Shifting gears in war on terrorism

Most crucial changes are in the offing as a result of the South Asia being sucked in a whirlpool of tactical moves by the unipolar world power. The US is striving to dominate the South Asian regions despite the one time leadership of India in the non-aligned movement. The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty has eroded whatever position of value based dominance India had had in the past. Therefore a little genuflecting is in the order.

There is a widening acceptance of the fact that the West is beating a dead horse in its war on terrorism. It must bequeath the onerous task of the fight to local players, Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. Correspondingly there must be changes within these countries.

There is need for revamping intelligence gathering. On January 22, 2010 Intelligence Bureau gave two press releases. In the first it said that Lashkar-e-Taiba has bought 50 paragliders to attack targets in India. In another it claimed that the intelligence agency has received information that there is imminent danger of the terrorists across the border would attempt to hijack Indian commercial aircraft.

Home Minister Chidambrum got an opportunity in the wake of National Security Advisor's being shifted to West Bengal as governor. He wanted to find out the facts on which the input regarding the paragliders was made. It turned out that the parachute like glider was only three in number and they were not bought in Europe. They were actually purchased from China.

The implication of the IB input was very mischievous. One, by exaggerating the number the aim was to again turn up the hype of war on terror. Two, some one in the intelligence agency has a brief on local facilitators and wants to turn the screw of fear psychosis on the ordinary people. He is the mole planted to achieve a calculated effect of maintaining the pressure of suspence within the country against a group. For, the hiding of such huge number of paragliders and terrorists with them would make it more melodramatic.

The context in which all this was done was the arrival of the 62 Republic Day and the so called entry of two potential terrorists who were even identified with names. But the IB or their "collaborators" did not deem it necessary to disclose their identity.

Three days passed. 26 January came and passed. Nothing happened. The intelligence fudge was rushed through to win praise of its "commitment" as the IB has to live up to its reputation. It doesn't matter for our local consumption that others are also in it. How Tony Blair also fudged the intelligence in put to wage war against Iraq. Even if weapons of mass destruction were not there the war has to be fought. Even if the paragliders are not there the war on terrorism has to be fought!