[Travis McGee]

Eventually, the West will be forced to impose a quarantine on the islamic world.

[Joe Boucher]

Let them eat cake.

[Alberta's Child]

As state finances crumble, states will become less important, and freebooters will seize the stage. Think of the Mumbai terrorists as a political cognate of the Somali pirates, and the character of a Middle East made up of failed states comes into focus.

Very astute observation. We've already seen a lot of this in the Middle East, and elsewhere in the world (the Mafia is a classic example, and Hezbollah may be the best modern example). What might this mean in a place like New York or California where state governments right here in the U.S. are on the brink of financial collapse?

[Biggirl]

The only rich Muslim countries are the oil producing ones, that is it.

[Ronin]

The whole article is interesting, but to me the most fascinating point was made at the ending when he discussed the Mumbai attack.

I remember at the start of the incident when they were talking about 20 to 20 terrorists — and then end when the number dropped to 10 — 9 dead and one captured. I didn’t think much of it at the time.

I think he’s right. There was more than 10. Total number of shooters above 20 and quite a number preset in place to provide logistics.

Scary.