Like most Americans, I spent the past few days with family celebrating Thanksgiving but when I travel, I listen to my satellite radio and occasionally, tune in some cable news and heard the first accounts of the Mumbai Massacre (look at the amazing Wikipedia page, h/t Danger Room)in the car without the visuals. Then, when I got to a TV and saw the initial coverage from the various cable feeds (which themselves were invariably feeds from Indian stations with our talking heads superimposed) I made some initial observations and assessments.

Note, I wanted to write this before I see any classified info that will color what I can and can’t say.

First, of course, as usual in these types of incidents, all the initial information is highly suspect.  The news show “anchors” and teleprompter readers (note, I deliberately did not use the word journalist because frankly, our TV talking heads no longer perform that function, they are as the Brits call them: news readers) will seize on any rumor, any visual and talk incessantly, almost never providing actual informed commentary.  So, there were reports that the local police anti-terror chief was an early victim as he was rushing to the scene, something I doubted.  Then, there were estimates of 20-25 attackers, a bit of info I thought was plausible.  Then, there was the video.

I am loathe to criticize the police and soldiers who put their lives on the line but I think some informed assessment of the early video is warranted. There appeared to be no attempt to clear the areas of civilians for both crime scene analysis but also to get them out of harms way and frankly, to allow the responders to do their job.  One frequent video loop showed a leader of a squad of about 5 solider/police and he was carrying a FN-FAL automatic rifle and the rest appeared to be carrying Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifles (Aka SMLE), a bolt action rifle the British used in WWII.  Other than one guy who looked like he was fully jocked up with helmet, body armor, and assault weapon, none of the cops/soldiers appeared to have any body armor, no radios, no assault weapons, and no load bearing equipment for extra ammo and equipment. 

An average US police squad car probably has better equipped cops than anything we saw in that early video.  Cops have radios in their cars, on their body, most carry cell phones, carry a 15 round automatic pistol and many magazines, and most vehicles have a long gun (shot gun or assault weapon) and the stuff that SWAT has is very extensive.  A couple of days later, what was said to be Indian Navy commandos appeared to be fast roping from an MI-17 with the proper gear. Eventually, a few stills were released showing some of the bad guys carrying what appeared to be folding stock AK-47’s and backpacks, as well as a zodiac on the beach.  The Indian’s brought ill equipped folks to a very bad gun battle and the result was days of terror with many deaths.  With a soft target like hotels, train stations, and community centers, you will always have human loss of life.  But, the response by the local authorities, as now must be the after action analysis, has to be brutal and swift.  Just look at how our cops responded to the Virginia Tech shootings.  Sadly, this is part of the new normal.

BTW, am I the only one that noticed what had to have been a car bomb?  There, in the middle of a street, was an obvious exploded vehicle with  what appeared to be only the front axle intact, because the battery was next to it.  Folks, grenades don't blow up cars like that, except in Holloywood.  I was amazed that none of the so called security experts picked up on that video. Unlike that horrible movie The Kingdom, this was the real deal.

There is no doubt in my mind that these were Pakistani militants, probably linked to Al Qaeda in some fashion, designed to keep the tension between Pakistan and India, if not foment all out war.  The terrorists and militants operating in the FATA and other parts of Pakistan need to keep the Pakistani government from keeping their best troops hunting them and instead, looking east towards India. Here’s a link to what the Marine Commandant General Conway says on this subject.

UPDATE: I just came across this article from the AP and it sadly confirms much of my thoughts.  How sad that a city of 18 million had no proper SWAT team.  The mind reels….I mean did the Indian police not hear about the Black September attacks on the Olympics in 1972?  Then, insert another hundred or thousand or so incidents worldwide.