I am going to wait until more information arises to analyze the Mumbai attack fully. For now, I'll piggyback off Naxalite Rage's analysis (the most reliable information at the moment) to offer some preliminary observations on the methodology behind the attacks. Shlok has described what appears to be a rhizome maneuver--mobile autonomous groups of attackers operating in an emergent manner. In terms of systems disruption, there is an equal proportion of economic systems disruption with social systems disruption--there were attacks on transportation systems and big hotels but also smaller scale attacks on movie theaters and cafes.
It is highly remniscent of the 2005 uprising by the PCC in Brazil, which utilized a similar rhizome structure to shut down a modern metropolis. Law enforcement and military officers are targets, but unlike the Sao Paulo foco the primary focus has been on a larger societal systems attack.
With the focus of late on Somali pirates, it is interesting that the attack may have originated from a naval vector--men in speedboats with explosives. Big cities with high-value targets within reach of urban littoral zones should take heed of this attack. It remains to be seen whether or not the attackers will escape with their lives, but that's not the point. We will have to wait to see what the political and economic ramifications of this attack will be.
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