This editorial appeared in The Miami Herald.
The horrifying attacks on Mumbai serve to remind the world that political terrorism is relentless, indiscriminate and heartless. The mass violence employed by extremists, once confined to a few targeted nations such as Israel, has spread to every corner of the globe and continues to grow. This wasn't just about India and Pakistan, or Hindus and Muslims. It was about all of us.
Confronting this menace requires every nation to set aside old rivalries in order to overcome the greater evil. In this case, it is incumbent on both India and Pakistan – particularly the latter – to come to grips with the source of discontent. Both countries must work to put an end to the feud over the disputed land of Kashmir because that is a breeding ground for terrorism and a pretext for violence.
Blood and destruction are not new to this part of the world. The rioting and dislocation that followed the partition of 1947, when the independent nations of modern Pakistan and India were born, claimed about 500,000 lives. The legacy of this terrifying period has been decades of mutual hostility and repeated episodes of violence. Kashmir remains a divisive issue, a rallying cry for terrorists and a pretext for further bloodshed.
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