Author: Lt Gen NS Malik
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: October 14, 2001
It is war between the good and evil.
Good will win. We will not spare the terrorist and those who harbour them,"
said US President George Bush. Brave words indeed! But would the Bush administration
support an Indian action to destroy evil across the LoC in the land of
those who harbour terrorists?
President Bush doesn't need to answer
this question as the Indian establishment has been too eager to remain
defensive in its military positioning and reactive in international diplomacy.
What is the relevance of all this to us nearer home? How does it translate
itself into our fight against terrorism, sponsored by the unscrupulous
regime in Pakistan. And what is the effect of this fight on Pakistan?
To understand the answers to these
questions and get a realistic view, it is important to fully grasp the
essence of the conflict. We must first identify the perpetrators of the
crime. It is generally assumed that their origin is the Middle East region
and that the attacks probably trace back to the Osama Bin Laden network,
a widespread and complex organisation with its safe haven and training
areas in the inhospitable terrain of Afghanistan.
The Afghans, funded by the CIA,
did not terminate their activities after driving the Russians out.They
found a safe haven for their training areas and enough recruits for their
fanatical activities out of the thousands of madarsas established in and
around Pakistan. Terrorism went global. They joined Bosnian Muslim forces
in the Balkan Wars; the US did not object. The Afghans are also fighting
the Russians in Chechnya and the mainstay of the cross-border terrorism
in Jammu and Kashmir. Ultimate terrorist destination remains the citadel
of imperialism, considered an enemy of Islam, the US. But India is a nearer
and easier target, with enough cells already operating in the country through
the sympathetic SIMI and other such organisations.
The serial bombing of Mumbai in
1993 and the hijacking of IC-814 were only the preliminary exercises in
this big game. It is also widely feared that Bin Laden and others like
him are praying for "a great assault on Muslim states," which will cause
"fanatics to flock to his cause." That, too, is familiar. The escalating
cycle of violence is typically welcomed by the harshest and most brutal
elements on both sides.
India will again be the natural
target and Pakistan is just awaiting that opportunity. In this case, the
danger is within. Communal harmony has to be maintained at all costs, otherwise
we will unwittingly become the fighters for the terrorist case.
Pakistan once again finds itself
in the frontline. It has loved this role, and is making a virtue out of
necessity. It is resisting the US demands for bases and transit facilities,
pandering to the clamour of the hardliners and yet accepting to do the
bidding for a price, which is mainly economic and military hardware. Some
believe that the anti-American demonstrations in Pakistan are winked at
by the government in order to show its helplessness to the cause. It is
trying to build up a scenario that if Pakistan does submit to US demands,
it is not impossible that the government will be overthrown by forces much
like the Taliban, who in this case will have nuclear weapons.
It finds itself in the most opportune
moment, "chit bhi meri, pat bhi meri." No slackening in the terrorist activities
against India are expected. US is fighting its own war and has no time
to indulge in these side issues, Pakistan is again the pet of the Pentagon.
That could have a terrible effect.
An escalation in terrorist activities
would put tremendous pressure on India. Getting Bin Laden "dead or alive",
changing the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and uprooting some terrorist
training areas will in no way achieve the aim set forth by the US as demanded
by the world community of a persistent war against terrorism and its perpetrators.
It will only increase the problems for us as all these "fundas" (fundamentalists)
will head for J&K when put under pressure in Afghanistan.
For India, it is a lonely battle
and a long haul and we must gird ourselves for such a fight. Like the US
taking on terrorism in its heartland, we must, too, follow the policy of
hot pursuit. We must not put any brakes as advised by our foreign office.
Restraint in such situations are self-inflicted injuries. It rather gives
the other side freedom from fear that he too could be attacked.
It may be argued that an action
across the LoC could lead to casualty on our side. For the armed forces
casualty is part of their job. At this stage, hot pursuit may not be diplomatically
desirable but militarily, it is the opportune moment.
Military is not meant to be in the
defensive position always. Sometimes, it should also be allowed to go on
offense. Given the kind of force deployment we have had in defensive positions
in the J&K in the past decade, a hot pursuit would always have been
more advisable.
The question is, why turn an instrument
of offense into a force of defence. If we cannot go on offensive, it would
be better to turn our military into an anti-terrorist police force.
Pakistan has been trying our patience.
Now is the time to try their patience. The Pakistani establishment has
been running the proxy war at their choosing. Time for us to decide the
battleground and time, at least for once.
If visits of Foreign Minister Jaswant
Singh and National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra are on the same lines
as the tour undertaken by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi before the Bangladesh
conflict, it's fine. If it's only to beg the West to pull the chestnuts
out for us, it doesn't help our cause. Actually India has come to be seen
as a weak, soft and vacillating state not only by our neighbour and the
terrorist groups but by the whole world.
It's unfortunate that we are seen
to be pleading when we are ourselves capable of countering the terrorist
threat.
(The author is former Dy Chief of
Army Staff)
