The three-day siege of parts of Mumbai is over, with Indian commandos killing the remaining terrorists in the Taj Mahal Hotel. The death toll has reached at least 195, according to CNN, with more bodies being discovered as soldiers and police clear the building room-by-room. Many in India are describing the events of the last 3 days as "India's 9/11." Indian security officials are suggesting that the attackers were affiliated with a militant Pakistani group, although the investigations are ongoing. Captured papers and cell phones indicate contacts with unknown sources in Jalalabad, Pakistan (ominous, due to Jalalabad's hosting of Taliban/al Qaeda elements near the Afghan border).
With both India and Pakistan deeply suspicious of each other and armed with nuclear weapons, the need to keep the situation from spinning out of control is urgent. When Joe Biden commented that President-elect Obama would face an international test early in his presidency, a conflict between India and Pakistan was not on anyone's radar. Now, it's the world's main hot spot.
(photo: Getty Images)
