…is that we don’t learn from them
Here’s a passage from my review of India & Counterinsurgency: Lessons Learned, a volume of case studies and analyses edited by Sumit Ganguly & David Fidler.
A recurring theme in the book is that lessons that were to be learnt in one counter-insurgency campaign were not learnt, and mistakes repeated [...]
The implications of terror-on-tap
A few remarks on yesterday’s terrorist attack on Pune (and an attempt to summarise the discussions over email, twitter & telephone).
There were two bombs. The one that went off was an improvised explosive device (IED) likely to be using ammonium-nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) with an RDX booster. The other was a [...]
On putting people first; on fixing drains; and on expanding geopolitical horizons
For reflection on Republic Day—why territory is not a big deal; why fixing drains will help counter terrorism and on the need to see beyond the subcontinent.
Also, don’t miss the brilliant editorial at Mint—that points out that “while we have protected the process of [...]
On this week’s terrorist attack on Srinagar
“Barring that it took place around the corner from the offices of Srinagar-based television stations,” writes The Hindu in today’s editorial, “there was little to distinguish the incident from dozens of similar fire engagements that regularly take place in the State.”
During the course of the attack, the Pakistani [...]
India cannot be competent in internal security without being competent in overall governance
“If 26/11 is not to become another one in an endless series of fatalities,” Pratap Bhanu Mehta writes “we need to keep asking the question: how can a people who have much to be proud of, be endowed with a state that has [...]
Democracy cannot operate without sunlight
Y P Rajesh in the Indian Express on Mumbai’s unanswered questions:
26/11 deserved an inquiry commission on the lines of the US commission that probed 9/11 and went on to blame the FBI and the CIA for intelligence failures. Particularly since the failures in India involved central and state, civilian and military [...]
David Miliband’s trip raises serious questions on Britain’s role in countering terrorism
Never in recent times has a visiting foreign minister been so flippant and so insensitive. The flippancy concerns a bizarre trip to Rahul Gandhi’s rural constituency, the purpose of which is unfathomable beyond cheap political theatre.
But the British foreign secretary’s speech at the [...]
…involving India, that is
To all of you who asked if there’s going to be a war between the armed forces of India and Pakistan—the answer is no. The Prime Minister of India himself said so. His word should be good enough on this matter.
A common bank of votes and notes
As the ghastly chapter of the terrorist attack on Mumbai came to an end, long time reader Jai_Choorakkot wrote to Dilip D’Souza, Rohit Pradhan and me suggesting that posting on each others’ blogs would be a great way to show that Indians are united on fundamental issues. So here, [...]
Centralisation is not a silver bullet. Citizens will get internal security only when they demand it from their elected representatives.
In this month’s issue of Pragati, Ajit Kumar Doval, former chief of the Intelligence Bureau, argues that the “structural architecture of India’s legal-constitutional framework” poses a challenge to evolving a national counter-terrorism policy. He points out [...]
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