A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days

In extraordinary fashion, the hotel staff at the Taj Mahal have fought valiantly to protect the guests there, proving anew that even in the depths of human awfulness, the heights of human courage are reached.

What to make of all of this? Well, the tragic lessons of recent history are confirmed all over again. Terrorist elements around the world are bent on targeting us and our allies in order to compel changes in our policy. We mustn't let them win. We must be vigilant without being afraid and above all, we mustn't underestimate the threat, pretend that it doesn't exist or push events like the horror in Mumbai and the catastrophic attacks of September 11th to the back of our minds. We cannot afford to do so. Perhaps some people have fooled themselves into believing that the terrorist threat is a hyped one or that we can be sanguine about it. Those people have been getting an education over the past few days, haven't they?

Would that they weren't. Would that we all weren't. But no one can deny what is going on, can they?