States - at the solemn event. Not even Secretary of State John Kerry could be bothered to fly to Paris from India, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday to discuss stronger economic ties "and set the stage for President Obama’s visit" on January 26.

Kerry will travel to Paris, reports The Daily Mail (UK), "after the U.S. government was shamed for not joining a rally yesterday for victims of the French terror attacks attended by 40 world leaders and a million people." The Daily Mail report says that Kerry tried to explain the absence of a major US official by saying, "I really think that this is sort of quibbling a little bit in the sense that our Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland was there and marched, our ambassador was there and marched, many people from the embassy were there and marched."

Kerry's lame response - that a handful of minor US officials attended the march - seems to demonstrate a lack of understanding of the importance of public relations. It might also indicate an actual disregard for the tragedy of the 17 deaths at the hands of Islamist gunmen last week.

Canada's Public Safety Minister
Steven Blaney attended the march
Image: CTV

Attorney General Eric Holder was in Paris on Sunday, but he "skipped out early," as the Daily Mail notes in a story with this scorching headline: "America snubs historic Paris rally: Holder was there but skipped out early, Kerry was in India, Obama and Biden just stayed home." He met with European security and terror experts in Paris on Sunday, but Holder did not even go to the march, reports The Telegraph (UK).

Even more incredibly, Kerry won't go directly to Paris until later this week. He'll arrive there on Thursday after stopping in Bulgaria and Switzerland, and then only stay for a part of Friday.

But the US was not the only nation that failed to send a major leader to Paris. Canada's Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney was his nation's only representative at the march. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, pulled an Obama, but at least Harper takes a gutsier public stance against terrorists.

On Saturday, Blaney laid a wreath outside the offices of Charlie Hebdo, and met with RCMP and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) agents who are working with French security agencies there. On Sunday, Blaney attended an international terrorism meeting, which Eric Holder also attended. Unlike Holder, however, Blaney attended the unity rally march on Sunday.

Also See:
List of leaders who attended Paris rally Times of India
America betrays its values by not sending top U.S. officials to Paris unity rally Daily News
French Officials Defend Obama Amid Questions About Paris Rally Absence Christian Post
Why is Obama Unable to Call Terrorist Attacks Islamic Terrorism? The Blaze
Stephen Harper Is Right To Name The Enemy Toronto Sun
Charlie Hebdo attack: The Paris trap India Express

OneSight's Vision For The World

The gift of sight is precious indeed, but many people around the world, including North America, do not have access to eye clinics or to needed glasses. In some countries, a pair of eyewear costs more than a month’s salary. 

OneSight has helped more than seven million people on five continents and in hundreds of communities across North America see clearly." A friend of mine is an optometrist in Chicago. His name is Time, and he will travel to India this month to join with others in his profession to help people in a remote area with free eye exams and eye glasses.

Tim and other eye care professionals are trying to raise funds for the trip (see the handy donation widget, left, or go Tim's donation page). "Your support," says OneSight, "helps us deliver clear vision. Ninety-two cents of every dollar you donate goes directly to delivering glasses to those in need."

You can see what OneSight's "Team India" did in February of this year at their blog. Check in after April 15 to see what Tim's group is up to.

More about OneSight:

OneSight, a Luxottica Foundation, is a family of vision care charities dedicated to providing healthy vision, eyewear and sun protection to those in need worldwide. Since 1988, these charitable efforts have provided free vision care and eyewear to more than eight million people and have granted millions of dollars towards optical research and education. Please read more at OneSight.org...

