Found this article by an Indian writer, Kavita Krishnan, written last year. Its a fascinating read on the US imperialist plans for India, the implementation of which has so far gone largely unnoticed by the masses. A must read, particularly for our Indian readers.
June 11, 2008 – The Indian ruling class is striving to forge what it calls a “strategic partnership” with the United States, and in this aim the major ruling-class political parties are united. The previous government — a coalition termed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) headed by the Hindu majoritarian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — which was in power from 1999-2004, had in the wake of 9/11 strived to prove to the US rulers that India was a more stable and suitable ally on the subcontinent for the US “war on terror” than Pakistan.
The BJP-led NDA government even proposed a grandiose “Triad Against Terrorism” comprising India, Israel and the US, thereby overturning decades of Indian foreign policy that had favoured the Palestinian cause. The BJP is known for its viciously anti-Muslim agenda, is notorious for the state-sponsored pogrom which killed thousands of Muslims in the Indian state of Gujarat in 2002, and its goal is to turn secular India into a “Hindu” nation. The BJP, drawing on the “clash of civilisations” notion of Christians, Jews and Hindus against Muslims, spoke of a supposed “natural affinity” between India – the “Hindu homeland” – besieged by the terrorism of its Islamic neighbour Pakistan, and Israel – the “Jewish homeland” – besieged by “Muslim” Palestine’s “terrorism”. In May 2003, India’s national security advisor Brajesh Mishra, addressing a meeting of the American Jewish Committee – a Zionist outfit – in Washington, called for a “core, consisting of democratic societies … which can take on international terrorism” – and the Indo-US-Israel axis was to constitute this “core”. The NDA government had even been willing to send Indian troops to assist the Anglo-American occupation of Iraq, but nationwide protests resulted in a unanimous vote in parliament against such a move.
The most striking point about the dossier is its vague and unprofessional character. Enormous reliance is placed on the interrogation of the captured terrorist, Mohammed Amir Kasab, despite the fact that there is an abundance of other evidence – eyewitness accounts, CCTV and TV footage, forensic evidence, etc. – which could have been called upon to establish when, where, and what exactly happened during the attacks. This gives rise to the suspicion that the interrogation is being used as a substitute for real investigation because it can be influenced by intimidation or torture, whereas other sources of evidence cannot be influenced in the same way.
This is an hour long Editor’s Show of Pakistan First. An intense discussion on some grave issues faced by Pakistan with Zaid Hamid. This includes internal affairs such as conflict in Swat and lawyers movement. Also an open discussion on external pressures faced by Pakistan. This is a critical and current analysis of national security. LINK
BrassTacks Dossier on Indian Terrorism and Debunking the Indian ‘evidence’.
The entire Indian propaganda and lies have been exposed in this pdf document. Read and know for yourself things you never knew before. The entire Mumbai drama, its background, its motives and the players involved, with proof from their own sources, media and speeches. Circulate this far and wide and get it published wherever you can. This must be flooded on the web and passed to all contacts. Let the world see their lies exposed. May Allah (sw) Protect Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—During the entire Pak-India crisis, India’s foreign minister Pranab ‘Paranoid’ Mukherjee has shown himself to be a four-legged clown.
Since early December, Mr. Mukherjee has changed more positions than a model’s dress at a fashion show in Mumbai.
Western journalists following the Indian drama should pay attention.
First Mr. Mukherjee said India was not going to share evidence with Pakistan. Then he said all evidence has already been given to Pakistan. Then he said India has to complete its own investigations before sharing anything with Pakistan.
One of the glaring contradictions in Mr. Mukherjee’s statements is the point where he reached a foregone conclusion about Pakistan’s culpability while insisting that Indian investigations are incomplete.
Paranoid Mukherjee bears a huge part of the responsibility for the dramatic and unfortunate increase in tensions in the Pak-India region.
Here is the case against Pranab ‘Paranoid’ Mukherjee as described by one of our contributors:
The Indian media and officials including External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee have taken an extraordinary u-turn in the last few days and seem to be going out of their way to ensure peace in the region and the de-escalation of of tension – which if they are to be believed, are a product of Pakistan’s war mongering. India has now denied ever amassing its troops in the Rajasthan area, nevermind building hangars and runways. The recent statements by the high and mighty in India are not without reason, however. Lets first have a look at what has been said before we attempt to look into the reasons behind this sudden change of heart by our Indian ‘friends’.
