Bob McCarty Writes

Three days after it began, the terror attacks in Mumbai appear to be over.  Unfortunately, those attacks might spark new conflict between India and Pakistan.

The Times of India reports 195 people were killed and more than 300 injured as a result of the well-coordinated attacks at 10 locations frequented by Westerners in the cosmopolitan city known as India’s financial capital.  Now hanging over India and neighboring Pakistan, however, is fear that the “Mumbai attack my trigger Indian military response”:

US officials fear that should the firm evidence emerge that the Mumbai terror attacks were planned and directed from within Pakistan, it would certainly escalate tension between the neighbouring countries and could also provoke an Indian military response, even strikes against militants, a media report said on Saturday.

History reflects the fact that lesser incidents have sparked large conflicts.  For instance, World War I began after the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.  Of course, the first “war to end all wars” actually began after decades of tension had built up between neighbors in Europe.

It doesn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to envision a period of armed conflict between India and Pakistan.  Simply type “India Pakistan Conflict” in a Google Search, and you’ll find more than a half-million results to lend credence to the argument.

How might a new war front in Southwest Asia impact world events?  That remains to be seen.  Stay tuned!