There is much tension in the air since the Pakistani
cross-border raid at the Line of Control (LoC) killed two Indian soldiers.
Media is full of emotionally-charged statements.
A bunch of news anchors have
literally declared war on Pakistan and calls from the likes of Sushma Swaraj to
bring “10 Pakistani heads” only add to the existing tensions.
Calls by a section of media for surgical strikes and war
make it sound like a cakewalk. Pakistan military is no pushover and is
competent enough to give us a bloody nose if any hastily-planned cross-border
adventure is initiated.
Their forces are well-entrenched and are trained to stave
off attacks from its eastern neighbour. American military aid in return for
support role in the ‘war on terror’ has added some lethal firepower to
Pakistan’s forces — not to mention the massive supply of military hardware it
keeps receiving from China.
There is no doubt that Indian armed forces enjoy numerical
superiority and possess better equipment. However, there is no guarantee of
keeping the battles theatre-specific and short of the threshold that would
provoke use of nuclear weapons.
More than anyone else (even more that news anchors who
deliver what ‘THE NATION WANTS TO KNOW’ at top decibel) it is the generals of
India and Pakistan who desperately need a war.
The image of Pakistan’s military has taken a serious beating
in the last few years. An American SEAL team sneaked into their territory and
bumped of Osama bin Laden and waltzed out before GHQ bosses in Rawalpindi could
bat an eyelid. CIA drones operate in Pakistani airspace with impunity. Death of
civilians when drone strikes go wrong has created a strong public resentment
against the government and the ‘incompetent’ military.
Several incidents of military bases being targeted with ease
by militants have caused the security establishment to lose their face. The
military is also losing hundreds of soldiers in battles with Islamic militants
— a situation into which it was arm-twisted by Uncle Sam. They are desperate
for a diversion; something that would repose the faith of public in them as
defenders of Pakistan; and nothing like a war to get this done.
Their Indian counterparts are much better off in terms of
internal security. However, the uniform has lost much sheen after the Kargil
conflict — thanks to scams involving high-ranking officials. From corruption in
supply of rations to illegal sale of military land, a series of scams have seen
generals being indicted and cashiered.
The birth certificate controversy involving the previous
army chief saw some serious lows in civilian-military relations. General VK
Singh’s outbursts about the shabby state of India’s military preparedness,
quality of ammunition (and lack of it) and offer of bribes have caused the
military’s image to hit a nadir. Therefore, the tough talk and pressure for
cross-border strikes are only natural.
The LoC ceasefire that has been in place from 2003 has
survived relatively unscathed despite several attempts by hawks among state and
non-state actors on both sides of the border.
This has helped us divert resources for development and
allowed us to stand tall when the rest of the world faced recession. It also
allowed security forces to deploy more effectively and combat militancy in
disturbed areas. A war would change all of this.
The sanctity of our borders must be safeguarded through
appropriate mechanisms at each level. A local incident should not be allowed to
hijack our national agenda and push the countries into a war that they can’t
afford to fight.
(This article was published as the editorial column in
Postnoon on January 16, 2013.)
2 comments:
Nothing stokes passion in India as much as Pakistan does. I don't understand why. We're irrational when dealing with them. Like a friend said (you know him), "lose to anyone, even Bangladesh, but not Pakistan". And that was only a cricket match.
@nobody: Fortunately, sense has prevailed and armies have decided to stick to ceasefire. I hope they manage to act rationally in future also
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