Talking Is The Point 

The point is the talk itself. War may not happen, for conditions do not allow it, but talk of war very nearly serves the purpose of those who would like to see it happen. In short, war is best, but talk of war is a close second.

Such talk, from whichever perspective, helps build a siege mentality among an unsuspecting public. Whether you listen to arguments for or against, just the fact that you are listening to serious war talk all around you makes you feel you are, or soon could be, at war. And that opens you up to the idea of supporting the purchase of another aircraft bomber even if you can’t pay your mortgage instalment.

There is nothing new to this. Long before he propounded the clash of civilizations theory, Samuel P. Huntington made a name for himself by arguing that maintaining a large and fully equipped military was imperative for the United States even in times of peace. His book The Soldier and the State came out in 1957, when liberal Americans were wondering why they should spend millions of dollars on the military although the world war was well over and no new war was imminent. -- Saif Shahin

Salvador Dali, master of the surreal, would have felt a twinge of envy had he read the annual Country Reports on Terrorism 2009 released by the US State Department last week. The report, mandated by the US Congress, is supposed to present an authoritative assessment of the threat posed to the US by non-US terrorist groups as well as countries designated as “state sponsors of terrorism”. Instead, the report paints a curious picture that bears only the most tenuous link to reality...

While Pakistan is justifiably identified as a victim of terrorism, its state security apparatus, particularly the untouchable Inter-Services Intelligence, is absolved of any complicity in promoting terrorism through groups such as the Haqqani Network and Hezb-e-Islami. Similarly, Islamabad’s inability to crack down on the Lashkar-e-Taiba—even though it remains “a serious threat to Western interests”—and to keep its promise of sharing intelligence with India on the 2008 Mumbai attacks has been papered over. Instead, Pakistan’s inaction has been linked to the absence of peace talks between New Delhi and Islamabad last year. Even though the peace process has resumed, Pakistan remains intransigent, prompting British Prime Minister David Cameron to say that it cannot be allowed to “promote the export of terror”. In contrast, the response of the US report to Pakistan’s continuing obstinacy is almost a meek request: “It needs to take further action against this group…” -- W Pal Sidhu

In 2002, the Bush administration’s National Security Strategy (NSS) made it clear that America, with Britain’s help, intends to increase terrorism by chasing terrorists around the world instead of capturing them, or, better still, addressing their grievances – this is the real world, after all, which is dominated by financial interests, so there’s no time for rational solutions here. The NSS reads: “The United States and countries cooperating with us must not allow the terrorists to develop new home bases. Together, we will seek to deny them sanctuary at every turn.”

The policy of giving terrorists no “haven”, rather than working to end terrorism, gives the US and Britain the excuse to “fight and decisively win multiple, simultaneous major theatre wars” by chasing terrorists around the globe and, more worryingly, to actually cause terrorism. -- Tim Coles

Bravo. Bangladesh has done it. It has successfully reversed the cynical Islamisation of its local General Zia. Not only is one fortified by their action that a Muslim majority nation state is capable of rolling back the Islamist project but as a Pakistani I am glad that at least some part of the former original Pakistan is now firmly allied with the principles that Jinnah laid down in his famous August 11, 1947 speech. -- Yasser Latif Hamdani

Professor M. Hasan, a retired geographer and an expert member of the Rajiv Gandhi Social Security Mission, told Frontline from Jodhpur that the police, never immune from political interference, always drew hasty conclusions when a blast occurred. For instance, he said, he and a few others were not allowed to organise peace meetings after the Jaipur blasts in May 2008 in which 60 people were killed. He said some senior police officers were “hell bent” on creating rifts, and that sections of the media also played a damning role by declaring a group of Muslim doctors, who had been arrested, guilty. -- T.K. Rajalakshmi

To expect the US to ensure that Pakistan would not resort to terrorist attacks against Indian targets would be unrealistic. It has not happened all these years....The Pakistan government has pre-empted a military takeover by General Kayani by giving him a three-year extension and thereby conceding indirectly that the army and Kayani in particular will guide and direct the government in Pakistan. A former ISI chief who continues to employ people like ex-ISI chief Hameed Gul could not be expected to think in terms of any peaceful settlement with India on pending issues. India should, therefore, be prepared for all eventualities and set its own house in order. The Kashmir issue should be sorted out after purposeful talks with the Kashmiri people, the National Conference, the PDP, the Hurriyat and others. A solution is not difficult to arrive at if sincere efforts are made at all levels. And as for terrorist attacks from across the border, India has to anticipate them and be prepared and alert. -- T.V. Rajeswar

