Comments on: Rocket attacks

By: Amit Joshi

Amit Joshi — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:44:08 +0000

It’s a familiar story. The attacks didn’t happen. Those Indians want to blame Pakistan. And oh, the attacks did happen and the Indians did it themselves.

Hey, you missed the favorite Western and Pakistani excuse “the attacks happened because the Sikhs and RSS were oppressing Muslims” as used on Pg 29 The struggle for Kashmir – Michael Brecher – 1953

By: PK

PK — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:38:31 +0000

well, “reciprocal altruism” is the only course of action—PK

By: The Rational Fool

The Rational Fool — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:15:01 +0000

Udayan:

My “what’s the difference” is rhetorical, not to be taken literally. I understand quite well that there are some “subtle and no-so-subtle” differences among these outfits, but few of these are of any consequence.

Don’t make the mistake of not seeing the forest for the trees. Pakistan Army’s motto is: Iman, Taqwa, Jihad fi Sabilillah [Faith, Piety and Fight in the way of Allah]. In that country, as in most other Islamic countries, the transition between the religion, the state, the army, and the militia, is almost seamless.

By: Udayan

Udayan — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:42:08 +0000

@pradeep @rationalfool,

There are subtle and not-so-subtle differences between the Pak army and its jihadi surrogates. Ignoring them would preclude a number of tactical, strategic and diplomatic options. The focus should not be so much on uniting them but on exploiting their differences.

By: The Rational Fool

The Rational Fool — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:38:07 +0000

I agree with Pradeep. What's the difference between the Army of the Pure (LeT), Army of Mohammad (JeM), Party of Holy Warriors (HuM), etc., and the Army of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? There is just one actor behind all jihadis — the ghost of Mohammad!

By: Pradeep

Pradeep — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:49:05 +0000

I wish people wouldn’t use the term ‘non-state actors’. It is despicable and helps Pakistan wash its hands off the responsibility of attacks.

By: raj

raj — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:02:28 +0000

Expecting the Pakistan Govt to take action is wishful thinking as you have pointed out. We will just keep hitting the stonewall of “stout denial”. Equipping our Intelligence with better surveillance tools, which you suggest, is not going to help. We will only try to provide evidence of such devious plans in a folder to the Pak Govt, which will again deny stoutly.

The protocol of conventional warfare imposes severe restraint on us, when the other side is repeatedly employing guerilla tactics.

Since you cite the example of the Israeli-Lebanese border, maybe we ought to learn a few lessons from Israel too. Every time a rocket is fired from across the Blue Line, even by stray elements of the Hezbollah, Israel retaliates with heavy artillery fire, as a minimum