OK here is the problem with your analogy.  You don't ask cardboard to be part of a house....cardboard can't tell you that it's not up to the job.  Carboard doesn't intend to fail to do it's job when you select it for the task.  These people did.

These people are to blame for their own actions, there is no escaping that fact.

@Incandescence,

Well given the information people have reported here I'd have to agree that the US definitely enjoys an extremely competent police force, particularly when compared to India.  What I took exception to was the implication that we, on the whole, don't appreciate their sacrifices.  While I can't speak for everyone I do know that a substantial number of people do appreciate their hard work, even though teenagers and criminals may not. 

Television likes to glorify the negative image that cops have been given and that makes it attractive to the young and the stupid to take up the same ideas, but like many other things teenagers get into..the allure passes and most eventually realize the truth of the matter. 

There are of course other scenarios where the image is perhaps warranted, especially in terms of racism, sexism, and other "isms" that some cops can have and occasionally do bias their decisions and actions.  That's why I said in my post that I could understand some of them hiding and not doing their job, because you can't always have 100% efficiency, that's just unreasonable.

Yeah, I guess I didn't really do a good job of clarifying what I said and stuck with something that made a statement about both sides as a whole and kinda led to the misunderstanding. :/

The reality is that when an Indian reads this article(like I did), he will get a bit angry, disgusted, all for 5 min and then think nothing more of it. We dont even expect the cops to put their lives on line, or even be useful to us beyond a certain degree.

For those who say these guys are under-paid, these guys are predominantly under-educated and also, corruption provides them with a steady source of income.They are just plain incompetent, and there is no excuse for a police force like that.

For those who say India should have a U.S like pro-gun outlook, are you kidding?
If even a small %age of the population starts legally carrying a gun, the number of murders is gonna shoot up, with people murdering unfaithful spouses, thieving servants, or the kind of school shootings so commonplace in the U.S.These negatives do not get balanced by the ability a citizen might have of self-defense during a terrorist attack.

You know, the US isn't the only country that allows for the personal armmament of ones self. Switzerland says 'hi'.

And if your worried about the possible carnage that would evolve out of owning guns: our rates have been dropping pretty decently for decadaes now. You can look at crime staitsitics in formerly pro-gun nations such as Australia and the United Kingdom and realize that banning guns really didn't help.

American violent crime isn't a result of guns, American violent crime is a result of it's people. Look at crime rates by race, and other factors - there's more to it than 'OMG, America haz violent crimez because of guns!' - Last I checked, some of the worst countries for homicides are South Africa, Colombia and Russia - all of which are 'anti-gun' of some degree.

South Africa, for example does allow it's citizens to own guns if registered - 2.6-3m are registered. Problem is, 98% of all gun related deaths are due to illegal guns....Some laws, hunh?

I don't know - Maybe Indians shouldn't be trusted with their own saftey, and left in the hands of their officers. But thank God I'm an American, and live in a state with Concealed Carry laws. Had that of happened where I live, the terrorists would of been shot dead in short order, and many lives would of been saved. Watching the savage attack on TV, and learning that the Jews were tortured to death makes me feel very bad for the fact that Indians, and the foreigners living there, aren't given the chance to defend themselves by the same means the terrorists are allowed to take them.

@mrstickball
What you have to realise is that India has a population which is overwhelmingly more than the countries you mentioned, and more people means more ways in which such a legislation can come back and bite us in the ass. You talking about violent crimes made me chuckle cause the news of village people killing someone over stolen cattle, or adulterers is common in India,and they dont even need weapons. Indian people are remarkably capable of resorting to a mob tendency and cause violence the kind which a civilized mind cant comprehend. Hence my apprehensive outlook. To be frank, arming any person may give him a responsibility he may or may not be ready to bear.

...So why not filter said people to include responsible Indians rather than the ones you worry about? We do that in America too....It's called a 'background check'.

And again i play the population card
A greater number of people means such background checks become more difficult
And the corruption present in the system would make it possible for almost anyone to get a license( driver's licenses are given out without any kind of tests)
Im glad youre happy with your country's gun laws, but i generally am opposed to it, mainly because i don trust people in general.

@mrstickball

"I don't know - Maybe Indians shouldn't be trusted with their own saftey, and left in the hands of their officers. But thank God I'm an American, and live in a state with Concealed Carry laws. Had that of happened where I live, the terrorists would of been shot dead in short order, and many lives would of been saved. Watching the savage attack on TV, and learning that the Jews were tortured to death makes me feel very bad for the fact that Indians, and the foreigners living there, aren't given the chance to defend themselves by the same means the terrorists are allowed to take them."

I find that statement to be slightly well.. racist.. just because you have a gun or a right to carry an arm doesnt make you safe. It in fact makes you more dangerous. If American society was SO SAFE people wouldnt need to own arms to protect themselves in the first place now would they?
A good example of this is canada, its got a similar quality of life, a similar demographic but how often do you hear of a Canadian blowing up his classmates or otherwise.

Its kinda crazy how there are so many serial killers, shootings and gang violence in america. Im not saying the UK or India are immune to this kinda stuff but please fix your house first before you comment on mine. Im glad they dont let every indian carry a gun. God what a tragedy would that be!

Ummm, which races did I demean, again? I mentioned no races. Just nationalities. How is that racist?

And your right - American society isn't safe. Thats why we need the ability to protect ourselves. Feel free to look at laws concerning gun bans in America, and the negative impact they've made on crime rates (DC gun ban is a great case, crime tripled shortly after the ban was implemented).

And again, it comes down to the society, not the weaponry. If you have a smart, armed populace you won't have problems. If you have a dumb, disarmed populace, your still going to have massive problems. Why is it that every Swiss person is conscripted to the army, and owns a gun in their house, yet has some of the lowest crime rate(s) in the world?

In this incedent, in this case, if the camerman had a gun (which he himself wanted), the situation may have ended differently. One of the reasons America has so many shootings - such as the school shootings - is because *gasp* guns aren't allowed at schools! So guess what? If a nut job wants to cause mayhem, and destroy life, the place he will go is where guns aren't allowed. This happens in a society where some places allow concealed carry/gun owners, and others don't. Florida is a great example of this. They allowed more gun rights for people to defend themselves, and crime dropped briskly after the law was enacted. It's a general rule of thumb that criminals don't want to die, so they'll pick targets that are easy. And if a place isn't so easy to commit a crime...They won't do it.

I dont get how "shooting from the waist" and "professionalism" can be put together.... Shooting from the waist is as inaccurate a shot as is turning your gun sideways "gangsta" style. I will say tho, by the picture here, if the cameraman would have had a gun, that'd be perfect sniping position. Yet another testament to an armed society. Had the civilians had guns too, the gunmen would have been taken out a lot sooner.