On ‘evidence’ of Pakistan’s alleged hand in Mumbai:
Responding to repeated Pakistani calls for “evidence”, Mukherjee categorically said that India had provided enough evidence already. “It’s time for action,” the minister added. |Times of India | December 21, 2008
After both the Interpol and China demanded India present credible evidence before accusing Pakistan, and Pakistan laughing off the ‘evidence’ presented on India’s behalf by the US and UK, Pranab Mukherjee has changed his tone completely:
India is now in the final stages of completing its investigation into the Mumbai terror attacks. That would be shared with Pakistan and others, Mukherjee said. Pakistan, he emphasised, will have to act on evidence India gives to it. “And there has to be credible evidence that they are acting on it.” |Hindustan Times| December 30th, 2008
On the war hysteria:
As reported by Indian media last week -
New Delhi also stressed that although it has acted with “utmost restraint” so far, it had not “closed any options”, including a military strike, if Islamabad did not fulfill its anti-terror pledge. |The Hindu| December 23rd, 2008
Even as India refused to take the military option off the table while asking Pakistan to rein in the terrorists, the Indian Army’s and IAF’s quick reaction teams (QRTs) were deployed along the borders in the Western Sector. “Runways, hangars, main roads, ammunition stores and other sensitive places have been provided with additional cover. Sophisticated radars are installed at a few air bases and we are keeping watch on each and every cross-border activity,” said an IAF personnel. Indian forces were on regular firing exercises at locations like Lathi Firing Range in Jaisalmer, Mahsan in Bikaner, Suratgarh and Ganganagar.|Times of India| December 22nd, 2008
Reliable sources have told us that in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, New Delhi relayed a message to the Pakistanis via the United States, saying they would be given 30 days to crack down on Islamist militant proxies on Pakistani soil that continue to threaten India. While India used the time to prep its military forces, the United States came down hard on Pakistan behind the scenes, making clear that if Islamabad did not deliver, Washington would not be able to stand in New Delhi’s way if and when the time came for India to act. |Stratfor Report| December 23rd, 2008
India backtracks:
India has informed Pakistan that it has not engaged in any sort of troop build-up|India Today| December 27th, 2008
Denying any ultimatum being set for Pakistan to act, Pranab Mukherjee said, “no ultimatum was set. There is no question of any ultimatum. Nobody has set any ultimatum.” |Press Trust of India| December 28th, 2008
India has told Pakistan that reports it is mobilising troops along its western border are without basis |The Hindu| December 28, 2008
The reason behind this complete u-turn is to counter the growing view internationally that India has not only failed to provide any credible evidence of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks, but is threatening a war on Pakistan by mobilising its troops along the shared border. The Indian media machine as well as its politicians continue to work overtime trying to convince the rest of the world that it was Pakistan, and not India, creating the climate of confrontation between the two nuclear states.
Worryingly for Pakistan, it seems to be working:
Tough tensions have risen in the past few days, neither India’s governing coalition led by the Congress Party nor its habitually hawkish political opposition is advocating a military confrontation with Pakistan, the country’s neighbor and archrival. Pakistan’s redeployment of troops late last week to its border with India, from its tribal areas in the northwest, raised fears. |New York Times |December 28th, 2008
Failing to get a guarantee that Pakistan will not respond to India’s planned ‘surgical strikes’, the US and India now plan to play the waiting game, while reassuring Pakistan that India does not intend to attack, and in fact never did.
The US has even provided Pakistan with satellite imagery showing no movement of Indian troops along the border and implying that Pakistan’s concerns of Indian troop build up are unsubstantiated.
India’s apparent backtracking is intended to create pressure on the Pakistan Army which has been on a high alert in response to the emerging threat from India. Islamabad is said to be under increasing pressure from Washington to not just de-escalate tensions but also reduce the armed forces build up along the border.
If the Pakistan government and military leadership buy into this BS and lay down their guard, the consequences could be devastating for Pakistan.
The reason India has not attacked targets in Pakistan so far despite the green signal from Washington, is its uncertainty of Pakistan Army’s response and the fear of losing face in case its much celebrated Su30k’s are shot down. India is also aware that the Pakistan Army may not be content with shooting down a couple of jets and is more likely to respond by launching an all out war.
