Daily Excelsior... Editorial

EDITORIAL

Terror around Mecca

Need to stand up

America's man of destiny
Men, Matters & Memories

By M L Kotru

Living a precarious life, grandly!....
Yours Randomly,

By Dr. R. L. Bhat

Will Govt break up 16 Corps?
Men and Matters

By B L Kak

Jammu region's Nagrota sector has tremendous importance. In view of the location of Indian Army's 16 Corps at Nagrota, attempts are afoot to make the formation more agile and efficacious than before. And as defence experts have found 16 Corps an "unwieldy" one, there is a proposal of .........more

EDITORIAL

Terror around Mecca

Only a few days ago, we had struck a note of caution. This was that terrorism had no religion and the only aim of its misguided practitioners was to destroy humanity. We were constrained to make this observation soon after a sinister plot had come to light that the members of the Al-Qaeda terror network were hell-bent upon targetting the pilgrims to Mecca, one of the holiest places on the earth. Their evil intent was all the more contemptible as it became known that they wanted to hit during the pious month of Ramzan. One had not expected that the worst fears about the militants trying to carry out a major attack would come true so soon. It is true that they have not gone after the devotees to Mecca this time as they had tried only recently. Instead, they have chosen to play havoc in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. Series of explosions triggered by them in a residential compound have taken the toll of about 20 persons. While executing their plan, they have exploded the myth that they wanted to liquidate only the Western citizens residing in Riyadh and elsewhere in the kingdom. The victims of their most dastardly attack have included, apart from the local citizens, the unsuspecting Muslims from Egypt, Sudan and Lebanon. Strangely enough, it is being said in certain quarters that

these blasts have been meant to dissuade the Saudi Muslims from mingling with foreigners who follow a liberal lifestyle. Such argument hardly makes any sense. How can you convert a person by snuffing out his life? By owning responsibility for these bombings, Al-Qaeda has confirmed that it would not spare Saudi Arabia. The first indication of its larger design were their May 12 attacks on the residential compounds occupied by people from Western countries. Since then there have been a number of encounters between the Saudi security forces and the extremist elements including the one in Mecca almost a week ago. Going by the recent experience, there can’t be two opinions that Al-Qaeda’s eventual objective is to destabilise the kingdom. Does it not sound contradictory that those professing to fight for Islam should not be averse to creating chaos and disorder in one of the most pious Muslim places? Correctly sensing the deadly terrorist organisation’s motive, it is heartening that the kingdom’s rulers have made up their mind ‘to destroy the devil’. They have declared that they will deal with ‘an iron fist the militants trying to violate security and stability of their country’. One should feel reassured by the assertion of its rulers that ‘if the final target for these criminal acts is to destabilise the Saudi state and to plant fear among the people then the terrorists have failed’.

Having said that, one needs to note that the United States’ conduct in the case of Saudi Arabia is the same as in the case of the other countries coping with the threat of terrorism. It is simply intriguing. Just ahead of the terrorists’ actions in Riyadh, the United States had shut down its embassy in the Saudi capital as well as the consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. Nobody should find fault with any country for anticipating the worst scenario. It is also entitled to show concern for the safety and security of its staff and the citizens. But the US, as the world’s sole superpower, needs to pause for a well and think if its negative steps, coupled with its travel advisories against the affected nations, are in keeping with its self-professed global war against terrorism. There is hardly any evidence to suggest that the US is averse to fishing in the troubled waters of other countries when it come to serving its own interests. Why it does bend its knees when it should be seen as actually standing by those who can be its allies against the presently biggest nuisance across the globe.

Anybody nursing the notion that the terrorists make a distinction on the basis of colour, creed or faith will be grossly mistaken. Initially, they wield the gun and later the weapon fuels their false sense of ego and superiority. It is not a cliche that terrorism is actually a tiger which claims even those who think that they are enjoying its ride. So many merchants of terror in our own State have just vanished from the scene after having occasionally indulged in mischief. It needs to be welcomed that the monarchy in Saudi Arabia is in a mood to exorcise its land of the evil. It owes to the Muslims across the globe to preserve the sanctity of Mecca at all costs. Besides, it can’t afford turmoil in its own territory. All the more so at a time when it is preparing for partial elections to its governing bodies as a first step towards democracy. The country and its rulers need to be assured that they are not alone in their present battle. At the same time, they should keep the royal household in order and ensure that the unemployed youth does not become fodder to be used by the terrorists.

