Tiger Or A Meek Cat

In the recent times, meaning the past few months India has seen heavy activity on its border with China and Pakistan. The Pakistan and China (pakina) axis has been geting bolder concerning there activities against India. The rise in infiltaration of terrorists attempted by Pakistan with help of Pakistani army providing covering fire. The recent border violations by China. Heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan. China harrasing the those Indians living near the border. It all seems to be pointing towards one thing. Pakina are preparing for a war. These activites can be called foreplay to the actual war. Reading of the current activities remind me of 2 events.The wars of 1962 and 1965. The 1962 Indo-China war began with such border violations by China.That was the time when India and US were warming up to each other. That was a time when Indian Armed forces were severly under prepared under equiped.That was a time which saw increasing focus on border dispute between India and China.That was a time of Slogan Hindi-Chini bhai bhai.That was a time India grew complacent concerning China thinking that China would never atack another country.

On the other hand the 1965 was preceded by Operation Gibraltar.Operation Gibraltar was an attampt by Pakistan to infiltrate into Kashmir some Mujaheedins and Pakistan Army regulars to create an anti-India uprising. The number of infilrators had gone up at that time.Pakistan was very much focused on Kashmir issue at the time.The time when Pakistan had moved closer tto China and growth of Sino-Pak strateegic relations. Lastly 1965 saw rise in across the border skirmishes between the two nations.

Looking at the scenario currently on Indian border with these two hostile neigbours of India and the strategic partnership between those two neigbours of India, one cannot help but draw the parallel between the two sittuations with current scenario. One cannot help but draw the conclusion that the two neigbours of India are preparing to go to war with India. The strategic encircling of India by China gives much firm foundation to such situations. Also the current turmoil within China and Pakistan these two nations would be looking for something else to focus the attention of its people. What could be more useful than War against India.This diverts the focus from internal turmoil.The people would put aside their internal differences for the nation.Also these nations may be able to show its people how authoratarian regime is better than democracy.This shows a motive for a War not to mention that a war with China and Pakistan together will be rather bad for India.

Under such conditions it would not do for India to seem weak. India should be able to deter any one from waging a war against India. A major way to deter such adventurism would be use of proportional response.

Recent incident with Pakistan was firing of rockets by Pakistan in Indian territory.We responded to such an incident by firings machine guns.On previous occasions we have let such firings slide of. All we do is launch protests with Pakistan embassy which are ignored.We go to US with complains.What we must understand is eevery country has vested instrest. No one is going to side with a looser with a country that they know will lose. 'God helps those who help themselves'

Similarly other countries will help us only if we are willing to help ourselves. So instead of crying to US we need to respond.They fire 2 rockets we should fire 20. I know it may seem a bit hostile, uninformed or immature attittude, but there is only so much which one can take laying down. Therecomes a time when a nation has to take aggreissive attitude against hostile nations. Why should India ask other nations for help, or for permission to do anything. India is a sovereign statewith independent constitution. Did US ask any countries permission before attacking Taliban after 9/11?

Unless pakina sees that India is not a country to be trifled with they will continue with such advebturism against India. If Pakistan can create Jehadi groups to destabilise India why cant we do something similar. I am not saying to have terror attacks on Pakistan civilian areas, but to attack such terror camps within Pakistan.If Pakistan canuse terrorists for proxy war against India we should use such militants for proxy war against the terrorists protected by Pakistan.We cant send in army to destroy the camps but we can send in our own miliant outfits to destroy terror groups in Pakistan.Similarly while China is continuing with border violations to harras Indian civillians in Ladakh we can harras the Chinese army located on the border.

This all is easier said than done.While actually doing the act is easy its the consequences that are difficult. We need to show level of preparedness andarmed deployment on the border to show that we can back the talk. We need to show that we can not only give proportional response to such adventurism but can also repel an full scaled attack. We should show preparedness for a war at all times.We need to deter them from full scale war while having showing that India will give proporional response on any military adventurism. A strong military presence is deterent for any enemy to engage in miltary adventurism.That is military paradox.Having a strong armed force and batle readiness of the armed force eliminates the use of this force most of the times. US has one of the largest miltary spending in the world. They maintain the most advnaced and sophisticated armed force second largest in world spending more than 100 billion dollars per year.That in itself deter most nations messing with US. Same is with China. If India needs to ensure its safety we need to imporove our forceprojecction ability. In international politics might is always right.Whether it is military or economic. Unless India starts flexing its muscles for the world to see, shows assertion to the extent of even being seen as agression, starts using its military and intelligence resources effectively against its enemies and most of all respeccting itself, the worldis not going to respect it. India should not hesitate to use any means straightforward or underhanded, to protectits intrest and sovereignity it will lose toits enemies, and make no mistake that Pakistan and China are our enemies whaever may be said or done at political level in the open. Niether Pakistani nor Chinese leader are intrested in friendship. They have expansionist policy and plan to start with India. Unless we are careful we will be going back to either serving new Islamic masters for Pakistan or China or else end up dead.

Yet it seems like our leaders are only intrested in filling their pockets and gaining power. Even in military contracts they try to get as as much money as they can. No politician is intrested in action. Its the talk that intrests them as it doesnt take much effort. What these people forget is that if they keep India militarily weak it will affect them as well because if India loses to any agressor it will be their power that will be lost. It will be their families too who will suffer. Then again its the vision that India has lacked. We have become to short-sighted, too narrow in our outlook.All we can think in is now and present and about me,myself and my family. We cannot think of anything bigger and of more than one year in future. Sometimes I wonder why the education in India is as it is. Where we are dicouraged to think for ourself. We are taught belive what we are told, to not question anything. Perhaps it is so that people will not question these politicians activities in swindling away taxpayers money. That seems to be changing now with entry of private schools and students educated in foriegn institutes have taught people to think.The trend of thinking is on the rise but yet I fear that by the time it has grown enough to force these politicians to change it may be too late. It is time for a change. As the time passes by it seems more and more likely that there will be a war, the outcome of which will depend on how well we are prepared to fight such a war.If there is a war it would most probably be in 2012. So we still have time of 2-3 years to prepare.

So it now is upto us to decide whether will roar and swipe like a tiger or mew and scratch like a meek cat when our enemies strike at us.