Don’t you know that in 1999, RAW released a recording of the same guy talking with his Chief of Staff – the COS was assuring him that they had the jihadi groups by their tooties!’
‘Oh well, we know who has got whom by their balls.’ Tiwathia laughed sarcastically. ‘I’ve always wanted to know why the general called the book a memoir because I think it’s one of the best works of fiction I’ve ever come across.’
‘The fact is, there was no way in hell that Pakistan could afford to antagonize the Yanks by openly refusing to take on the terrorists. And they needed that “frontline state in the war on terror” tag so they could continue to milk the Americans of billions of dollars, save their economy, and avoid being declared a failed, terror-sponsor state by the international community. In any case, just to stay afloat they need the billions of dollars the Yanks have been doling out to them all these years.’
‘That’s exactly why, every once in a while, the Pakis catch a few low-level Al Qaeda terrorists and throw them at the Yanks to appease them. The only two or three senior Al Qaeda commanders who have been killed or captured so far are the ones who started refusing to toe the Paki line or those the drones took out.’
‘Don’t the Americans have any sense? Can’t they see how the Pakis are leading them up the garden path? Their own economy is staggering and yet they’re pumping billions into Pakistan. And all the while, a handful of Pakis are coolly diverting this money into Swiss accounts. None of it is reaching their economy, that’s for sure. No money has gone into infrastructure, social services, healthcare or education, otherwise they wouldn’t be in the sad shape they are in today.’
‘As for the military hardware that America has been giving them to fight the terrorists, they’re either using them to arm the terrorists in Kashmir or to strengthen their line-up against India,’ Sami said angrily. ‘The Americans must be really dumb not to know this!’
‘No, MS! The Americans are aware of it, especially after what Salim’s lashkar did at New Orleans and San Francisco last week. God knows how many died and how many more will die in the days to come. Believe me, there’s nothing like having a few thousand of your countrymen killed to give you a rude wake-up call.’
‘Yes, that certainly got them by the short hair,’ Sami agreed. That’s why they’ve now stepped up the pressure on Pakistan to turn off support to terrorists all over the place, including Kashmir.’
‘Which brings us right back to the point I was making, Vikram. The Pakis are turning cartwheels trying to prove that terrorism in India is a homegrown freedom struggle rather than Pak-sponsored terrorism. That’s precisely why we see previously unknown groups like the Indian Mujahideen suddenly emerging on the scene. That’s also why they’re now busy urging militants in places like Assam to carry out terror strikes.’
‘That’s precisely the point I’ve been trying to make, sir,’ Vikram interrupted. ‘When the cops, the Intelligence Bureau and RAW have clear proof that the YPS and the Indian Mujahideen are two sides of the same coin, why don’t we just cut them down and put an end to all this?’
‘That’s assuming we know who they are. And even then, what you suggest is very simplistic, Vikram. Terrorism can never be resolved only by the application of military might.’
‘I beg your pardon, sir, but are you trying to say that we should just sit back and allow these crazy bastards to bomb innocent men, women and children whenever and wherever they choose to? Are you...’
‘No! That’s not what I am saying, but the fact remains that fighting terrorism calls for a well-defined offensive-defence, a definite counterinsurgency strategy and constant innovation by security forces. There is no single strategy that we can use to successfully combat it. Any strategy we adopt will have to be a
‘Oh well, we know who has got whom by their balls.’ Tiwathia laughed sarcastically. ‘I’ve always wanted to know why the general called the book a memoir because I think it’s one of the best works of fiction I’ve ever come across.’
‘The fact is, there was no way in hell that Pakistan could afford to antagonize the Yanks by openly refusing to take on the terrorists. And they needed that “frontline state in the war on terror” tag so they could continue to milk the Americans of billions of dollars, save their economy, and avoid being declared a failed, terror-sponsor state by the international community. In any case, just to stay afloat they need the billions of dollars the Yanks have been doling out to them all these years.’
‘That’s exactly why, every once in a while, the Pakis catch a few low-level Al Qaeda terrorists and throw them at the Yanks to appease them. The only two or three senior Al Qaeda commanders who have been killed or captured so far are the ones who started refusing to toe the Paki line or those the drones took out.’
‘Don’t the Americans have any sense? Can’t they see how the Pakis are leading them up the garden path? Their own economy is staggering and yet they’re pumping billions into Pakistan. And all the while, a handful of Pakis are coolly diverting this money into Swiss accounts. None of it is reaching their economy, that’s for sure. No money has gone into infrastructure, social services, healthcare or education, otherwise they wouldn’t be in the sad shape they are in today.’
‘As for the military hardware that America has been giving them to fight the terrorists, they’re either using them to arm the terrorists in Kashmir or to strengthen their line-up against India,’ Sami said angrily. ‘The Americans must be really dumb not to know this!’
‘No, MS! The Americans are aware of it, especially after what Salim’s lashkar did at New Orleans and San Francisco last week. God knows how many died and how many more will die in the days to come. Believe me, there’s nothing like having a few thousand of your countrymen killed to give you a rude wake-up call.’
‘Yes, that certainly got them by the short hair,’ Sami agreed. That’s why they’ve now stepped up the pressure on Pakistan to turn off support to terrorists all over the place, including Kashmir.’
‘Which brings us right back to the point I was making, Vikram. The Pakis are turning cartwheels trying to prove that terrorism in India is a homegrown freedom struggle rather than Pak-sponsored terrorism. That’s precisely why we see previously unknown groups like the Indian Mujahideen suddenly emerging on the scene. That’s also why they’re now busy urging militants in places like Assam to carry out terror strikes.’
‘That’s precisely the point I’ve been trying to make, sir,’ Vikram interrupted. ‘When the cops, the Intelligence Bureau and RAW have clear proof that the YPS and the Indian Mujahideen are two sides of the same coin, why don’t we just cut them down and put an end to all this?’
‘That’s assuming we know who they are. And even then, what you suggest is very simplistic, Vikram. Terrorism can never be resolved only by the application of military might.’
‘I beg your pardon, sir, but are you trying to say that we should just sit back and allow these crazy bastards to bomb innocent men, women and children whenever and wherever they choose to? Are you...’
‘No! That’s not what I am saying, but the fact remains that fighting terrorism calls for a well-defined offensive-defence, a definite counterinsurgency strategy and constant innovation by security forces. There is no single strategy that we can use to successfully combat it. Any strategy we adopt will have to be a
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