Need to stand up

After a long time, one hears a good news from a well-heeled section of society. It is extremely satisfying that the film fraternity in the North-East has joined hands to oppose a ban imposed by the militant outfits on screening the Hindi movies in the highly sensitive region. At a meeting convened by the Eastern Indian Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA) at Guwahati, over 12 bodies associated with the film industry in North-Eastern states have decided not to discontinue their activity. Two factors have motivated them to take this decision. One is that should they stop showing the Hindi movies, the cinema halls in the region would have to be closed. The other adverse impact would be on the powerful regional cinema itself. As a direct fall-out of this, about 5000 persons would be unemployed. It is perfectly in order that they have urged the militants to review their decision in the great interest of the region. On the other hand, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, in particular, has been quick to offer security to all those keeping their cinema halls open and he deserves to be congratulated on this score.

One sincerely wishes that the proprietors of cinema halls in Kashmir learn a lesson from their north-eastern counterparts and act likewise. There is the grotesque sight of the half-burnt Palladium in the Lal Chowk which remains a black spot on the summer capital of Srinagar. It must be restored to its original glory. That a bid to reopen the Regal theatre was foiled by the militants a couple of years ago has been a serious setback. There may be some hope if all the proprietors and others involved in the business take a united stand. In this task, they should be supported by the intelligentsia and other well-meaning sections of society. After all, cable networks have begun functioning slowly and gradually. Hotels and houseboats are also throbbing with life. In the case of cinema, what is involved is the urge for much greater creativity. Any society can curb such activity only at the expense of its own development. There is no harm in appealing to the good sense of the militant leaders as well. Given their thinking of late, one is confident that they would lift their ill-conceived ban. Sooner a beginning is made in this direction, the better it will be for society as a whole.

America's man of destiny
Men, Matters & Memories

By M L Kotru

If cockiness be a viture lose no time to annoint the American President as the most virtuous of men. He himself is said to have claimed direct access to the court of most virtuous, most benign God himself. And it was God who asked him to offer himself as a candidate for the US Presidency. And don't you dare question the hand of God that (a La Maradona) came into action that handed him the Presidency after the most questionable counting process in Florida whose Governor at the time was none other than George Bush's younger brother.

It has been an eventful Presidency with a year and more of it still left. And George Bush sees nothing but glory behind and in front of him. The tragic happenings of 9/11 helped George Bush to project himself as America's man of action, man of destiny, as his father, the former President Bush, promptly noted. For the rest it has been a roller-coaster presidency. It may occassionally have been tainted by an economic downturn, turning burgeoning fiscal surpulses into dismal deficits but never has George Bush allowed his bandwagon to be stalled. He has pressed on regardless.

So much so that when most Americans tend to believe that Bush may have landed their country into another Vietnam in Iraq, the President remains convinced that Saddam Hussain's weapons of mass destruction are hidden somewhere there in the deserts of that war-ravaged country. Many are in retrospect accusing him of having practised deceit in selling the Iraqi war to his people but Bush remains convinced that Saddam had in the end got what he richly deserved-a kick in his butt.

It does not matter to Bush-not right now-if body bags continue to come out of Iraq, carrying the American dead from the Iraq wastelands. If someone presses him on the issue he promptly assures that gods of warfare are on his side. Bus's handpicked Viceroy (head of the US-led coalition provisional authority in Iraq) in Baghdad may fear "increased attacks and increased terrorism", dealing bodyblows to American men and machines in Iraq in a war which according to Bush had ended even before it started, but the US President continues to be gung-ho.

Bremmer is perhaps more realistic than his boss, the President. For he does admit that the US lacks intelligence inputs to beat back the Iraqi subversionists. He also acknowledges that there is growing impatience among Iraqis with the continuing occupation of their country. Winning the hearts and minds of the people (of Iraq) is a problem, according to him. American forces he has said could have shown greater sensitivity while dealing with the local people.

