Al-Qaeda's hit job?

It would seem that whomever was involved with the attacks on Mumbai, Al-Qaeda was rejoicing on its websites. Now mind you, if that's true, it does not necessarily mean they were involved directly in the attacks. Instead, they could have probably trained and provided the logistics (which apparently, includes Blackberry devices in addition to the usual AK-47s and grenades) to their Kashimiri counterparts

Based on this report, am I the only one in this whole wide world who thinks that Pakistan's intelligence agency, the Inter Services Intelligence, was involved in this incident - since ISI founded both the Taliban (who gave refuge to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda) and the Kashimiri terrorists?

On the other hand, we have news services which loves to broadcast latest updates on the attack, which incidentally served as a lookout for these Blackberry wielding terrorists.

A Time magazine's instant poll found that most readers suspect the attack was perpetrated by international terrorists (it didn't say who, exactly) as opposed to domestic cells.

The Washington Independent reported that Pakistani President Ali Zardari, widower of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, dispatched the head of ISI to Delhi to assist the investigations into the attacks.

India should give the Pakistanis a chance to prove their commitment to peace and stability in the region. Attacking Pakistan would play into the hands of Al-Qaeda's number 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri's wishes for a conflict between Pakistan and India. India must not fall into Al-Qaeda's trap.

One might wonder Al-Qaeda's logic in targeting India in such spectacular fashion. Well according to Amir Taheri, India is Afghanistan's largest aid donor and President Hamid Karzai's second most important ally after the US. It plays a leading role in training Afghanistan's police and army. Coupled with warming relationships with the US (India signed a civilian nuclear deal which Congress approved not too long ago) in which India could opt to purchase more military hardware from American defense contractors, these factors prove irresistible when planning an attack on India.

So the trick for India's Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh is to calm the right-wing elements within the government from attacking Pakistan or India's Muslim minority. It is one tough job that, if carried out successfully, would reap rewards at next year's general election.