A de-escalation would see Pakistan army ordered back to the barracks giving India the opportunity to strike without the fear of a swift or decisive response by Pakistan.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has held meetings with the heads of the Indian armed forces in the past 24 hours, while build up of the Indian Army continues. The Indian Government has also cancelled scheduled foreign tours of the services chiefs and requested them to be ready for any siutation. Top politicians including Sonia Gandhi, Lalu Parsad Yadav, Motilal Vohra, AK Anthony and Pranab Mukherjee have also attended the briefings.
The proposals under consideration by the Indian Army are:
Surgical Strikes
Squadrons of Mirage, Jaguar or Sukhoi fighters to carry out strikes on Targets such as the alleged Lashkar-e-Tayba headquarters in Azad Kashmir as well as the Jama’at-ud-Dawa headquarters at Muridke.
Commando Raids
Special Forces units cross LoC, attack a an alleged Lashkar site and return. Possibly helicopter borne.
Artillery Barrage
Long-range artillery fires at militant forward bases across the LoC. Bofors and Russian 130 mm guns have 30 km range – Given theguns would be fired from about 5 kms inside India, to be precise the targets would be anything between 8 to 10 kms inside Azad Kashmir.
Mobilization Threat
India mobilizes its land, sea and air forces across the western front. One or two armoured corps make short incursion into Pak territory. India would use Cold Start doctrine and launch a small conventional attack below the nuke threshold. 10th or 11th Corps in Punjab could be mobilised for this.
Naval blockade of Karachi
This is high on the list of the most effective measures India can take, but also the least likely one as US supplies to Afghanistan pass through this corridor. The recent arrival of three Chinese Navy ships in the area on an anti-piracy mission – armed with special forces, helicopters and missiles – can also serve as a deterrence.
Despite the attempts to lure Pakistan into a false sense of security, Pakistan Army continues to be in a heightened state of ‘Red-Alert’, deploying forces as well as equipment in border areas. The army had been installing anti-aircraft guns at roofs of various buildings of strategic importance on Monday while choppers patrolled the skies, prompting hundreds of onlookers to chant ‘Allah-o-Akbar’ and ‘Pak Fauj ko Salam’. The deployment of missiles in strategic locations is complete while NATO’s supplies to Afghanistan have been halted until further notice on the pretext of clearing the area of militants.
In the foreground, Pakistan has officially called on India to deactivate its forward airbases, return troops to “peacetime” positions and resume a dialogue suspended after last month’s militant attacks in Mumbai.
If the recent Israeli action in Gaza is anything to go by, India will use the window between the start of the new year and Barack Obama swearing in on January 20th to attack targets inside Pakistani territory, provided Pakistan takes its eye off the ball.
India wants to launch air strikes inside Pakistan: McCain
WASHINGTON: U.S. Senator John McCain has voiced his deep concern over tense South Asian situation, saying India was preparing for some kind of attack on Pakistan in the wake of last month’s Mumbai attacks.
“The Indians are on the verge of some kind of attack on Pakistan,” such as an air attack on suspected militant camps, he told a daily newspaper in his home state Arizona published Monday. [source]
With India and Pakistan stood eyeball to eyeball, it was India who blinked first, with its media and officials admitting defeat on the diplomatic front.
While the de-escalation should soothe the tense nerves of the international community, it was being feared that Islamabad, by raising the bogey of war, may have edged out India’s concerns. By feeding fears of an imminent conflict between two nuclear-armed rivals, it had ensured that the focus would shift towards conflict prevention. Indian security experts noted that Gilani made it a point to mention that “our friends are persuading India against aggression”.
While the government persisted with reminders to Islamabad about unkept promises, independent security experts sid Pakistan may have got away with almost no cost at all. “As of now, Pakistan has managed to divert attention from the Mumbai attacks to an India-Pak conflict,” said K Subrahmanyam.
It was diplomacy by fear, and Pakistan played it effectively. As it allowed passions to run high and let known terrorists join in the show of national belligerence, it was also playing victim. As part of the script, its foreign secretary, it now turns out, even summoned the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad, Satyabrata Pal, on Friday to lecture him on the need for India to bring down tensions.