The Pakistan Army has become adept at manufacturing ‘victories’ against ‘terrorism’ in theatre after theatre in the country, though each year has seen increasing terrorism-related fatalities in the country. In this bold history of triumph, on June 1, 2010, the Army had declared another victory over ‘terrorism’ in its Operation Khwakh Ba De Sham (I Will See You) in the Orakzai Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), adding that military operations in the area had been ‘completed’ and civilians could expect to return home soon. -- Tushar Ranjan Mohanty

The Sheikh Hasina regime has done extraordinarily well in stabilizing a country which, only a few years ago, had come to be regarded as an economic and political basket case and a centre of Islamist extremism and terrorism. However, radical Islamist groupings in the country, despite the body blows they have received in the recent past, retain a significant cadre base and residual capacities to create havoc in the country. -- Anshuman Behera

What role did the ISI’s collusion with the Taliban play in the increasing fatalities suffered by the US troops in Afghanistan? How could the Obama Administration have decided to step up military and economic assistance to Pakistan despite being aware of the “reality” of the ISI’s role in helping the Taliban in its operations against the US and Nato troops. Previously, it used to be believed that the ISI was using terrorist organisations only to kill Indian nationals and to target Indian interests. The leaked documents clearly indicate that the ISI had been knowingly helping the Taliban, another terrorist organisation, against the troops of the US-led Nato forces and the Afghan Security Forces. -- B Raman

FIFTEEN years separate the bomb blasts that shook Mumbai in March 1993 and took more than 250 lives, and the jihadi commando assault of November 2008 where 157 people were gunned down. A lot changed in that period apparently except one thing— the unrelenting hostility of the Pakistani establishment towards India. This has been brought home to us from the remarks on Tuesday of the National Security Advisor, Shivshankar Menon who confirmed what Home Secretary G. K. Pillai had said earlier: That the Headley interrogation had revealed that there are clear links between the terrorists, official establishments and intelligence agencies in Pakistan. And, in Menon’s bleak words, “the link was getting stronger”...

The failure of the recent talks between the External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi has been attributed in part to GK Pillai’s statement that the Inter Services Intelligence Directorate was involved in the 2008 Mumbai operation from the beginning to the end.

Mr Pillai does tend to misspeak, and you can question the timing of his statement.

But surely there is something bizarre about taking umbrage to his timing but not what he said. And what he said is indeed sensational. If an agency of the Pakistan government was involved in the Mumbai attack, why is India bothering to talk peace with that government? The Indian government’s policy works on the belief that there is a tussle between the civilian and military wings of the Pakistan establishment, and that it is in India’s strategic interest to back the civilians so as to forever marginalise the self appointed guardians of the Islamic Republic— the Pakistan Army.

All this is possibly true, but not on a practical timeline. Policy is usually made for a two to five year time horizon, with a perspective of, say, ten years. The civilians may triumph in Pakistan, but given present trends, they will do so at an indeterminate time in the future which has no practical benefit for India. - Manoj Joshi

TIMES NOW acquires transcripts of a conversation between hard-line separatists and mobs, exposing how they are trying to instigate violence in the Kashmir valley.

The role of the hard-line faction of the Hurriyat has been exposed. TIMES NOW has acquired transcripts of a conversation between Hurriyat Geelani faction leader and his paid activist.

The conversation very clearly exposes how the hard-line separatists are trying their best to instigate violence during the protests. The Hurriyat Geelani faction leader is heard instigating his activist to ensure that at least 10-15 people are martyred.

8 Jul 2010: Following is the transcript of the conversation between the Hurriyat leader and the paid protester:

Hurriyat (G) leader Ghulam Mohd Dar: I heard there is a protest march in Budgam.

Local Hurriyat activist, Shabir Ahmed: Where?

Ghulam Mohd Dar: Budgam

Shabir Ahmed: I believe one small one had. Where will they go right now?

Ghulam Mohd Dar: No, I have heard that it's a massive one - nearly 30,000

Shabir Ahmed: 30,000?

Ghulam Mohd Dar: I swear, 30,000 of them. Protest near the Magam Forest check post. You enjoy your salaries without doing anything for it.

Shabir Ahmed: You have to understand the reason for it

Ghulam Mohd Dar: Tell me

Shabir Ahmed: The crowds get too big to handle at times. Lots of people join in and it's difficult to manage them

Ghulam Mohd Dar: We want 10-15 more martyred. Did you hear that?

(loud noise apparently of rally)

Ghulam Mohd Dar: Did you hear that? That's the rally in Budgam

Local Hurriyat activist, Shabir Ahmed: Ok

U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan appear to be having a similar effect. Before being relieved as Afghanistan commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal admitted: "We've shot an amazing number of people [at checkpoints] and killed a number and, to my knowledge, none has proven to have been a real threat to the force."

Faisal Shahzad, the naturalized American citizen who recently pled guilty after attempting to set off a car bomb in Times Square, was a troubled fellow, but there is no evidence that he disliked the liberties of the society which he chose to join. Instead, he grew to hate the policies carried out by the U.S. government.

