tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post907200065062128619..comments2024-03-28T05:22:10.255-07:00Comments on Broadsword by Ajai Shukla - Strategy. Economics. Defence.: Planning for doomsday: should India send troops to Afghanistan?Broadswordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076780076240598482noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-24706309235306004772008-08-04T02:19:00.000-07:002008-08-04T02:19:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-83145688564372398852008-07-29T01:33:00.000-07:002008-07-29T01:33:00.000-07:00Troops no way. They are already busy fighting insu...Troops no way. They are already busy fighting insurgencies in the country. <BR/>But definitely we can send our indigenous weapons like Arjun tanks, Akash, Nag etc to Afghan army to do actual field trials in a war zone and test it. Even if this means giving some units for FREE/ deeply discounted prices to them go ahead and do it. Just oblige Afghans to give feedback so that we can improve upon them with field data.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-36058294080387396322008-07-20T09:32:00.000-07:002008-07-20T09:32:00.000-07:00Dear American with an interest in geopolitics,I ha...Dear American with an interest in geopolitics,<BR/><BR/>I hate to hit someone when they're down... but you really, really do need to be reminded that if there is one country on the planet which has painted itself into the most unenviable geo-strategic corner, it isn't India.<BR/><BR/>The United States, with its undiminished belief that one can "make the tough decisions", and everything will be just dinky-doo after that, is paying the price in Iraq and Afghanistan. India, with its "disengaged" approach is held in high regard in all these places even though it isn't a Muslim-predominant country.<BR/><BR/>I would really commend to you the first dictum of geo-politics: the one that Sun Tzu always wanted to say, but couldn't find the words for: SOMETIMES ONE CAN'T DO A GODDAM.<BR/><BR/>India's made lots of tough decisions. It's fought insurgencies successfully through the simple process of fighting only where it is certain that there will be a long-term resilience. You'll never find Indian troops engaged in fighting a battle... and the Indian public slamming them and asking for them to come home. The reason is that we will only fight on our own territory.<BR/><BR/>India made this mistake once in Sri Lanka. It will not make it again.<BR/><BR/>cheers!Ajai Shuklahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16488839157370084666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-35575491027499635722008-07-19T19:01:00.000-07:002008-07-19T19:01:00.000-07:00As an American with an interest in geopolitics, th...As an American with an interest in geopolitics, this is exactly what ends up undermining Indian interests in the long term. India tends to be far too disengaged, and reactively closes her eyes whenever tough decisions are to be made. If you do not take your interests in South Asia into your own hands, whom do you delegate that responsibility to? When Pakistan or China steps up, then I am sure Indians would be the very first to complain, and spin around dazed about the lack of their insight. Instead of considering what -may- happen in some glib future scenario, it would be far wiser for India to make the effort into actually preventing it first.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-17871032487270423662008-07-19T01:36:00.000-07:002008-07-19T01:36:00.000-07:00hi there,i enjoy reading your blogs.this quary is ...hi there,<BR/>i enjoy reading your blogs.this quary is about indian navys nuclear submarine program. any fresh updates on the progress made ? when is nerpa / akulla II being inducted in the indian navy ?<BR/>thanx in advance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-67520996549037535782008-07-17T00:24:00.000-07:002008-07-17T00:24:00.000-07:00I can't agree completely with your blog. As you ar...I can't agree completely with your blog. As you are very well aware the situation in Afghanistan is much more complex. I guess its imperative that India explore all its strategic options with respect to Afghanistan. Soft diplomacy is one of these many options but I will not favor it completely.<BR/><BR/>The difference between 1996 and now is that Pakistan is a bigger mess then ever before and so its capability to project power and bring some semblance of order to Afghanistan is limited. <BR/><BR/>Can India afford such a volatile situation and if yes then how long is the real question that will decide the options for India.Some Random Thoughtshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08254926086938531236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-54267279291925734752008-07-15T20:39:00.000-07:002008-07-15T20:39:00.000-07:00"India’s actions today must create influence and g..."India’s actions today must create influence and goodwill that will sustain itself even without a physical presence."<BR/><BR/>I don't get this. We've have a goodwill with the Afghans for ages. Did that prevent the Taliban working against Indian interests?<BR/><BR/>You also seem to forget that it is our physical presence in Afghanistan today that's giving us some leverage.Photonmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17695894057640886434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-66491094518319011532008-07-15T14:59:00.000-07:002008-07-15T14:59:00.000-07:00ajai,i didn't expect you to also echo that dumbass...ajai,<BR/><BR/>i didn't expect you to also echo that dumbass nehru's stupid policy of appeasement. i guess this subservient mental attitude prevalent in all desis is hard to destroy.<BR/><BR/>"... elements politically hostile to India may well control large parts of the country ..."<BR/><BR/>this is exactly the reason we need troops in afghanistan. we can ill afford another ISI like organization operating under the orders of an afghani government - we need to nip it in the bud NOW. we need to help the pro-india government stay in power even if it means sending our troops.<BR/><BR/>"But despite those threats, and the occasional cross-border foray, western forces in Afghanistan can hardly influence events in Pakistan’s tribal areas. Only the Pakistan army can do that..."