The US and China had on Friday asked India – in a clear sign of Pakistan’s success – to engage in a dialogue with Pakistan. It’s becoming increasingly evident that India has so far nothing to show for all its diplomatic offensive in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks.
How could things have gone so wrong, wonders Vir Sanghvi of the Hindustan Times:
I am now coming round to the view that they’ve only gone wrong for us. They’ve gone very right for Pakistan. Islamabad has got exactly what it needs, and what it always wanted.
Consider what’s happening today. The operation in the tribal areas has stalled. The Taliban have sworn to back the Pakistan army against India. Troops have been moved to the Indian border. The incoming Obama administration is talking about appointing a special envoy for India and Pakistan.
And forget about acting against those who organised the Bombay attacks. Pakistan isn’t even willing to hand over Dawood Ibrahim or Masood Azhar. Moreover, Washington seems largely content with this state of affairs.
I don’t want to sound like a pessimist or a war-monger — especially since I have always applauded New Delhi’s moderation and restraint — but it is beginning to seem to me that Pakistan has out-manoeuvered both India and America.
By gently holding out the threat to the US that the Afghan operations would grievously suffer unless Washington restrained Delhi from precipitating any tensions on the India-Pakistan border, Islamabad seems to have neatly pole-vaulted over Rice to appeal straight to the Pentagon, where there is abiding camaraderie towards the Pakistani generals.
With Pakistan’s recalcitrance and Mullen’s veiled threat of reopening the Kashmir file, a sense of frustration is gripping Delhi. Pakistan has ignored India’s tough posturing. The faltering Indian security agencies, which have been in a state of appalling decline in recent years, seem to have failed to put together any hard evidence of a Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai attacks.
All indications are that Pakistan is not impressed by the Indian rhetoric. It seems to think Indian politicians are grandstanding in an election year. But, just in case Delhi may spring a surprise, Pakistani army chief General Ashfaq Kiani has warned that the armed forces would give an equal response “within few minutes” if India carried out any surgical military strikes. “The armed forces are fully prepared to meet any eventuality, and the men are ready to sacrifice for their country,” he reportedly said.
Just as we predicted, an all out war seems to have been averted and Indian media and officials are admitting defeat.
China, Saudi Arabia and Iran have come out strongly in the last couple of days which saw an intense diplomatic effort by all parties to make it clear to India that they not only remain unconvinced of Delhi’s allegations, but also that any attack could have serious consequences for India and the region as a whole.
Pranab Mukherjee was made to do an embarassing u-turn on India’s previous stance previously, admitting that terrorism – a global issue and not a bilateral one – should be fought jointly.
The Indian officials have also been made to backtrack from their earlier claims of deplying troops along the border with Pakistan.
Times of India, December 22nd: Even as India refused to take the military option off the table while asking Pakistan to rein in the terrorists, the Indian Army’s and IAF’s quick reaction teams (QRTs) were deployed along the borders in the Western Sector.
“Runways, hangars, main roads, ammunition stores and other sensitive places have been provided with additional cover. Sophisticated radars are installed at a few air bases and we are keeping watch on each and every cross-border activity,” said an IAF personnel.
Indian forces were on regular firing exercises at locations like Lathi Firing Range in Jaisalmer, Mahsan in Bikaner, Suratgarh and Ganganagar.
India Today, December 27th: India has informed Pakistan that it has not engaged in any sort of troop build-up along the frontier
In response to the ‘deadline’ set by India and the threats from Sonia Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee, Pakistan had gone on a diplomatic counter-offensive, briefing world powers and countries in the region on the deteriorating relations with India and the steps taken by it to address Indian concerns. Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir met ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the US, Britain , China , France and Russia . He also met ambassadors of Italy , Japan , Germany , Saudi Arabia , Iran and Turkey soon after returning from France where he had gone for annual bilateral consultations. However, his most crucial meeting was with Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal at the Foreign Office when he said that India should defuse tension.
Mr Pal was accompanied by his deputy Manpreet Vohra. The Indian side was categorically told that any ‘surgical strikes’ would be considered a declaration of war. India was urged to respond to Pakistan ’s proposal for joint investigation into the Mumbai attacks.
According to sources, the Indian diplomats looked sombre when they came out of the meeting.
As things stand, the possibility of war has been averted for now in which is being seen as a massive diplomatic victory for Pakistan.