In a very forthright interview to the Times of London Bremmer added: "It is a problem with occupying forces that goes back thousands of years. A regular Army's basic job is killing the enemy, and when the kinetic part of the war is over it's a different kind of a role with the citizenry. That's difficult for a 22-year-old guy paid to go to war". The growing Iraqi anger with coalition forces, Bremmer admit, is there because it is not comfortable being occupied just as it was not "comfortable being occupying power. It is understandable for Iraqis to express their newfound freedom by being free of everybody, including the occupying forces."

For his own sake and for the sake of his country George Bush would do well to listen to this last one from his own man in Baghdad about Iraqis wanting to be free of everyone including the liberator who has become a counqueror and won't hear of leaving. Bush can no longer take recourse to Orewellianisms like "the more progress we (US) make on the ground the more desperate killers (Iraqi resistance) become."

And his options are getting fewer. He cannot commit more troops to Iraq given the already stretched state of the US Army. He can't pull out either because of fear that it would further destabilise Iraq. The only long-term solution would be to speed up plans to let Iraqis take care of their country. The time-table, as a US journal notes, is tight. "Washington needs to get capable Iraqi security forces up and running before the insurgents score enough hits to discourage the US commitment and frighten off Iraqi recruits. And Bush needs to find adequate replacements before tired GIs are due to rotate home in six months, smacks in the middle of his re-election campaign. Yet rushing ill-trained, ill-equipped Iraqis into the breach could create new problems."

Even otherwise the news for Bush from his adventure land is not very encouraging. Pro-consul Paul Bremmer has already noted the presence in Iraq of terrorists from Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Saudi Arabia which must sound very ominous to the man who post 9/11 has been ranting and raving about his mission: to eliminate Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda. He will, of course, take over behind his "pre-emptive" move in closing down the US diplomatic, missions in the Saudi Kingdom for fear of these becoming targets of Al Qaeda strikes. The Saudi Royal House, thriving on the bounties flowing from world's richest oil reservoirs, is feeling jittery as it senses the Al Qaeda noose closed in on it.

The omnipresent US Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage has said that it is quite clear to him that the Al Qaeda wants to "take down" the royal family and the Government of Saudi Arabia. Armitage went on to pledge US support to the royal house "should that be the desire of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

Many Arab thinkers tend to liken the US predicament in Iraq with what is beginning to take shape in the Saudi Kingdom. The attackers in Riyadh, they say, are wishing to carry out a political agenda in response to the political situation in the kingdom. When people are not permitted to express their disagreement through peaceful means such as demonstrations, some are ready to rebel and resort to violence. The reference is obviously to the high-handed, ruthless regime the Saudi Royals have imposed on the world's richest oildom.

Osama bin Laden is in fact a creation of the Arab disenchantment with the royals. Forget the fact that his family has continued to make millions (of which he has been getting his share regularly) under royal patronage but Osama saw through the soft underbelly of the royals and has ever since his deportation from the kingdom been trying to reach the spot. The American complaint during the recent past that Saudi participation in its campaign against terrorism has been deficient is not totally misplaced. Some of the royal princes have indeed been supportive of Osama.This could not have been unknown to the Americans for they together with Saudi Arabia were in cahoots with Osama during the Afghan campaign against the former Soviet occupation of that country. There is also clinching evidence establishing that most of those responsible for 9/11 had undeniable Saudi linkages. Is it then a case of nemesis coming to visit Riyadh and Washington. Even otherwise the news from the other area of American influence in the region-Afghanistan-continues to be gloomy.

Living a precarious life, grandly!....
Yours Randomly,

By Dr. R. L. Bhat

It was a bagful of expectations and promises that catapulted a ramshackle opposition to power a year back. One can’t say if the alliance that was forged to get a fractured assembly to hang out was what the people had given their mandate for. Before it became the ‘will of the people’, the ‘winning’ people and parties had been split vertically as well as horizontally. PDP and Congress had fought as much against one another as they had fought against the ruling NC. The half a dozen splinter groups had been fighting against them all. More than that they had been promoting clamors that were practically in diametric opposition to one another. That is why the first overtures towards one another were made only when results began to pour in their favor. Within a fortnight there was an alliance that had become as ‘natural’ as no monolithic victory would ever have been. But then the joining of un-joinables has been practiced in the country for quite some time. From NF to NDA on to Laloo’s club to permutations in UP, the union of mortally opposed minds has become meet for ‘healthy’ democratic practice.

