War as daily routine – The Hindu

Every morning in Doha now begins with a ritual that no one planned but everyone follows with the discipline of a religious ceremony. The first act of the day is not brushing one’s teeth or making tea. It is checking the news of fresh destruction. Then comes the embassy notifications. Then the airline websites. Then the airport updates. And finally, the most important part of the morning routine: waiting for what we have begun calling the attack of the day. Like the weather forecast, but louder.

Two alerts usually arrive to structure the day. The first alert announces that a threat is approaching. The second politely informs us that the threat is now over. It is astonishing how efficient the modern world can be when it comes to notifying civilians that missiles are passing overhead.