Rana Convicted, But No Justice For Mumbai Terror Victims

Chicago, June 10, 2011 - Chicago resident Tahawwur Hussain Rana was found guilty yesterday on two counts of terrorism related to the 2008 massacre in Mumbai, India (the "26/11 attack," Nov. 26, 2008). However, the federal jury found him not guilty of actually helping to plot the terror operation. Rana was convicted for "providing material support to a terror conspiracy" and to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terrorist group based in Pakistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba means "army of the righteous." The charges against Rana included an attack (later abandoned) against the Copenhagen newspaper that ran cartoons mocking Muhammad. "But," reports the Wall Street Journal, "Thursday’s verdict on Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 50, found him not guilty in helping plan the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks." Rana could be sentenced for up to 30 years in prison for helping Lashkar-e-Taiba plan an attack on that Danish newspaper. AFP reports that jury "found there was insufficient evidence that Rana was involved in the Mumbai attacks that saw 166 people killed - even though a key figure described how he had used Rana's business offering immigration services as a cover while conducting surveillance in India's financial capital." More at World News Australia... India has expressed official disappointment with the acquittals. Secretary (Internal Security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, U.K. Bansal, said today that India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) will decide soon whether they will file charges against Rana in India. They were waiting until the Chicago trial ended before proceeding. More at The Hindu... “It may be recalled that evidence was produced in the U.S. court that David Headley had advised Rana of his assignment to scout potential targets in India,” said a statement from India’s home ministry. “We are, therefore, disappointed that Rana was acquitted on the count of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai terrorist attacks.” Headley pleaded guilty in March, 2010 to 12 terror-related charges. He admitted to scouting out locations for the Mumbai attacks. He "testified in the Rana case that his friend assisted him. In return, U.S. prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty," reports WSJ's India Real Time. Rana, 50, is a Canadian citizen who was living in the Chicago neighborhood of West Ridge (or "West Rogers Park")at the time of the murder spree at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. West Rogers Park is heavily populated by Pakistanis and other Muslims. It is a hub of criminal plotting. It's no wonder that Rana found refuge here. West Ridge is home to the infamous 2008 Sunrise Equities scandal. Hundreds of investors lost their life savings in a scheme by Salman Ibrahim and his partners, who fled in the middle of the night. Most of those investors were Muslims and trusted Ibrahim's "shariah compliant" firm to help them make money. Ibrahim and his Sunrise Equities conspirators are still fugitives, and have close ties to Barack Hussein Obama. (See Obama's Sunrise Equities Office and Illinois Meat Plant Owner Charged With Financing Terrorists.) RELATED VIDEO: Dispatches - Terror In Mumbia - Liveleak.com Also:

At Least 10 Fake Passports On Last Week's Deadly Mangalore Plane Crash

Fake passports have been found among some of the 158 dead victims of the May 22 plane crash in Mangalore, India as this terrorism, or simply the tragic exploitation of poor migrant workers? The black box was found on Tuesday (India time), but the cause is yet to be determined. May 26, 2010, 02.50am IST - The Times of India - It now transpires that at least 10 passengers on-board the ill-fated flight may have been travelling on forged documents, which has complicated their identification and insurance claim. The Times goes on to report that the tragedy "has brought into focus a thriving fake passport racket, known locally as 'Kasargod Embassy' in Kerala's northern district," and "Sources said discrepancies were noticed in the passport details of nine deceased and one survivor, indicating that there might have been something amiss. Some Malayalee travellers had Tamil Nadu addresses on their passports.... Kasargod Embassy, a term used for skilled forgers who manipulate passports by replacing the photo, first came to light in 1980s and has been thriving due to migrant workers' poverty and ignorance." It's not the first time that the Kasargod Embassy has caught the attention of India's authorities. Keral Report blog reported that on July 6, 2008 "the Air Customs Intelligence, in a major operation, seized a number of forged documents from a Kasargod native. In the raid conducted the officials had seized 31 copies of Indian Passport, 15 copies of International driving License, 12 blank VISA and 10 blank Passport pages from Nizar Panalam, the Kasargod native. He was trying to transport it to Sharjah." The investigation lost steam, however, "under the Malappuram Crime Detachment wing. The Air Intelligence wing that clearly indicated the hands of ‘Kasargod Embassy’ was verbally paid no heed hither to." RELATED: Forged passports make identification messier ‎Daily Pioneer GAO: Fake passports easy to get CNN.com Kerala News : Drive on against fake passport rackets The Hindu Uganda: Businessman Gets Three Convictions Over Forgery‎ AllAfrica.com Ukrainian man with forged passport removed from UK‎ BBC News

Meanwhile, Trouble in West Bengal, India (with video)