<BR/><BR/>frankly, this is bullshit. western forces *can* influence the region - they can completely change the geography of the region by flattening it. it is just that they are using restraint and diplomacy (although I think more sinister reasons are the true cause - afterall terrorism is a necessary evil to force people to give up the freedoms)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-43263165277112251252008-07-15T08:20:00.000-07:002008-07-15T08:20:00.000-07:00Ajai,I think you may be underestimating the Wester...Ajai,<BR/><BR/>I think you may be underestimating the Western resolve on this. <BR/><BR/>But even Worse case - northern Afghanisthan will NOT be allowed to fall the Taliban. And a whole generation of NATO officers are growing to have hatred for Pakistan.<BR/><BR/>So I still think - worse case - youa re going to see more and more strikes by NATO on Paki soil.<BR/><BR/>But I agree with you Indian troop presence needs to be limited and away from view. Advisors, sF units and intel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-73070606432558048822008-07-15T06:18:00.000-07:002008-07-15T06:18:00.000-07:00Ajai,If we're realizing that the Westerners are go...Ajai,<BR/><BR/>If we're realizing that the Westerners are going to pull out in defeat and that Karzai will be history, then we need to plan ahead for a future partitioning of Afghanistan. In the previous Afghan Civil War, the Pashtuns were all brought under Pak's tent, thanks to Taliban ruthlessness. We were left to back the non-Pashtuns. That scenario is likely to re-emerge in any future civil war. Therefore, India should be trying to build up the infrastructure in the North, to help them exist independently of Southern Afghanistan, if need be.<BR/>If Taliban regain control of even just the Southern portion of the country, as they did in the past, then J&K will go back to the bad old days of terror. When will the next Indian airline hijacking to Kandahar occur?sanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11939342428337531046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-64578800547862664092008-07-15T05:43:00.000-07:002008-07-15T05:43:00.000-07:00In case we are sending troops to Afghan, shouldn't...In case we are sending troops to Afghan, shouldn't we get the same kind of military charity that Pak is getting from US?<BR/><BR/>If US decides to pullout after Obama's coming, wont they push India to take their place? Then it may not be an issue of choice. (We would have signed the nuclear deal and) We would be FORCED to send troops.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-62683502293821346872008-07-15T04:39:00.000-07:002008-07-15T04:39:00.000-07:00India could send special forces in Afghan national...India could send special forces in Afghan national army uniforms with some pieces of artillery. What is needed is troops on the ground. Better to fight them in Afghanistan than in Kashmir. Ofcourse, we will be like female pheromones to blood thirsty jihadis, but CI is dirty job. We can't have the cake and eat it too. Time to make hard decisions. More reconstructions can't go on without boots on the ground.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-72138901117937386252008-07-15T04:31:00.001-07:002008-07-15T04:31:00.001-07:00This is absolute nonsense. US is not chicken enoug...This is absolute nonsense. US is not chicken enough to pull out from a place where the next attack on its soil to come from. Well if push comes to shove America may even consider nuking tribal areas especially if there is a nasty 9/11 type another attack by fastly recouping al-queda. Vietnam is different and it was not an existential battle just ideological. Lazy NATO members other than US and UK will get on the boat sooner or later becoz everyone in the world has a stake when jihadis are multiplying like rats in pakistan. The thought of America pulling out is absolute bollocks. They showed great determination in straightening up Iraq which was in worse situation, I believe they can do much better in Afghanistan where people are not as hostile as in Iraq.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-3194014166872216042008-07-15T04:31:00.000-07:002008-07-15T04:31:00.000-07:00India must send troops to protect Indian citizens ...India must send troops to protect Indian citizens working in various projects to rebuild Afghanistan. Also we must provide good military equipment support to Afghanistan, so that the Afghan military can handle the situation. The western nations must also provide weaponry, technology to bring parity with Pakistan to deter Pakistan from helping the terrorists. This only can eliminate the terrorists from Afghanistan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-42684316511799745912008-07-15T04:25:00.000-07:002008-07-15T04:25:00.000-07:00Until and unless Pakistan is hit and controlled, I...Until and unless Pakistan is hit and controlled, I don't think that India or even the U.S will be able to control the terrorist activities in the region. One think that can be done is to arm Afghanistan to the tilt. The money and weapons provided to Pakistan can be provided to Afghanistan. Let the Afghan military take on the terrorists for a better future for the Afghan people by eliminating the terrorists and deterring their enemies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-71334840508803168262008-07-15T03:13:00.000-07:002008-07-15T03:13:00.000-07:00Run and hide from any sort of threat has been the ...Run and hide from any sort of threat has been the policy of Indian policy makers and military alike for the past 5 decades, They responded only when wars were imposed on US yet they were not able to convert these victories (and on failure)to our advantage making the threats more and more deadly and looming over our heads. It is disappointing to read such a pessimistic opinion when four of our men who were spreading the so - called soft power sacrificed their lives and their assailants are free and unaccountable. India should be following a aggressive and preventive policy towards Pakistan and China unless we will be doomed in another 5 decades. Bcoz destruction of India is the common aim of China and Pakistan and even Bangladesh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-7408622484498832532008-07-15T02:15:00.000-07:002008-07-15T02:15:00.000-07:00Interesting. But just think about it. Will the Ind...Interesting. <BR/><BR/>But just think about it. Will the Indian troops, with 'expanded roles' as you mentioned, be authorised for hot pursuit of militants acroos the Pak border?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-58261213836751386232008-07-14T22:58:00.000-07:002008-07-14T22:58:00.000-07:00Ajay, Where is your LCA story "Stuck" ? I sincerel...Ajay, Where is your LCA story "Stuck" ? I sincerely hope it's worth the wait.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com