[update on 30th Nov'08] - It is now clear that the terrorists were not taking any hostages, they were only intent on killing. So the innocents inside were more trapped than taken hostages. So the NSG is not really to be faulted it appears.
This is probably the first time that terrorists have actually aimed at foreigners and the creme of society rather than leave a few bombs in a market place visited by commoners. The choice of targets including a Rabbi (probably the first time a Jew has been attacked in India by terrorists) seem to be the outcome of a consolidation of Jehadi forces under a common Arab/Afghan umbrella.
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The Mumbai terror crisis continues third day running. Like so many I am also hurt and enraged. In the newspapers and the news channels there are many a things being written and said. But even in such a crisis we are missing a few important perspectives, the following is an attempt:
The NSG has not done a good job!!
I am not a military strategy expert, but I have read enough and seen enough on History channel and Nat Geo to know that a hostage crisis situation should not see a military engagement go on for more than 48 hours!! The NSG did a night operation without night vision glasses, the armour protection was inadequate…and more such flaws will slowly be exposed.
We have already declared Operation Black Tornado a success. What crap!! The NSG had to win against a bunch of irregulars who are fighting without supplies and sleep!! It is how quickly they finish the opposition taking fewer casualties and saving more hostages that would determine the success. Let’s face it; this is a military failure as well. It is comical to celebrate this as a success!!
But is the NSG to blame for such failure, hardly. So many of its personnel spend all their time doing fetch and carry jobs for our politicians to whom a Z category security tag is a status symbol. Given the right training, preparation, guidance I am sure they are capable of measuring up to the US Navy Seals or the British SAS.
However, we all know that the army is a highly corrupt organisation, made to dance to the tunes of corrupt, self-important parasitic politicians! My only worry is unless we recognise this operation as a failure we’ll never try to build a more elite and effective anti terrorist force.
It is Pakistan, but not the Paki government or its people!!
Let’s totally accept that this attack is launched from Pakistan and the terrorists are Pakistani or aided by certain elements in Pakistan. Let’s also totally accept that the Pakistani government had nothing to do with it. Let’s face it; the Government can hardly control anything in Pakistan, let alone the ISI or Jehadi groups. So talking to the Government, building diplomatic pressure will get us zilch. If the US could not gain by such tactics we do not stand a chance.
Strike now!
Extend a hand of friendship towards the Pakistani Government. Tell them that India will fight with Pakistan to root out terrorism, a common enemy from the region. Having done that, start by aerial attack on all terrorist camps in POK. Needless to say Pakistan will object, so what!! Remember George Bush’s post 911 speeches….either you are with us or you are with the terrorists!!! After all POK is a disputed area, terrorist training camps are already identified, and the operation will have international sympathy. Let it be a quick blitzkrieg of aerial and advance commando ground attacks. By the time the media furore happens, India should present a fait accompli.
We need an Intelligence Agency that works!
For several months, from all the past attacks (Bangalore, Jaipur, Surat etc) the newspapers kept saying that there were intelligence reports of major terrorist attacks being planned in Mumbai and Delhi. So it was all known. And what did we do to prevent it, well whatever we did, it did not help. The most effective way such terrorist attacks can be prevented is by intelligence, penetration of terrorist organisations by our spies etc etc. That we totally underestimated the capabilities of the terrorists who went into the Taj and Oberoi is vindicated by the early casualties of senior officers including the ATS chief. Can we have a more effective intelligence agency for homeland security?
lot of valid points.. hope the heat of this makes govt do some action than engaging in verbal acrobatics...
ReplyDelete@xh: true...we are so good and have all the solutions when speaking on TV channels and writing articles...but so totally ineffective otherwise
ReplyDeleteYet another attack over Indian soil with ease! Many intelligence experts say , the state was alerted but the statemens didnt know ! The day before the attack, Nov 25 ex Union Home Minister delivered the fear of attack on indian soil through sea route! Similary he did agree in the house around 2006 of the threat of militants coming through sea...! But the Govt never took actions but confined to words and lebelling terrorism to people that doesnt constitute and concern the mass!(ie Poll-ethics)
ReplyDeleteBut lets have a different perspective between India and Pakistan.. I read else where that History books in Pakistan align india to coercive state which perpetuated the creation of pakistan due to undue torture of Islamic followers! But that is not my point though the hate is taught by the institution itself!
Lets walk back to history of about 2500 years back to land of Greece. Greece was constituted among smaller and independent states but Athens and Sparta claims attention.
These 2 states constituted the heart of greek philosophy,democracy and Might till it was taken over by Alexander around 366 BC.These 2 rival states grew alongside sharing borders often hostile and enagaged into war of pride!
Athens was renowned as a center of wisdom and learning. The people of Athens were interested in arts, music, and intellectual pursuits. Sparta, on the other hand, was recognized for its military strength.
Both Athens and Sparta had an Assembly, whose members were elected by the people. Sparta was ruled by two kings (nowdays Paki dictators ? ), who ruled until they died or were forced out of office.
Athens was ruled by archons, who were elected annually. Thus, because both parts of Athens' government had leaders who were elected, Athens is said to have been the birthplace of democracy.
The forming of Sparta's military state changed the Spartan way of life. At the tender age of seven, all Spartan males entered a military school. During thirteen years of harsh training, the young men learned toughness, discipline, endurance of pain, and survival skills. Finally, at age twenty, men entered the military.( in Pakistan this action is carried out by Militant Organisations)
Unlike the Spartans, who were to a great degree self-sufficient and did not have business dealings with others, the city-state of Athens became wealthy through trade with others, tributes from states that looked to Athens’s navy for protection.Athens was wealthy, many of its citizens had a relatively large amount of leisure, and they enjoyed contact with the outside world. The city produced a remarkable series of writers, thinkers, philosophers, and politicians; they invented theatre, created democracy, and produced great art, architecture, and literature.
Unlike Sparta which relied mainly on military and its resources as way of living, Athens evolved as a rich state with trade and commerce and schools of thoughts. The state of Pakistan over years after independence has engaged itself to negative policies around india leveraging the danger of unemployment which has driven people out of their homes to take up arms for militancy and way of living. It is also to be blamed for fundamentalist approach confining to hatred towards India.
@ Pritam: Very interesting Pritam. All i knew of Spart was from History books in school and the blood and gore flick "300". Indeed it is an interesting comparison between the Greeks and Spartans vis a vis India and Pakistan. Thanks for your thoughts.
ReplyDeletewatch this
ReplyDeletehttp://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FmJccJW_t0w&feature=related
it has become a routine...there will a blast/terror reality show on tv...meek , inept politicians will come out give sound bytes...sam uncle will send out the rice-wheats to appease the nostrils of manmohan singhs and pranab mukherjees...rice will fly off to islamabad two days later and turn volte face...indians will wait for the next blast...kahani ghar ghar ki...will continue on star plus...