Trouble in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal continues. According to the Press Trust of India today, "The West Bengal government is considering banning the CPI (Maoists) after the Centre's suggestion to the state government in this regard following the Naxal violence in Lalgarh." Maoists are left-wing extremists (radical communists). In West Bengal, the local Maoists are also called "Naxalites." Several days ago, according to Naxalwatch, "Groups of Left-wing extremists, which have taken control over almost 50 villages in Lalgarh, consist not only of cadres operating in West Bengal but also from neighbouring Jharkhand and Orissa, Central security agency sources said." A report in The Economist explains that "Naxalites" get their name from "the district of Naxalbari in West Bengal where they staged an uprising in 1967, they are these days almost a nationwide force. Greeted by China's People's Daily at the height of the Cultural Revolution as “a peal of spring thunder”, they were almost wiped out in the 1970s, as the Indian government repressed them, and Maoism went out of fashion, even in its homeland. In India they splintered into various armed factions, of which the biggest were the People's War Group and the Maoist Communist Centre. These merged and formed the CPI (Maoist) party in September 2004. P.V. Ramana, of the Observer Research Foundation in Delhi, estimates the Naxalites now have 9,000-10,000 armed fighters, with access to about 6,500 firearms. There are perhaps a further 40,000 full-time cadres." (Full Article, August 17, 2006) RELATED: Anarchy in West Bengal as Maoists capture Lalgarh - NDTV Maoists defy the law in West Bengal, go on rampage - NDTV 11 killed, 11 injured in Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh - IndiaExpress.com (June 20, 2009) Indian Troops Enter Maoist Stronghold - Voice of America (June 20, 2009) False start - In office but not yet in power - Economist.com (June 18, 2009) Naxalites destroy Koraput nursery - The Statesman (June 16, 2009) Al Jazeera English - India Elections - Q&A: The Naxalites of India Official Site of Government of West Bengal, India West Bengal, West Bengal Map, West Bengal India

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Indian Election Gives Congress Party "Massive Mandate"

The big national election in India gave more power to the powers already in power. Surprising most observers, the Congress Party swept the polls in a huge victory. 

It marks a huge loss for India's leftists, especially the Communist Party of India and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat, who had come to see the election as a referendum on the Left's ideological stance as opposed to that of the Congress, acknowledged that the results were a "major setback" for them. He agreed that the people all over the country had voted "on the basis of the platform put forward" by the Congress and its allies. Full Story at EconomicTimes.indiatimes.com...

The Economic Times also reports that Congress President Sonia Gandhi says that Manmohan Singh will be the Prime Minister. Singh would be the first person since Jawaharlal Nehru to "return to power after a full five-year term." The ruling Congress party swept to a resounding victory Saturday in India's mammoth national elections, defying expectations as it brushed aside the Hindu nationalist opposition and a legion of ambitious smaller parties. The strong showing by the party, which is dominated by the powerful Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, laid to rest fears of an unstable, shaky coalition heading the South Asian giant at a time when many of it neighbors are plagued by instability, civil war and rising extremism. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared victory, telling reporters that voters had given the Congress party-led coalition a "massive mandate." Full Report from AP/Yahoo! News...

"We have won a thumping majority," Congress activist Parag Jain said outside the party offices, in a leafy, elegant south New Delhi neighborhood. "Successful rule begins and ends with Congress and the Gandhi family."

RELATED: India's Left Loses in Strongholds - Wall Street Journal Parliament to host four Gandhis for the first time - The Economic Times Left will have no role in government formation - Economic Times Left has suffered 'major setback', admits Karat - Hindustan Times Left allies dig in heels against Cong, BJP - Expressindia.com Maoist Revolutionary parties and organizations in India - massline.info Incidents involving Communist Party of India... - South Asia Terrorism Portal

