The world can be a better or worse place, depending on the outlook people adopt. Mumbai is a far better place because of the positive, creative and industrious attitude of its citizens and of the Indian nation in general. However, that city became, over a period of days, a much worse place because of the outlook of murderous Islamic fanatics who instead of improving the world through creativity embrace resentment, blame their shortcomings on others and give free rein to infantile, homicidal rage.

Many countries around the world would be wealthier and happier if they took the example of India to heart. The entire world is poorer because of the brutalities committed around the world by the allies of the terrorists who struck Mumbai. A civilized world is one in which its inhabitants can concentrate on creative activities and business rather than on the more fundamental concerns of self-preservation. It is only too easy for barbarians to destroy that fragile order by harming the defenseless.

When that happens, as it did in Mumbai, everything becomes more difficult and more costly, and the inhabitants of civil society have to give up wealth, labor and freedom in the interest of self-defense. While certain factors make Mumbai especially vulnerable, what happened there could happen to one degree or another in any city in the world.

Thus with Mumbai we see the further pernicious evolution of terrorism and a greater degree of risk emerging in the world. We also see a threat to the commercial power of India and the benefits that power creates for India and its business partners around the world.

It is my hope that India can work with Pakistan to bring meaningful action against the intellectual authors of the crime and their sympathizers. The human misery wrought by the terrorists ought to be enough to anger anyone, but these deeds are felt more keenly because they were perpetrated against people who have become partners, allies and friends. Those who attack our friends attack us, and we must stand with our friends against them.

The fragility of civilization is only one side of its paradoxical nature: it is the gentleness of liberty that allows for creativity in all endeavors, resulting in wealth and power. This is the advantage of civilization over barbarism, an advantage that should be wielded with vigor in the coming days and weeks.

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