During his court hearing Shahzad said: "until the hour the U.S. pulls its forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, and stops the drone strikes in Somalia and Yemen and in Pakistan, and stops the occupation of Muslim lands, and stops killing the Muslims, and stops reporting the Muslims to its government, we will be attacking U.S."

When the judge objected that people walking in Times Square had not attacked Muslims, Shahzad responded: "the people select the government; we consider them the same." As for children, he said: "the drone hits in Afghanistan and Iraq, they don't see children, they don't see anybody. They kill women, children. They kill everybody." Thus his resort to terrorism: "I am part of the answer to the U.S. terrorizing the Muslim nations and the Muslim people, and on behalf of that, I'm avenging the attacks."…

As Glenn Greenwald put it, "if we continue to bring violence to that part of the world, then that part of the world--and those who sympathize with it--will continue to want to bring violence to the U.S." That's why many people in other nations not only hate us, but are trying to kill us. -- Doug Bandow

Pulling militancy out by its roots not only requires making hard administrative decisions, such as those Hasina has already begun, but also building consensus among politicians and civil society to free the country from the militant menace. To do this, she should have discussions with concerned citizens and groups who are affected by militancy and are working on the issue, while also using the media effectively to make people aware of the negative societal impact.

In addition, it is necessary for the ruling Awami League to create an environment in which the general public is not swayed by militant ideologies. Hardliners have gained ground among the impoverished population in rural areas, where government infrastructure and basic services are not adequate, by supporting mosques, hospitals and religious educational institutions. -- Chinmoy Mutsuddi

What about the Taliban? What is their thinking? President Karzai is banking heavily on the possibility that the Taliban, accepting him as a genuine interlocutor, will respond to his overtures. These are early stages, with everything up in the air, different possibilities being floated but nothing definite on the table as a genuine starting point.

For Pakistan the danger is obvious. We are caught in a bind. The more our American friends flounder, the greater will be their frustration, and the greater their readiness to take out their anger on us by accusing us of a double-faced policy: hunting with them but also in touch with the Taliban. Every failure begets the need for scapegoats and we shouldn't be surprised if we are blamed for the US's own failures of judgment and resolve. -- Ayaz Amir

In an interview Journalist Ahmed Rashid  says, 'Militancy will not run out of steam' and 'There has to be a regional approach in dealing with militancy'. His new book Descent Into Chaos is an investigation into what he describes as the "failure of nation building" in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia and the threat from radical Islam.

Until the powers that be prove willing to shelf political expediency in favour of helping ordinary people in the northern areas and beyond, Pakistan will exhaust itself taking one step forward, only to take two steps back, writes political analyst Huma Yusuf.

The interests of the U.S. military-industrial complex appear to take precedence over U.S. national interests and human rights concerns, a recent transfer of fighter jets to Pakistan shows. From behind the ivory tower called the White House on New Year's Eve, even as the ground in Rawalpindi - headquarters of Pakistan's military - was wet with the blood of twice-premier Benazir Bhutto, the Bush Administration okayed the delivery of deadly F-16 jets to Pakistan worth nearly $500 million. The manufacturer in question, Lockheed Martin has had a history of bribing foreign officials for arms purchases and though a special law was enacted to quell such bribery three decades ago, the practice seems to still be continuing vis-à-vis Pakistan, an elected official in that country said. American Reporter Correspondent Ahmar Mustikhan reports from Washington, D.C.

Pakistan and India held counter-terrorism talks in Islamabad yesterday amid mutual suspicion over each other’s involvement in insurgencies raging in border areas. Although the talks were meant to take place on a quarterly basis, this was only the third meeting of the “anti-terrorism mechanism” since Indian and Pakistani leaders agreed to establish it in September 2006. The initiative aimed to provide a platform for information exchange and assistance in investigations, and came two months after train bombings in the Indian city of Mumbai killed at least 180 people, casting a pall over a peace process the nuclear armed rivals began in 2004.

It is also possible that cross-border terrorism is being tacitly promoted by Islamabad to divert attention from domestic problems which are increasing by the day. If the Durand Line can be breached, why not the LoC? Whatever the truth, the Union Government can ill afford to shut its eyes to the situation in Jammu & Kashmir; it must act without losing time, if only to avoid being taken by surprise. Meanwhile, it would be a good idea for New Delhi to let Islamabad know that India's patience can't be taken for granted, says an editorial in the Pioneer, New Delhi.

That the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Harkat-ul-Jihadi and Students Islamic Movement of India have been creating havoc with India's internal security, is well known. Two arrested SIMI cadres have now made a startling revelation about a conversion-based recruitment agency, which the outfit has been running for the past couple of years. Vicky Nanjappa reports from Bengaluru.