Man Beats Transvestite Wife

Did you know that India has a space program? Yes, they do. It's kind of cool to think that in today's world, even a primitive society can launch crap into space. INDIA - The Times of India - 02.04.2009 - In a brazen act of violence, ....a man kicked and stamped his wife because she was dressed “as a man”. Adding insult to injury, the police promptly dispatched the battered woman, who suffered the ignominy in full public glare, to her in-laws house, terming it as a “family matter”. No case was filed. The shameful episode was played out in the Dabwali market on Monday when a 23-year-old jean-clad girl accompanied her parents on a shopping expedition. “She was accosted by her livid husband and beaten for ‘bringing a bad name to the family”. Full Story... Note that the The Times of India calls the 23 year old woman a "girl" and the authorities filed no case in this matter even though it was a brutal assault that happened in a crowded market. Did you know that India has a space program? They do, really. CNB RSS Feed

Updated: Dog Meets Girl, Dog Gets Girl

India has a space program, did you know that? Even so, it's hard to find people who know how to read in many villages. It is apparently not unusual for Indians to marry dogs in weird rituals, usually to ward off evil spirits or change a streak of bad luck. Did you know that India has a space program? They do. Really. India: Woman marries snake, another marries dog FOXNews.com - Man in India Marries Dog... BBC NEWS South Asia Man 'marries' dog to beat curse Indian Girl Marries Dog In Bizarre Ritual Weird Asia News India is not the only place where this kind of thing happens. Similar weirdness in Great Britain and Oak Park, Illinois: Man bites dog? No, woman weds dolphin - Weird news- msnbc.com Dogs before gays? - The News Peg CNB RSS Feed

UPDATED: PAKISTAN-INDIA TENSIONS STILL HIGH

Dec 27, 11:26 AM EST - Associated Press - Pakistan Moves Troops Toward Indian Border ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistan told India on Saturday it did not want war and was committed to fighting terrorism - a move apparently aimed at reducing tensions after Pakistan moved troops toward their shared border. Islamabad also announced it was canceling all military leave - the latest turn of the screw in the rising tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors following last month's terror attack on the Indian financial capital of Mumbai. THIS BEGS THE QUESTION: Why, then, did Pakistan move thousands of troops to its border with India on Friday? Why was leave canceled for all of Pakistan's military? That seems to be a very odd way of signalling that they don't want war. AP continues: Intelligence officials said Friday that the army was redeploying thousands of troops from the country's fight against militants along the Afghan border to the Indian frontier - an alarming scenario for the West as it tries to get Pakistan to neutralize the al-Qaida threat. FULL ARTICLE from AP... PREVIOUSLY, 26 DEC 2008: Pakistan is preparing for war with India. They are, at this moment, placing thousands of soldiers on its border with India. Tensions are very high, fingers are on the triggers. New bunkers are being built. The tension has been building since the Mumbai attacks. God forbid, it looks like it may reach the boiling point at any moment. AFP Reports today: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh summoned his military chiefs to review New Delhi's "defence preparedness" while his foreign ministry advised Indians not to travel to Pakistan, saying it was unsafe for them to be in the country. The developments sent ties plummeting to their lowest point since late 2001, when Kashmiri militants staged a brazen attack on the Indian parliament -- an attack New Delhi blamed on the Pakistan-based extremist group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is also blamed for the recent Mumbai massacres. Times of India - 27 Dec 2008, 0042 hrs IST, Ajay Sura, TNN - Pakistan has stepped up its war moves by cancelling all military leave, sharply increasing deployment of its troops along the border adjoining Punjab and Jammu, and building new bunkers along the border near Barmer, Jaisalmer and Ganganagar. Highly placed sources said Pakistan has shifted its 4 Corps, an important strike arm, to Lahore, just 25 km from Attari. Its 10th brigade, consisting of around 5,000 personnel, has further been moved to forward areas along Punjab. Similarly its 3rd Armoured Brigade has been moved towards Jhelum.... India's 2nd Corps from Ambala and 10 Corps from Bathinda have also moved to border areas for what an Army spokesperson described as annual exercises. This comes even as 11 Corps from Jalandhar has already moved for the exercise. RELATED: US warning on South Asia tension Pakistan Sends Troops to Indian Border Tensions mount as Pakistan shifts troops to Indian border South Asia descends into terror's vortex Newsdesk: Brown warns of Pakistan terror

