By Patricia Lee Sharpe
The leaders of many (but far from all) countries have strongly condemned last night’s deadly attacks in Mumbai, for which a totally unknown group by the name of the “Deccan Mujahidin” has claimed responsibility. It’s an interesting list.* Here are the highlights:
Europe, the U.S., Canada, Russia, Japan and China have spoken out strongly in condemnation, as have South Asian neighbors Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. South Korea has recoiled; North Korea, as usual, remains mum. With the exception of South Africa’s disapproving reaction, Africa has been silent, even Nigeria. Latin America has also not been heard from. Singapore and the Philippines have been severely critical of the terrorists, while Thailand is probably too busy dealing with a mini insurrection to react to external developments.
Aside from those South Asian neighbors, the only Muslim majority countries to find the slaughter horrendous enough for rapid public condemnation are Indonesia, Malaysia, Kuwait, Turkey and, be it noted, Iran.
Meanwhile, all these hours after the whole world became aware of this ongoing gang rape of Mumbai, the following countries have evidently seen no reason to make public statements either to sympathize with the victims or to condemn the actions of the perpetrators: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Yemen,Tunisia, the UAE.
What, I wonder, are we to make of this?
*According to a compilation as of 1:00 pm EST in the U.S.