The Double-Edged Sword of Globalization
The dust is far from settled in Mumbai after one of the worst terrorist attacks on Indian soil was perpetrated last week. However, information and explanations are beginning to trickle out and the experts are trying to make sense of it all – not an easy task. Olivier Guitta writes in the Middle East Times:
All the signs point to the involvement of the Pakistani terror group and al-Qaida affiliate Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). LeT is in fact a group propped up by Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and mostly focusing until now on the “liberation” of the Kashmir province.
Not very surprising actually. The experts and scholars (like George Friedman at Stratfor and just about everybody at Counterterrorism Blog) have been talking about Pakistan’s key role in global Islamic terror for a long time. But what does surprise me – or at least gets my attention – is the reported use of technology by both the terrorists and the brave people who lived through this horrible event.
Globalization has been good to me. I love the modern tools at my disposal and use many of them to stay informed and connected with people around the world. For example, Facebook and this blog are parts of my daily routine. They’ve made me more productive and much more responsive to friends, family, and students. Unfortunately these tools are also good for the bad guys. The Times Online reported:
that the terrorists arrived with only basic communications but had then seized mobile phones and BlackBerries from their hostages and used them to contact each other and monitor world reaction.
Smart move on their part and again not too surprising. But what did surprise me was the use of technology by the innocent bystanders and witnesses. Roderick Jones reported that Twitter was evidently the preferred means of communicating real-time events to the outside world (click HERE to see the thread). However, he was also quick to point out:
“Some of the commentary and links are off-base but it is a fascinating view into how the ‘crowd’ can monitor and report on real-time events. For example, there is a link posted to a ‘google doc’ spreadsheet listing known casualties. Terrorist attacks may remain disturbingly similar but the way they are reported and examined changes in step with the rapid pace of virtualization.”
Virtualization is a major component of globalization, one of my areas of interest. If you’re interested in two good reads on the topic, I recommend Has Globalization Gone Too Far?
But before you run off to read those suggestions, the Heritage Foundation’s James Carafano (who I mentioned in last week’s Friday Morning Fix) has a new piece entitled “After Mumbai: Could it happen here? What to do.” It’s worth reading.
About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
dickmill | Dec 1, 2008 | Reply
I went to Mumbai 5 times in 2000 (I was the CEO of a US-based entity of a company based in Mumbai), staying twice at the Oberoi Hotel. I shuttered when I heard that they got passport information from the the front desk and went searching. I was especially mortified to hear about the couple who remembered putting a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, eliminating any question of whether or not they were in the room. They escaped.
I never felt threatened in Mumbai, even when I was the only white guy around in the railway stations or on some remote streets. I WAS concerned at the time about nuclear saber-rattling with Pakistan. I asked a friend what the citizens thought about that and he said, very nonchalantly, “It’s too hot. We don’t give a shit.”
If you’ve been in India in ANY season, you can appreciate how he felt. But, now I think they give a shit.
Also — I used to commute on Monday mornings from Boston to LA on American flight 11. Fortunately…a few years before 9/11. It’s a scarey world.
Frank the Tank | Dec 2, 2008 | Reply
The world is definitely shrinking, that’s for sure. The internet is an amazing tool, but like any other tool it can be used for both good and malfeasance.
I think these attacks in India weren’t necessarily an anti-west attack alone. IMHO there will be more like this in India as certain groups want nothing more than to stir the pot and cause a “hot war” between India and Pakistan. Creating utter chaos in the region and making Pakistan an Islamic theocracy, and another breeding ground for the “religion of peace”.
LaPaix | Dec 2, 2008 | Reply
My step mom had dinner at the Taj Mahal Hotel the day before the attacks, and my best friend just returned from a three week business trip in India. I am very grateful that they were not affected! It is indeed a small world after all.
The Missing Master Linc | Dec 2, 2008 | Reply
Yes, the ease of commmunication makes it too easy for the bad guys to continue being bad. Add that to the ease with which small arms have proliferated in regions where food may be dear and scarce but a grenade is cheaper and more readily available …and it becomes very bleak trying to take a peak into our world’s tomorrow.
PorschePurist | Dec 2, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for the reading recommendations. I’ve been looking for something new to sink my teeth into.