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| War or no War? | | | Sushil Vakil
It seems perfectly clearly to me that we can never make any real progress towards permanent peace so long as we recognise the institution of war as legitimate and clothe it with glory-William E. Borah.
Indeed, the Indian leaders ought to take a que from the above lines penned down by renowned political thinker and analyst Mr William Borah as it could help them in dealing with its rogue enemy- Pakistan. The fact remains that Indian politicians are still in double mind-whether to go in for a war or wait for Pak response.
With the Pakistan links into the Mumbai blasts emerging stronger, the UPA government is under intense pressure to take military action against Islamabad. Moreover, Pakis- tan’s refusal to cooperate in tracking down the masterminds of Mumbai and other previous attacks has raised patriotic passions across the country. In the absence of any other option the people opt for a military action. It is now beyond any doubt that the captured terrorist is a Pakistani so were the other nine who had been killed by the gallant NSG Commandos. They had sailed from Karachi and landed into Mumbai after hijacking a fishing boat “Kuber’. The trawler had been found with its captain slaughtered in Al-Qaeda style. Again, all the calls received were traced to different locations in Pakistan. The captured terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab has told the police that the entire operation codenamed Operation VTS was controlled by dreaded Lashker-e-Toiba Commander Mohammad Yusuf Muzammil from across the borders.
As a matter of fact, Mumbai attack is a wake up call for Indian leaders. Though the situation demands war but it is ruled out keeping in view the pusillanimity of Indian leadership in taking such a harsh step. But sadly, despite pressure from US and other countries Pakistan doesn’t appear inclined to oblige India’s demand of handing over of the twenty odd fugitives. Rightly, Pakistan can be aptly described by a saying ‘a leopard can never change its spots’, because despite giving assurances to India that it will not allow terrorists to use its territory against India, it keeps promoting terrorism. It is ironical that despite all happenings India has not yet suspended dialogue process and diplomatic relations with Islamabad.
Undoubtedly, war is not a childish game as it leaves an army of cripples, an army of mourners and an army of thieves. But in the present situation there seems to be no other way out for the country. The terrorist attack in Mumbai targeting prestigious hotels like Taj and Oberoi was not a slap on the Indian leaders only but on the entire nation. The barbaric attack targeting men, women and children has crossed all the limits of patience as it left more than 187 persons dead and more than four hundred innocent people injured. There is no mistaking that the attack has come from the usual suspect. Nonetheless, attack after attack and blast after blast has become a regular affair. Though we have learnt to live with the terror attacks but there is a limit to tolerance. We also know that a war will do more harm than any good. But in that case Pakistan is to be solely responsible as it is provoking India into it.
Suggestively, one can’t rule out bomb for a bomb but the fact remains how long can India afford to witness its citizens getting killed in most unhuman and barbaric manner for no fault of theirs. Mumbai incident is a gruesome reminder of the mayhem let loose by Jihadis sent from Pakistan. Most of the hostages, according to eye witness accounts have bled to death from slits caused by terrorists on their bodies. Hostages were kept hungry and without water for more than two days and killed in cold blood and at regular intervals as the operations were going on. The incident has further prompted a swinging military action against the terror sponsoring country.
There are no two opinions that India’s response to the Mumbai attacks so far has been feeble and disgusting. Instead of forming a strategy on how to deal with a rouge neighbour our Prime Minister has chosen to call on his counterpart to lodge a protest. Further, he urged the Pak President to depute ISI chief to New Delhi to help in investigations. At that time Zardari gladly consented but later on he detracted from his promise. Instead of ISI chief, he promised to send an officer of a lower rank. President Zardari’s snub has left India with no alternative other than summoning Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik to South Block to convey that the terrorist attack on Mumbai was carried out by elements from Pakistan.
Interestingly, after Pakistan failed to respond, mild warnings have started emnating form Indian side. First, it was the external affairs minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee who hinted a possible military action against Pakistan in the wake of its failure to demolish the terrorist network on its soil. It was followed by another warning coming from none other than Congress President Sonia Gandhi herself who cautioned neighb- ours not to mistake India’s desire for friendship with them for its weakness. The newly appointed Home Minister, known for calm and composure too veiled a light threat by saying “the government would respond with determination and resolve to the grave threat of terrorism posed to the country.”
We must salute former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright for her bold statement against Islamabad on Mumbai blasts. Citing terrorism and nuclear weapons in Pakistan as causes of international worry she described the country as an “international migraine.” Indian leaders must also thank US President elect Mr Barrack Obama for his committed support. “My administration will support India’s efforts to catch perpetrators of this terrible act and bring them to justice”, Obama added. It is puzzling that on the one side US is assuring full support while on the other its leaders are asking India to exercise maximum restraint. Besides, it is advising New Delhi not to engage in any direct confrontation with its neighbour. In the midst of confrontation between the two sides the US is itself attacking some Pakistan areas to wipe-out the Al-Qaeda remanants. The fact remains that India is more a victim of the Pakistan sponsored terrorism than US. Incidently, since the attack on World Trade Centre, US has not faced a single terrorist onslaught while as India has encountered many. Unarguably, US needs to do some soul searching. And instead of asking India for exercising restraint it must cooperate in a joint action against terrorists holed inside Pakistan if it really wants to put an end to terrorism once for ever.
Well, Pakistan government can’t get away simply by claiming that it had no knowledge of the terrorists operating from its territory. It is an open fact that Pakistan has become a safe haven for terrorists as they enjoy every patronage-from training to arms. It is another matter that President Asif Ali Zardari had promised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at UN that Pakistan wouldn’t allow use of its territory for launching attacks against India.
Earlier, General Musharraf had made the same promise to the Prime Minister and his predecessor Atal Behari Vajpayee. But they turned out to be hoax, given the audacity with which Pakistan terrorists have been attacking India.
Will our leaders ever show the courage and sagacity to teach Pakistan a lesson is a matter of time. Truly, if India wants to eliminate terrorism it has to create terror in the hearts of its enemies. Otherwise terrorism will not only engulf whole of India but will spread its tentacles all over the world. Precisely, it is the high time for Indian leadership to give a befitting response to Pakistan. |
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