ALERT

Excerpts of the Editorial by ParamPoojya Aniruddha Bapu (Dr. Aniruddha D. Joshi) in Daily Pratyaksha dated December 25, 2008.

…‘War, be it of any kind, is best avoided as far as possible’. However, when the destruction resulting from the avoidance of war is far more horrific than that resulting from the aftermath of war, ‘war’ is the inevitable option.

Diplomacy, mediation, dialogue, Bhagvan Shreekrishna did it all in the Mahabharat as Mahaprabhu Hanumant did in the Ramayan, in order to avoid war. Both Shreekrishna and Shreehanumant were well aware that the enemy they were faced with was extremely devious and heartless and did not have the slightest repentance over any wrong and yet these two great beings, epitomes of morality and value, offered to Duryodhan and to Ravan respectively, a chance to avoid the war.
....and this precisely is the tradition of the Indian culture. The Indian culture is basically not the war-hungry or the aggressive kind, it considers ‘non-violence’ to be a venerable principle in every way. However, submitting to those, who trample the principles of morality and non-violence, is not the mindset of the Indian civilization either. On the contrary, history tells us time and again that firm and strict action has been taken against those, who kick around the principles of morality and non-violence.

Lord Shreekrishna, who seemed inclined to mediate, later, on the failure of mediation, went on to instruct Arjuna in no uncertain terms, "तस्मात् उत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः" (‘So then rise Arjun, O son of Kunti, be determined and with a firm resolve, prepare for war’)

In the present situation too, India is standing by its ancient culture and its values in making its moves. Pakistan imposed four wars on India, in 1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999. Apart from these, Pakistan has brought about terrorist attacks in various places in India and thus since 1980, i.e. over 28 years, kept fanning the embers of unrest and uncertainty to keep them alive. The attack on Mumbai just cracked the threshold of the Indian’s tolerance. Many are under the wrong impression that it is the attack on ‘Mumbai’ that has triggered this talk of war against Pakistan. Kashmir sees these sort of episodes day in and day out but India never talked of war. So then why talk of war only now?

The issue that India is faced with, is not just Kashmir or Mumbai, it is that of Pakistan’s continual policy of impeding India’s progress and for the purpose, of constantly causing damage to India. One might well say, ‘it has indeed been Pakistan’s policy to do so ever since its birth i.e. since 14th August 1947.’ Then why does India feel the need to go to war now?

The answer is straightforward and simple - every single field in Pakistan is passing over to the hands of terrorist groups.

The destructive terrorist activity not just in India but all over the world thrives on energy sources that can be traced to Pakistan. What else can one infer from the Taliban’s clear proclamation -- ‘we are with Pakistan’! So then Pakistan is no more a mere nation, it is a training school for international terrorism. And India is going to bear the maximum brunt of this. And so it is extremely essential that India takes action against it.

… Is it really possible that Pakistan would on its own, give up causing bomb blasts and terrorist attacks all over India like it did in Mumbai? Not at all. Therefore it would be relatively easier and advisable to face ‘the known devil - the danger of war’. Or else, these products of the terrorist schools of Pakistan will keep causing bomb blasts and other destruction and then no Indian would be sure that a fellow Indian leaving home in the morning will return home safe in the evening. …

The United States never wants war on its own soil and that is a fact in history. However, terrorist activity has long since scrapped this norm of the United States. So then statements like the United States are imposing its own war on to India, reducing it to a mere puppet’ only go to imply political immaturity. The India of today is by no means young and so incompetent and helpless like it was in 1962, India’s military and economic strength does not at all depend on American favour, thanks to its position in the international political and the economic scene, the United States just cannot tie down India like they tied down Pakistan.

The capacities of the politicians of Pakistan and that of its officials stand no comparison at all with the democratic politics in India and the prudence of government officials belonging here. Therefore, any step that India takes counting on the backing by the United States, cannot amount to fetters for India.

If India did launch the ‘surgical attack’ as stated in yesterday’s article, it would become essential for every Indian citizen to extend support to the Indian government and to the Indian army. India has indeed done it during the wars that happened in the past. However, the wars of the past and the war in the times to come, differ greatly in their technique and principles. …
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The complete editorial is available at pdf.

For more details on modern warfare, refer to the book The Third World War by Dr. Aniruddha D. Joshi.