Uncomfortable but pertinent questions in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attack

After more than 48 hours of gun-fights and focused commando action, it appears that the terrorists have either been captured or killed. Sadly, more than 150 innocent people have lost their lives, including several foreigners. But the entire incident raises several larger questions in my mind:

1. The entire nation depends upon our armed forces for deliverance in times lke this.  Should we still grudge them the higher salary that the services are asking for to bring them on par with civil servants and bureaucrats?
2. Commandos Gajendar Singh and Sandeep Unnikrishnan lost their lives protecting Mumbai and its citizens. They were not “Marathi Manoos”. Should our politicians still waste time on frivolous debates?
3. Should the media be allowed to provide a “running commentary” as it were, knowing well that they may well be providing intelligence and information to the very terror-mongers we are trying to fight?
4. Should politicians try and make political capital out of a situation that is a national tragedy?
5. Given Pakistan’s track record of promising to turn a new leaf and then reneging on its promise, should we trust them this time to take action to curb cross-border terrorism?
6. Will India learn from its mistakes and fix the gaps?
7. As citizens, will we shrug off our apathy and become more actively engaged?
8. Will the supreme sacrifice made by Hemant Karkakre, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar (these three were Marathi Manoos), Gajendar Singh, Sandeep Unnikrishnan and hundreds of others (employees of the Taj, guests etc.) be in vain?