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COMMENTARY
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'The Lahore declaration is dead!'
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Sat, 29 May 1999 10:49:23 +0530 This is regarding the conventional means of neutralisation of armed infiltrators controlling Drass, Batalik and other heights. Besides dropping free-fall bombs and rockets on the militants, the defence forces would do well if they considered alternative means of neutralisation which could yield higher gains. The heights being devoid of any human or animal presence except for the militants, chemical weapons would be more effective in breaking the back of the enemy. Release of neuro-inhibitors like Sarin or VX nerve gas could yield mortality results within 2 to 3 days. These do not require pinpoint delivery necessarily to ensure results. Concentrations of as less as 10mg/minute/cubic metre are considered lethal dosages. Calculations will show that just a few sorties flown by IAF bomber aircraft in each of the areas can deliver the required dosage. The former is rapidly absorbed through the respiratory tract, not requiring demal exposure. Advantages would include: drastically lesser sorties flown, greatly reduced risk of aircraft shot down, making use of the harsh environments up there to intensify the effects of induced broncho-constriction, and more than anything else -- creating psychological fear due to the amorphous, intangible way of death. Such tactics have to go hand in hand with cutting off the supply routes of the militants so that medical help does not reach them from across the border. Conventional means of attack have resulted in ludicrous incidents like three aircraft casualties in less than three days. Prolonged air presence in this area with the Mujahideen equipped with stingers and SAMs is suicidal, bordering on the absurd. Using chemical weapons is a touchy topic but not when you are using it in your own (isolated ) backyard, and with professional terrorists whose presence on Indian soil has been acknowledged by the US, UK etc. (Unlike Saddam using it on innocent Kurds). We possess the moral high ground here. It need not be mentioned that an unconventional tactic such as this would be completely unexpected by the enemy which in the first place was not expecting even an aerial assault. Preparedness levels to deal with fallouts and symptoms shall be non-existent. Hope this government sees sense in time, before more aircraft are shot down and their proactive action backfires on them.
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Sun, 30 May 1999 12:29:38 +0400 It is one of the worst acts of cowardice by Pakistan, and I feel ashamed for their act. This is against the Geneva convention and I feel they should be punished for this horrifying act. Tanmoy Das
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Sun, 30 May 1999 20:00:25 +0530 We pray for him and are proud of him.
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Sun, 30 May 1999 11:44:05 -0300 In the interest of truth, it should be noted that the three American servicemen captured by Yugoslavia and subsequently handed over under the auspices of Reverend Jesse Jackson's trip to Belgrade were not pilots at all, but infantry members performing reconnaissance on the Kosovo side of the Kosovo/Macedonia border.
Date:
Sun, 30 May 1999 12:55:55 -0500 As always, your reporting on the Kargil crisis is fantastic. Mukhtar Ahmed is good, so is Chindu Sreedharan. One request: Could your reports accompany some graphics with the maps of the areas in the reports? Himanshu
Date:
Sun, 30 May 1999 16:05:35 -0700 You guys are doing an exemplary and an equally commendable job in keeping us posted of the developments. I am an Indian, here in the US, and latest news of back home, especially of a crisis, is something anyone would like to know at any hour. Keep up the great job. Good wishes. Manish
Date:
Mon, 31 May 1999 02:11:06 -0400 One cannot expect truth from the Indian forces. They lie all the time. For example, in October 1987 the IPKF claimed that LTTE captured 17 Indian army personnel and said the LTTE burnt them alive. Then, after few days LTTE released the 17 army personnel alive. The Indian army claimed that they even killed V Prabhakaran, the chief of the LTTE several times in Tamil Nadu and further claimed they captured virtually all the positions from the LTTE. Does anyone think these statements have any truth in them? If so, why is Prabhakaran wanted for Rajiv Gandhi's assassination even after he was killed by the IPKF more than once? India is going to lose this war to Kashmiri rebels. India will definitely claim that they are winning the war in Kargil by killing thousand of innocent civilians, like they killed in Tiger Land.
Para Parasutharan
Date:
Fri, 28 May 1999 14:21:16 -0400 Solution: Let bygones be bygones and accept the LoC as the real boundary. Change in attitude required
Pakistan:
2. It has to realise that the founding principle of India is "secularism." Which is obvious from the fact that India has the second largest Muslim population in the world (more than the population of Pakistan). 3. Fanning religious fundamentalism in India and trying to break India on religious lines is rather sinister and barbaric and it really needs to be stopped.