Pakistan and Terrorism: Motivation of the Poet

Was Pakistan complicit in the Massacres of Mumbai last month? India is saying they were, and has presented "evidence" of this to representatives of Germany and the US. If the Indians are correct, this should be acted on swiftly. If they are being paranoid, the Indians are to be forgiven; Pakistan has never been a friend to India. In fact, history shows without ambiguity that Pakistan has always been an enemy of India and of the Indian people. There has been tension - hatred - between India and Pakistan for 41 years. In 1947, Pakistan became a nation when it was split off away from India when its the British colonial rulers drew a line on a map that fateful August 14. Pakistan was created for the sole purpose of giving Muslim Indians a nation of their own, an idea that gained steam in 1930 when poet Allama Iqbal pushed the notion of a separate country for Muslims. The motivation of the poet, and of all those who bought into his idea, was driven by religious intolerance of their non-Muslim fellow Indians. (Imagine a push in the US by a religious group to split New England away as a new nation just for them.) We could go back even farther in history, to the year 711 A.D., when the first Islamist invasion of India occurred. (In the same year, Islamists were invading and conquering Spain; this was hundreds of years before the first Crusades.) Since 1947, India and Pakistan have engaged in three major wars. There has been frequent skirmishing along their borders, too, most notably in Kashmir. But let's stay in the year 2008: Taking full advantage of the international community’s concern over the growing lawlessness in “ terror epicentre” Pakistan, New Delhi on Friday provided more evidence of its neighbour’s complicity in the Mumbai mayhem to the US and Germany. India also asked them to put pressure on Islamabad for dismantling the terror infrastructure on its soil. (Source: India Today Group Online) BE READY FOR NUCLEAR WAR: The head of India’s rightwing Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS, National Volunteers Corps) gave an ominous warning this week. According to Dawn.com, Sangh "warned that a nuclear war with Pakistan could become inevitable if peaceful means fail to rein in terrorism and voiced the chilling prospect of a Third World War breaking out, which he feels may cleanse the world of evil." Pakistan has deep internal problems, India aside. Engaged reluctantly in the War on Terror, with Afghanistan right next door, wild tribal areas that are uncontrollable, and tensions between fundamentalists and an educated, religiously moderate middle class, Pakistan's leaders have plenty of distractions. Nevertheless, Pakistan's ruling class needs to grapple with the fact the hard core militant Islamists who want to destroy India would also like to destroy Pakistan. To the Islamists, borders mean nothing, and the government of Pakistan is hated by the Islamist militants as much as is India. To make anything short of an all out effort to hunt down and destroy them within their own borders is a slow road to national suicide. The fact that Pakistani army’s ties to Islamists is under scrutiny is a good step, but should have happened years ago, with full fledged purges effectively cleaning them out of the military ranks. Pakistan must cooperate firmly and fully with India in moving against groups such as Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Lashkar-e-Tabai, if for no other reason than self-preservation. RELATED: RSS chief says India should be ready for nuclear war India, Pak standoff will intensify if no Pakistani is handed over Pak hasn't followed up on any proof: Pranab Pak has to act forcefully: US ‘Clear proof of Pak role in Mumbai blasts UN says Pakistan charity front for terrorist group Indonesia calls for united action to fight terrorism Pakistan's Post-Mumbai Clampdown Targets Islamists Pak detains over 30 JuD men; seals 65 of its offices

PAKISTAN STRIKES LASHKAR-E-TAIBA CAMP: "QUIET" CRACKDOWN NATIONWIDE

Pakistan engaging in nationwide, internal sweep to clean house: ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistani security forces on Sunday raided a camp used by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), two sources said, in a strike against the militant group blamed by India for last month's deadly attacks on Mumbai. Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported on Saturday that Pakistan had put its forces on high alert after a caller pretending to be Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee threatened President Asif Ali Zardari while the attacks were still going on. More from Reuters... The story from Dawn, mention by Reuters above, tells us that more than just one camp was targeted and that there is now a nationwide sweep of Pakistan by the military to arrest extremists: MUZAFFARABAD/ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 - Security forces have launched a ‘quiet’ crackdown on activists belonging to the banned jihadi outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba in different parts of the country and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.In Muzaffarabad, a major army operation was under way in the city suburbs on Sunday against a site being used by the Jamaatud Dawa, which is headed by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. Sources said that more than 20 members of the banned organisation and Lashkar-i-Taiba’s ‘commander’ Zakiur Rehman Lakhwi had been arrested. More at Dawn... ALSO: NATO supplies attacked in Pakistan

