[A very sensible point of view.] --http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toi-edit-page/war-by-other-means-india-should-not-be-a-bellicose-neighbour-as-pakistan-deals-with-taliban-terror/?utm_source=Popup&utm_medium=Old&utm_campaign=TOIHP
War by other means: India should not be a bellicose neighbour as Pakistan deals with Taliban terror December 20, 2014, 12:02 am IST Raghu Raman in TOI Edit Page One of the challenges while dealing with terrorism is to discern strategic objectives of the enemy, especially when they are veiled behind despicable tactics. This is even more difficult when the psyche of those at the helm of strategy is bloodied by deep personal tragedies. The Pakistani military has taken possibly its worst body blow and is understandably enraged. Air strikes into the strongholds of Taliban before the sun set on black Tuesday are testimony to that. Unfortunately this is exactly what Taliban wants to achieve. Restrained and intelligence-driven surgical operations — not heavy-handed revenge retaliation — is what is most needed now. And here are the reasons why. First, terrorism is a format of war, and warfare is fraught with collateral damage. Having said that, targeting children in cold blood is a strategic move by Taliban because any strategist would discern that such slaughter is not meant to scare away the military from its operations. It never would. Killing their next of kin is throwing down the gauntlet to aggravate the Pakistani military, not subdue them. Military operations in North Waziristan region will only step up with additional resources, higher intensity and after this provocation — also indiscriminate brutality. And that serves the purpose of Taliban. Short of chemical weapons, air strikes are the heaviest hand that a nation can use against its own citizens. Bombs and missiles are area weapons that pulverise entire zones without distinction between combatants, civilians, women or children as has been amply demonstrated in Afghanistan and Iraq. Instead of weakening the resolve of terrorists, they increase recruits in hordes, turning bereaved civilians into suicide bombers and fighters. Giving cause, to those who had none. Also an attack of this nature now requires the Pakistani military to divert thousands of frontline troops to safeguard internal assets like schools in addition to protecting other vital installations. This is the time for the world including India to demonstratively empathise with saner Pakistani strategists to allow them room and resources for manoeuvre, rather than adopting a ‘serves you right’ attitude. To appreciate this better, imagine if a similar attack was conducted in a school in the heartland of the majority community in India, by perpetrators supported from across the border. We have precedence of the Parliament attack exactly 13 years ago when two nuclear nations were at the brink of war. This was followed by Mumbai attacks when again the nation was baying for blood. If a provocation like Peshawar happened here, how could India not go to war, especially in the current political environment whose main electoral plank has been a ‘hard’ stance on terrorism? Whose agenda would this serve most? Definitely not the Pakistani political or military establishments who would be forced to defocus from their operations against Taliban where nearly half of their troops are committed. Even if India did not actually precipitate an offensive — the very real threat that it could, would dilute pressure on Taliban strongholds. India and Pakistan have very real and intractable differences on many issues ranging from Kashmir to the Pakistani penchant of using non-state actors as strategic assets against India. And even though Pakistani citizens have been bearing the high cost of this misguided strategy, the Pakistani military has a tiger by the tail which it can’t let go or destroy easily. A force as lethal and fragmented as Taliban in its many flavours could take several years of sustained military and non-military operations to even contain, let alone eradicate. An agitated bellicose neighbour is a serious distraction. And that is what we should not be. The second reason is that there are deep lessons in preparedness for us in India. There is no way that thousands of our schools can be ‘protected’. Especially if ‘lone wolves’ start adopting copycat attacks. Short of converting them into fortresses, it is impossible to safeguard even a handful of schools meaningfully against a suicide team. What happened in Peshawar is equally possible in any Indian city. Matter of fact, any professional would rate the Pakistani security forces’ response as creditable in that they were able to save over 80% of the children surpassing even the formidable Russian Spetsnaz during the Beslan school attack of 2004 notwithstanding the different circumstances. It is time to take a reality check on our own capabilities to discern such and other attacks in the preparatory stage and respond swiftly when they occur — rather than haranguing others. And lastly, we have an opportunity now to strengthen the arraignment of forces against terrorism. To set aside differences on other issues and focus on a common enemy. The advocates of ‘Taliban’ methodology are most isolated at this point. This is the time to assist in their demise. The world ought to realise that most terrorist attacks have been prototyped in Pakistan before being tried elsewhere. Techniques perfected in that incubation centre will find their way soon into restof the globe. This time it was Pakistani children. The next time it could be … The writer is former CEO of NATGRID. DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own. Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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