Today's poll question; would India be justified invading Pakistan to take out terrorist groups? The latest bombings in Mumbai, the 4th in 8 years, might have been carried out by militants operating out of Pakistan (as has been widely speculated after past attacks). If the government of Pakistan is unwilling, or perhaps too weak to stop militant activity within its own borders (Bin Laden for example), does India have justification to do it themselves? Yes, Pakistan has nuclear weapons, which is probably the biggest reason India has not already conducted military operations across the border. The question is, how many times can one country be attacked before they fight back? The country of Gandhi might believe that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, but being repeatedly punched in the face can also do serious damage.
The nuclear bombs are a complicating factor, adding to that fears that the current Pakistani government is sitting on a house of cards. India doesn't want the inmates to takeover the asylum, so there is a strong probability that they are holding back their response so long as the current regime is in power. The current regime may be powerless to stop the militants, but it is preferable for them to be in power rather than the militants being in power. At the same time, the Pakistani government can't green light the Indian military entering Pakistan because that would not go over well with the Pakistani street.
Can somebody please tell me how to solve this problem? Or is the least destructive option be that India accept bi-annual terrorist attacks?
You can be pretty sure with the instability in Pakistan in the last few years Indian military leaders and intelligence experts have been working feverishly to enable India's forces to pinpoint Pakistan's nuclear facilities and their command & control choke points.
ReplyDeleteThey have no choice. We worry about Paki nukes. But we don't have them AIMED at us. The Indians do.
I also wouldn't be surprised if the Indian's haven't been frantically working at ramping up the capability of their "bunker busting" conventional warheads.
To answer your survey: YES they would be totally justified. Let's hope they can do it with speed and surgical precision.
I'd like to clarify & add that an Indian attack against Pakistan might not be some pissy-assed border skirmish which may ultimately CAUSE more problems than it solves.
ReplyDeleteThe Indians may decide that an unstable nuclear armed Pakistan is really too much of a threat and take a serious action which would be a conventional move against Paki nuclear delivery & command systems.
Until now the Indians have refrained from taking military action against Paki nuclear facilties because of:
-international diplomatic pressure,
-mistaken belief that at least a few people in the Paki government were NOT complete bug-eyed screaming nut bars.
-the Paki's lack of a dependable missle delivery system for thier nukes. The Pakis now HAVE such a system.
Two of those restraining reasons have pretty much disappeared. The Pakis now have missiles capable of hitting India and I'm not sure the Indians (or anyone else for that matter) are confident that the Paki gov't has secure control over it's nuclear chain of command.
So, does the third restraint (international diplomatic pressure) even matter any more?
Imagine the sentiment in the U.S. if Mexico had nukes.
How many American politicians would be demanding an American strike BEFORE all of Mexico dissolved into a looney tunes chaotic mess?
You can bet these same discussions are happening in India right now.
No country with 10% GDP growth rate would be interested in starting a war. Besides, the rationale used by the Pakistani military/intelligence establishement for their support for militants is the constant and paranoid fear that India could attack them anytime. Any aggressive moves by India at this point would justify the Pakistani military maintaining their ties with militants.
ReplyDeleteIndia is focused on economic growth and improvements in the quality of life and infrastructure. There is no indication that they're prepared to initiate a war.
Bombay is India's financial hub. It is located right on Western coast so it would be the first place to be attacked in the event of a war. A war is very unlikely. What is more likely is better police and intelligence work by R&AW and others.
India will not go to war with Pakistan for the same reasons that China is not prepared to go to war with Taiwan or anyone else. Economic growth is paramount. A few terrorist attacks a year is not enough to risk putting rapid GDP growth at risk.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Toronto-18 were rounded up we saw the pathetic display how the police made sure that the 18 muslims of Pakistani background had NOTHING to do with islam or muslims.
ReplyDeleteToronto almost had 5000+ civilain slaughtered by truck bombs and the muslim leaders excuse it away and harmless pranks by kids and not linked to islam or the peaceful teachings in the quran.
Anon 3 & 4 believe that India won't go to war in fear of upsetting economic growth.
ReplyDeleteI'd love it if I could believe this. But I can't. India may not want war but an increasingly unstable Pakistan may force their hand.
The comparison between India/Pak and China/Tai is not a convincing comparison. Taiwan represents no threat to China. Pak's instability and nuclear arsenal represents a very real threat to India.
People who arrogantly dismiss India's resolve to defend herself with the simple statement "Oh, they'll never go to war. They are too busy making money" demonstrate the infuriating arrogance of the western elitists.
ReplyDeleteHow would YOU know what concerns the people of India? Do you think the people of India would be willing to accept terroist actions on their soil simply because YOU believe a war is inconcievable?
Do you think the people of India would be LESS outraged at a major terrorist incident than the Americans (rightly) were on 9-11? Do we value our people & security less? Or perhaps you believe only the western nations have the courage & resolve to go to war to end terrorism.
Screw you anonymous 3 and 4.
As long as there is Islam the other cultures of the world will be forever defending the gates of Vienna. No other belief system is based on the imperative to subjugate all at any cost. This is not India's problem to be faced alone but, as GW Bush discovered, there are few willing to join any effort to break the stranglehold that Islam has on its already subjugated people.
ReplyDeleteno we cannot give this right to india because pakistan is a soverign state and how can you say that pakistan is involved in mumbai attacks but i can prove india is involved in terrorist activities in balouchistan and using the taliban for its own purposes
ReplyDeleteIt's easy for you Canadian idiots to sit at your computers and cheer lead a war between India and Pakistan. The millions of civilians who would be killed of course doesn't matter to you guys.
ReplyDelete