FLASH: UK PAPER PROVES PAKISTAN CONNECTION

The Hindu newspaper (India) has this now: Contradicting Pakistani denials that its nationals were involved in the Mumbai terror attacks, The Observer reported on Sunday that it had established that Ajmal Amir ‘Kasab,’ the lone surviving suspect, came from a village called Faridkot in the Okara district of Pakistan. The story indicated that the terrorist’s correct name is Mohammed Ajmal Amir, son of Mohammed Amir Iman. (Source: The Hindu)

FLASH: Sec. Rice Hints at Punitive Attacks Against Pakistan

In what may be her last, and perhaps boldest, move as the US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice told Pakistani leadership that they cannot wash themselves of any responsibility for the Mumbia terrorist acts that originated from Pakistan. Punitive military strikes were threatened. The Times of India: Although US officials have not outright approved immediate punitive Indian strikes against terrorist targets in Pakistan, it is clear Rice has bought time for Islamabad to prove its bonafides and promise of cooperation. (Source) That's Rice grabbing Pakistan by the balls. Pakistan has a ''special responsibility'' and needs to act ''urgently'' she said, even as India has indicated it will wait for a Pakistani response to its demands before any punitive action. "Before any punitive action" is Rice squeezing hard, very hard. The response would be not the US alone, not India alone, but a coalition of sorts. The Times quotes Robert Kagan, a Carnegie Endowment analyst, as saying that "international community [could] declare that parts of Pakistan have become ungovernable and a menace to international security," which would theoretically provide a justification for those punitive strikes against Pakistan. FULL STORY at Times of India...

UPDATED: PAKISTAN BRACING FOR WAR: INDIAN MILITARY ASKS FOR AIRSTRIKES

Will it be war? Let us hope not, but tensions between India and Pakistan seem to be deteriorating by the hour. The Australian is reporting that India's military "chiefs" are pleading with India's leaders for permission to bomb the "al-Qa'ida-linked Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist organisation near Lahore" in Pakistan, near the Indian border. UPDATE: US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is now in India to facilitate diplomacy between India and Pakistan. What she can do to ease tensions remains to be seen. RELATED: Condoleezza Rice on mission to ease India and Pakistan tensions Pak accepts terrorists may be from its territory: US Will they battle terror or each other? Rice in India to ease tension with Pakistan Pakistan, India assert right to self-defense Pakistan says Pranab's military action statement won't help Italy arrests two jihadists planning attacks on Italian civilians

LSD, Cocaine Helped Fuel Terror in Mumbai

Cocaine partially fueled the terrorist rampage in Mumbai last week. So reports CBS3 (Philadephia) in an Associated Press story today. MUMBAI, India (AP) ― The gunmen who went on a rampage in Mumbai, India for almost three days had drugs in their system and drug paraphernalia, such as syringes, were recovered from the scene of the assaults, according to British paper the Telegraph: The killers were doing more than cocaine: "We found injections containing traces of cocaine and LSD left behind by the terrorists and later found drugs in their blood," an official told the Telegraph. The official also noted that "There was also evidence of steroids, which isn't uncommon in terrorists." More at CBS-13... RELATED: Mumbai attacks: Jews tortured before executed during hostage crisis India demands Pakistan turn over 20 fugitives US official: India attack may have Pakistani roots India was warned of Mumbai attack, US officials say