It, indeed, has gained so great a sanction that it appears to be the only ‘healthy’ way for democracy to flourish. The coalition in this State had the added advantage of a general welcome from the people. The people were not only happy seeing them coming together but actually forced unlikely members to confabulate. Today in addition to a precarious alliance having become a ‘consolidated’ mandate we have the spectacle of a dozen unrelated, unconnected legislators having coalesced in an alliance of theirs. Many people believe that this is by for the most ‘cohesive’ grouping. It is definitely proving a determined group, to which the major partners too have to bow. But the real miracle of this Government is that few today see it as a clubbing of disparate elements that it really is. A precarious association is acting and presenting itself as a monolith and getting taken as such. Mufti Sayeed as the head of say a united Congress , or even a full-majority PDP would not have enjoyed as much appeal and sway as he does today as the head of this uncertain coalition. And the credit and title for that goes to none other than himself, his skills and capacity. Over the year Mufti has kept a diverging flock close and well coalesced.

But then Mufti has a greater peer in the Prime Minister Vajpayee who has clobbered an even more incongruent grouping and is going much stronger too. Keeping two-dozen parties together all through the end of the term, with the promise of a future amity being in the offing, is an achievement that has never been replicated at the national level. But, Vajpayee is Vajpayee, a class by himself. Though, mufti has not done all so badly for himself, his party or the Government. All with a wobbly base too. With out much of a resource, the state has not only been providing more amenities like say, power but has been sustaining them too. Agriculture, industry, tourism all are in the air though precious little has been done in the ground to sustain or stabilize them. Just the way people are getting regular supply of power. But they are getting it! No? Manifold projects are in hand, in submission and under preparation all promising to usher in an undeclared Naya Kashmir. Many people believe that the ‘Kashmir’ here takes little note of the non-Kashmir, non-majority elements in the state, but that belief is often pocketed rather than voiced.

Analysts are divided over whether terrorism in the state has just grown or seen a new rebirth. While their ‘traditional’ activities are on without much restraint, they have attempted many new’s in this past year. The daredevilry that has been out on the Srinagar streets, especially the most sensitive ones, is simply unmistakable. To the choice targets of the terrorists have been added the PDP activists half a dozen of whom have been targeted in recent months. Unless something is done here, the state of affairs for the ruling people would not be much different from that of its predecessor. As for the usual targets, the minorities, residents in upper reaches and the like there is little change in the situation. At any rate there is no let up. Yet, the general impression that has gone around is that the state has already returned to normalcy that the people, state and the nation only need to get used to it all. Now that is as shaky a state of affairs as it ever can be. Yet, it is getting unfashionable if not anti-state to point to these instabilities. Normalcy has become a mantra not a material thing and none may speak ill of it! As an achievement that is as peculiar as many other notional acts in here.

And the Government is making a substantive meal of it all. There is the clear air of things happening, changes being in the offing, the good times all acoming, though one may not have seen many things in the state from terrorism to administration, from mindsets to working modules, even the personas and practices of touts and power brokers to have changed. The still-born Accountability and the aborted freeing of encroachments, not to speak of fiscal reforms left halfway through the budget year, may tell of an uncertain state but that is hardly the impression many people share.

On the other hand, they see grand things happening even as things would appear to be getting much too wobbly. Or, is one being a prophet of doom and desperation in an age of promise and plenty? That one is forced to ask that question is proof enough of skills that allow you to live grandly in unsteady straits. In abnormal times that is an achievement, alright. Nay?

Will Govt break up 16 Corps?
Men and Matters

By B L Kak

In fact, there were reports of creating another Corps by dividing 16 Corps not long ago. These reports had been circulated during 'Operation Parakram'. It is the largest Corps in the Army.