India:
2. Once that stops, work hard towards repairing communal trust and harmony.
Kashmiris:
2. India seems like a rogue state mainly because religious and separatist movements have taken over the society (fueled by Pakistan). And how can, the Indian government not react to that? India's foundation is on "diversity." So if breakaway movements are based on religion and language, not much will be left except for splintered states -- and that will result in 30 states with absolutely no tolerance for any deviation from the mean. Is that the kind of world we all want to leave behind?? Teaching tolerance could be the best gift you can leave behind. Sorabh
Date:
Fri, 28 May 1999 13:47:21 -0700 I am rather amused at the naivete displayed by Indians towards Pakistan. They seem to not want to believe that Pakistan can never be friends with India as long as they do not get Kashmir. Vajpayee, in that context, is doing a big disservice to India, like Gujral earlier on, by fooling Indians into thinking that Pakistan, as it is today, wants to be friends with India. I cannot imagine how the media went mushy over the Lahore bus trip! Anyone with some common sense would have seen through this charade. Pakistan's true intentions are now coming out in the open. Will Vajpayee want to take another bus to Lahore now? If the Indian government had guts and common sense, it would also indulge in a proxy war in Pakistan, instead of harping on empty morals. In this dog-eat-dog world, only cowards and the weak rely on principles and morals as they have nothing else to show. The world over, nobody pays much heed to morals that are not backed by might and decisive actions. The US, NATO, Israel, are all wonderful examples of how to proclaim a moral high ground, but at the same time use force wherever necessary (and even if unnecessary) to achieve their goals.
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Mon, 31 May 1999 14:09:04 +300500 It is surprising how can this vast sea of humanity that constitutes our country watch with such detachments the capture of one and the cold blooded murder of another of our gallant sons. It is the responsibility of each and every citizen of this country to free Nachiketa. Where is our fervour, where is the emotion. Nachiketa was captured while defending his own country within its own boundaries -- this should bear on the conscience of each of us. Are our spirits so materialistic that it can be kindled only by patriotic songs sung by some artistes or feats performed by some sportsmen. Where is this spirit when our true heroes are in the hands of the enemy? Awake my fellow countrymen. this is not Baghdad or Kosovo, you cannot just watch while the enemy has our sons in its hands. Pakistan must be forced to release Nachiketa. What will it take to shake our conscience -- another Nachiketa?
Date:
Mon, 31 May 1999 01:59:46 PDT After going through your report, I would like to point out: 1. The people making these claims are not "rebels". They are intruders and the military of a hostile country. 2. The organisations referred to are not "freedom fighters". They are separatists creating terror and fighting for a part of our country. Please be careful to not glorify such militants as "rebels" and "freedom fighters".
Avnish Madan
Date:
Sun, 30 May 1999 06:40:12 +0530 I think the report is excellent as it gives a lot of background details which makes it very interesting and tells not just about the person in question but also his family. Tulu Patnaik
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Fri, 28 May 1999 21:49:10 +0530 Your report titled "Advani, Fernandes pushed PM into ordering air-strikes" is disgusting in the extreme. It's the kind of report I'd expect from a Pakistani news source, not an Indian one. This is the time for Indians to stand together and back the brave pilots and jawans in Kargil. This is absolutely not the time to pander to the outright cheap and opportunistic statements of Natwar Singh and the Congress. This is a pity, as most of your other reports were excellent, including many on Kargil. Rediff is a good source of online news. Just don't become political, especially in a situation like this.
Venkatakrishna Rajajee
Date:
Mon, 31 May 1999 15:18:39 +0100 Today I feel very very proud of being an Indian. The exemplary courage shown both by Nachiketa and his family talks volumes about the virtues of a true Indian family. This should be a lesson to all those power hungry politicians for whom the welfare of the country is not at all a priority. I shall pray to the almighty to grant Nachiketa and his family all the strength they need in this hour of grief. My deepest heartfelt gratitude to a true son of the soil Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja whose deeds will serve as a reference to the money minded countrymen . Let's tell Pakistan: Hamari sharafat ko...hamari buzdili na samjho.
Date:
Sat, 29 May 1999 17:32:54 +0100 We should seek redressal for this gross violation of the Geneva Convention. India has to retaliate. I am sick to my stomach with these statements of restraint. Will these doves explain to Sq Ldr Ahuja's family why India should act with restraint? Why are the lives of our soldiers considered so cheap? Our politicians don't have the guts to defend the country. Why don't these peaceniks go and defend some territory, get some flak, and then talk about restraint? Why is our dumb government trying to absolve Sharief of blame? The Lahore Declaration is dead. These Pakistanis are basically barbarians, and their killing of Ahuja proves it. The government should bomb Pakistan unless they return Flt Lt Nachiketa safe and sound within 12 hours. It is time India bombed Pakistan to oblivion. If we don't do it now, when will we? After our Air Force loses another five men? Pakistan deserves to be taught a lesson. The first step should be to arrest all Pakistani citizens in India. Let Pakistan protest, and then we can return their bodies in bags. Ruchira Raghav
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