UPDATED 12/2/2008: INDIA READY FOR WAR, SAYS PAKISTAN GUILTY OF MUMBAI SLAUGHTER

UPDATED 12/02/2008: INDIA IS STILL RATTLING SABRES. (This is not fear mongering, folks, it's passing on what the Indian government is saying.) From inthenews.co.uk today: India raises spectre of war over Mumbai attacks Previous Post, 12/01/2008: INDIANS SEEK REVENGE FOR MUMBAI TERRORISM. DEVELOPING. FROM THE GUARDIAN.CO.UK (Monday December 1 2008 00.01 GMT ): The Indian minister said yesterday [30 Nov 2008] there was "no doubt that the terrorists had come from Pakistan ... We have evidence of their nationalities. We will reveal everything soon". The Indian government raised the country's security to a "war level" yesterday saying it had certain proof of a Pakistani link to the Mumbai attacks. The dramatic move prompted Pakistan to say it would end military operations against Islamist militants on the Afghan border, which are critical to the "war on terror", for an "unwanted conflict" with Delhi. FULL STORY... RELATED: Pakistan warns west over growing crisis Pak may relocate 100,000 armymen to border Tribal leaders vow to support Pak govt against India

India Loves George W. Bush

For nearly eight years, we've been hearing the twin lies that "the world hates America" and "the world hates President Bush." Just ask India's Prime Minister what he thinks of George W. Bush. The Hindu newspaper ran an article on September 27 (well before the Mumbai chaos of last week), in which he unabashedly lavished praise on Mr. Bush. “People of India deeply love you,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told United States President George W. Bush here on Thursday evening. The actual quote was "deeply, deeply love you." I've heard the audio. Singh continued: “In the last four and half years that I have been Prime Minister, I have been the recipient of your generosity, your affection, your friendship. It means a lot to me and to the people of India.” As Mr. Bush sat beaming in the glare of television cameras, he heard the visitor saying, “When the history is written, I think it will be recorded that President George W. Bush played a historic role in bringing our two democracies closer to each other.” Praise for George W. Bush - from a foreign leader??? This must sound like science fiction to the average American liberal, but the fact is that Bush is not the evil dictator that the lying liars have worked so hard to portray. Singh noted that President Bush made a major contribution to peace in Southern Asia. “For 34 years, India has suffered from a nuclear apartheid. We have not been able to trade in nuclear material, nuclear reactions, and nuclear raw materials. And when this restrictive regime ends, I think a great deal of credit will go to President Bush. And, for this I am very grateful to you, Mr. President.” Full Article at The Hindu... Wow. A major world leader saying that he is "grateful" to George W. Bush. Imagine. RELATED LOVE NOTES: Manmohan Professes India’s Deep Love for Bush - Prime Minister ... South Asia Investor Review: Manmohan Says India Loves Bush Bill Clinton Praises Bush : Next Stop Lauderdale Howard Dean fails again. Nagin praises Bush. Scott Allan's World Praise for George Bush's leadership skills Education The Guardian Bush's record in Africa receives well-deserved praise - Opinion ... Praise for President Bush in German Paper - Atlantic Review ... PajamaHadin » Blog Archive » ABC surprised by praise for Bush Open Letter Of Praise For George W Bush Putin criticizes NATO but has praise for Bush - International ... Well-Deserved Praise for Bush's Africa Record - Examiner.com Grudging Praise for Bush on Environment praise for bush from danish P.M. « The Homesick American… Rock star Bono praises Bush for AIDS plans

UPDATE: RICE SAYS PAKISTAN MUST COOPERATE

UPDATE: 3:11 AM, NEW YORK TIME: Rice: Pakistan must cooperate in terror probe - International Herald Tribune, France BREAKING: Associated Press reporting now that US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice "says Pakistan must provide full cooperation after India terror attacks." DEVELOPING, watch for AP news updates... (3:51 AM New York time)

MUST READ: "8 Links to al-Qaeda"

A stunning article that shows al-Qaeda ties to the terrorists that attacked Mumbai last week. Written by 20-year CNN veteran correspondent Maria A. Ressa for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. MANILA, Philippines—There is increasing evidence that the attacks in Mumbai were carried out by a Pakistani militant group linked to al-Qaeda, Indian and American intelligence sources tell me....The ties are clear if we take the facts in Mumbai and compare them with the history of al-Qaeda and its affiliate groups. Full Article...