Wargaming Cold Start
By Ahmad Faruqui, Dawn, January 5, 2008
THE war of words between India and Pakistan continues to escalate. During the past two weeks, the advantage has shifted to New Delhi.
Pranab Mukherjee, India’s foreign minister, said that his government was keeping all options open. Vikram Sood, the former top spy, provided the translation. Sood called for tough action to prevent the Pakistani army from “Balkanising” India. In his view, the army’s quest dates back to 1971, when India dismembered Pakistan.
Arundhati Ghose, India’s former UN representative, opined undiplomatically, “If there is another attack, we should go in and bomb the daylights out of them.” Pradeep Kaushiva, a retired vice admiral, said that every Indian in uniform feels “that the country has been attacked and someone must pay for it.”
BJP parliamentarian Arun Shourie called for covert actions to be carried out in Balochistan, Gilgit and Baltistan. He declared, “Not an eye for an eye; but for an eye, both eyes.” This mantra is a far cry from Mahatma Gandhi’s who was even opposed to the Biblical injunction.
Should India attack? It can destroy a few camps and claim that it has ‘demolished’ the infrastructure of terror. But that claim would simply invite derision. The Israeli experience shows the futility of using military force against those seek martyrdom.
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