Another proposal, which is officially "under thought process", favours moving 3 Corps headquarters to Jammu and Kashmir. The 3 Corps headquarters is in the northeast region - at Rangapara near Dimapur. Although the Army Headquarters hasn't made public its final decision on the issue, there is talk of moving the 3 Corps to the 16 Corps area.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is satisfied with the role and performance of two forces, Delta and Romeo, in the Jammu region. Delta is operating in the Doda sector, while Romeo force is taking care of the Rajouri sector. This notwithstanding, the MoD is keen on raising the third force, which will be known as 'Uniform'. It will be based in the Udhampur sector.

With the MoD and MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) publicly confirming that Pakistan continues to be quite slow on blocking the infiltration routes along the Pakistani side of the border with India, the Centre has agreed to make available more troops for the jihadi-infested Doda district. The district, known for the presence of a strong force of imported terrorists, has already been brought under the Disturbed Areas Act, 2001.

An official document has asserted that Islamabad has not wound up all training camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) for militants and terrorists. The document points out that the reported "decline" in infiltration across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir during the July-October period this year "is not significant as infiltrators intercepted or spotted so far were better equipped and moving in groups".

Increased participation of foreign mercenaries in militant outfits in J&K, the document says, was a "clear indicator of continued infiltration aided and abetted by official agencies of Pakistan". And there are reports of the existence of a large quantity of arms and ammunition having been dumped in Srinagar, Kupwara, Baramulla and Ganderbal sectors of Kashmir valley and in Rajouri and Doda districts of Jammu region.

This, in fact, has only been strengthened by terrorist strikes in recent days. Intriguingly, however, the actual number of troops committed to Doda district has not grown. In spite of a series of terrorist attacks in recent times, Doda has not received the required security infrastructure.

As against 109 companies deployed in 1996, just 57 companies of all forces are, at present, charged with the task of fighting terrorism in the Doda district, which sprawls over some 11, 500 sq km, an area almost as a large as the entire Kashmir valley. Additional companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Rashtriya Rifles (RR) are now being made available in Doda region, where the strength of the RR, at present, is 28 companies, as against 18 companies of the CTPF.

Re-deployment of the Border Security Force (BSF) in Doda district is unlikely as the Centre is of the opinion that strengthening the numbers of other forces, particularly the RR and CRPF, can serve the purpose. After 1998, when the strength of the BSF in the district was of the order of six companies, the question of its re-inducation in Doda was not seriously considered by the Government.

At present, offensive counter-terrorism work is assigned to some 2,800 men of the 4, 8, 10, 11 and 26 Rashtriya Rifles battalions. Vulnerable Kishtwar tehsil makes do with just eight RR companies of the 11 and 26 battalions.

The Centre's fresh instructions to the Army and other security and intelligence agencies in Jammu and Kashmir to be on the 'high alert' require to be studied in the context of a set of reports available with the Deputy Prime Minister, LK Advani, suggesting anti-India elements' involvement in efforts to target Pathankot-Srinagar highway, Jammu-Poonch road and Srinagar-Leh highway, besides vital civil and defence installations in different areas in J&K.

If these reports are any indication, more than 2,000 trained ultras are presently waiting at Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK, for their induction into the Indian territory for further increasing the level of terrorist violence and strikes. The ISI operatives plan to push into Jammu sector & number of subversives from a location in Sialkot sector.

It is in this context that LK Advani has highlighted the significance of the role of the BSF troops along the International Border (IB) in Jammu region. Of the 198-km-long International Border, 188 km are taken care of by the BSF troops. The Deputy Prime Minister has let it be known that the threat from the other side has of late increased. It is explained by the hardened attitude of the Pakistani troops towards Indians and by the preparations across the border for pushing into Indian territory more and more militants and foreign mercenaries.

Indian intelligence agencies may differ with one another on some issues, but their principals, namely, LK Advani and Defence Minister, George Fernandes, seem united - united to the extent that the two have been found, of late, sharing J&K-specific information and inputs with each other. It is George Fernandes who recently informed Advani that nearly 100 points along the India-Pakistan border have been selected by Islamabad for pushing mercenaries into India under cover of fire. Most of these points are along the International Border and Line of Control.

At a time when Pakistan's military President, Gen. Parvez Musharraf, as part of his strategy to keep Washington in good humour, makes placatory statements to signal his peaceful intentions towards India, LK Advani cannot be faulted for his viewpoint: "You cannot say you want talks on the one hand and keep shooting across the border at the same time".