Attack on Indian Mission in Kabul

The latest powerful explosion outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul (Afghanistan) was certainly carried out with the intention of attacking the embassy. Had the explosive-laden car reached inside the embassy premises, a large number of embassy staff would have been killed. The suicide attack killed 17 persons, including two Afghan policemen, and injured over 80 others. The incident is very sad and condemnable. This is the second incident within 15 months of the attack targeting the Indian Embassy. Although the Taliban terrorists have owned up the responsibility for the attack, it is not difficult to understand at whose instance the attack was carried out.
The attack on the Indian Embassy raises apprehensions and all sorts of questions. The attack in high security zone in Kabul gives an idea of the US-led war in that country. The generals of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces have been frequently claiming that the Taliban, now, are confined to remote rural areas only. This offensive has manifested that the Taliban's access extends to the highest alert zone of the country's capital.

Why Indian Embassy Targeted?
The second vital point is why is the Indian Embassy being targeted repeatedly? In the wake of the terrorist attack in July 2008, the NATO troops clarified that the attack was jointly carried out by the Taliban and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). India has made due contribution in the economic rehabilitation of Afghanistan after the invasion by NATO forces in that country. These works include construction of infrastructure like roads and restoration of power generation, etc.
According to the Taliban perception, however, the hold of foreign forces gets strengthened with the rehabilitation work and their Talibani influence gets eroded. The ISI wants to restrict the Indian influence in Afghanistan and desires to identify it as hostile toward the Jihadi (crusade) struggle.

Failure of NATO Forces
Despite the attacks on Taliban hideouts in the regions adjoining the Pakistani border under the US strategic pressure, it has not been made possible to eliminate the coordination between the Taliban and the ISI so far. In such conditions, the responsibility to ensure the security of foreigners engaged in the rehabilitation works rests with the NATO forces. Doubtless, the latest attack on the Indian mission is the outcome of the failure of the NATO forces.
In 2001, with a view to secure a permanent liberation for Afghanistan, the United States launched the invasion. The main objective declared on that occasion was to liberate the Afghans from the hold of the Taliban and establish democratic order in the country. By holding the Taliban responsible for the plight of the women and children, paucity of the basic amenities of life and rampant starvation, the entire world supported the invasion.
However, even after the lapse of eight years, neither Al-Qaida nor the Taliban have been eliminated, or for that matter, the opium trade has been checked. During the period, several thousands of people were rendered homeless, orphan, and disabled. The death toll has become not more than statistics. In fact, the death toll due to the military attacks has been rising constantly. In simultaneous with education and health, the left-out basic amenities also have been destroyed due to the war. Now, the issue left is how the NATO forces could wriggle out of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is not adjacent to any sea, forest or snowbound areas from any side. The hazards of such a territory serve as loopholes for traders of arms and drugs. The question is how arms and ammunition find their way to the Taliban despite the monitoring by the most modern reconnaissance appliances? The European and US experts who were originally supporters of the invasion and have now turned into critics have started questioning the very of the war. In certain quarters, the plea is also being put forward that even opponents of the Taliban, peace-loving, and democratic people, due to the excesses of the NATO forces, have now started criticizing the interference of the US forces. Such a state of affairs calls for a review of the overall perception of the global war on terror.
It seems that the war is adding to the woes of displaced persons, orphans, disabled, and refugees. To top it all, conditions such as hunger, poverty, ignorance, and food scarcity are around the corner. The present situation calls for perceiving the whole problem from a purely humanistic viewpoint by rising against the arrogance of warmongers.

International Reaction
Several countries, including the United States and Afghanistan, have condemned the attack. Afghanistan says the intention behind the attack is to spoil friendly relations between India and Afghanistan. Afghanistan indicates at the Pakistani role in the attack and says that the conspiracy was not hatched by any terrorist organization, but by the ISI.
One thing is clear that Pakistan is not happy with India's fullest cooperation in reconstruction of Afghanistan. It carried out the heinous act to spoil cordial relations between the countries. Pakistan does not like it that India helps Afghanistan so much. India has increased vigilance after the attack. More stringent security arrangements should be made at all embassies situated abroad, so that any conspiracy by terrorists and fundamentalists could be foiled. Looking at the growing activities of Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan, India needs to remain very alert. Special vigilance should also be maintained in Kashmir, so that Taliban terrorists cannot infiltrate.