This of course does not mean that we should let our guard down. In addition to the diplomatic counter-offensive, it was Pakistan Army’s seriousness that put India on the backfoot.
Once the realization set in that any further attempts to enter Pakistan Airspace will be punished severely by the PAF, the Indians had gone to plan B, with Mullen asking for a guarantee that PAF will not respond to Indian surgical strikes.
General Kiyani is said to have responded with showing Mullen a photograph of an IAF Mirage-2000 locked by Pakistan Air Forces’ F-16 taken on December 13th. ‘Next time, we’ll bring it down’, Mullen was told.
To make sure the message was loud and clear, Pakistan Air Force jets started patrolling the skies in hot mode and a red-alert was issued througout the country.
Failing to get that guarantee, the chance of an Indian strike was reduced significantly. For them it was never about a full war. A few surgical strikes on pre-agreed locations would have been enough to relieve some of the pressure the Indian Government faces domestically. Pakistan Army on the other hand made it clear that any action from India would be taken as a declaration of war, and the response would be swift and decisive.
India faces humiliation now on the diplomatic front having failed to achieve anything from this standoff.
In its attempts to isolate Pakistan by building what it saw as a definitive case, it is India that stands alone on the diplomatic front and is left with begging the Iranians and Chinese to put pressure on Pakistan.
We can now expect an intense and sustained terrorism campaign in Pakistani cities in an attempt to destabilize the country along ethnic / sectarian lines – New Delhi’s time-tested method.
On the diplomatic front India will be lobbying hard to have the ISI (and Pakistan Army) declared as terrorist organisations.
We can also not rule out another false flag attack in the next few weeks.
Anyone with an ounce of sense can see where the war cries had been coming from the past few days.
Whether it was Pranab Mukherjee threatening ‘all options’, Sonia Gandhi threatening ‘revenge’, the Hindustan army lining up along the border in Rajhastan or the Hindustani media with their ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign, it seems like Pakistan has succesfully called their bluff.
The fact that they’re now blaming Pakistan for talking war is proof that their bite isn’t as hard as their bark.
Credit to the Pakistan Army for taking their threats head on and putting them in their place.
VIDEO: Live with Talat – Aaj TV
Lt Gen Hammid Nawaz (Retired), Lt Gen Ajmad Shoaib (Retired) and Shamshad Ahmed Khan ( Former Foreign Secretary ) discussing the deteriorating situation between Pakistan and India and India’s war hysteria.
One good thing to come out of India’s aggressive posturing since the Mumbai attacks is that it has united the Pakistani nation.
Zardari and his US appointed team wanted us to believe India is not a threat to Pakistan. Kudos to India for setting him straight.
Apart from a handful of politicians who owe their rise from mediocrity to the US anyway, the nation is united in the face of the Indian threat.
Mullen has been told to do one. The armed forces continue to stay on red alert, missiles and anti aircraft batteries are being deployed on strategic locations, leaves and holidays are being cancelled, troops are being moved from our western borders towards the east, weapons and artillery is being dusted off and made ready, and surprisingly the politicians have started speaking in one voice and sending out stern warnings to our neighbours on boths sides.
Cries of ‘Allah-o-Akbar’ and ‘Pak Fiza’ya Zindabad’ can be heard everytime Pakistan Air Forces’ Shaheens pass overhead, weapons on display, letting the people know they can sleep while the PAF is awake.
Whether its on the cricket pitch or the battle field, India always seems to bring out the best in us and unite us as one. If the Indians thought they could bring us to our knees with their threats of military action and by issuing deadlines, they know better now. War doesn’t scare us. It brings us together. And a united Pakistan is India’s worst nightmare.
India is now in a bit of a predicament. The Government of India expected Pakistan to follow the script – admit guilt, and hand a few of our citizens over, maybe even allow air-strikes at specific locations. Being seen as taking Pakistan to the task would have calmed the anger domestically and given their chances in the upcoming elections a bit of a boost while also covering up their own failures in Mumbai. To be honest if it was upto the civilian government in Pakistan, the Indians may well have got their wish.
In an interesting twist, two regional powers in Saudi Arabia and China have told India to tone it down and to work with Pakistan – which has been Pakistan’s position all along. The Saudis even made Pranab Mukherjee read out a statement to the media admitting that the Mumbai attacks were part of global terrorism and joint action is required to counter it. This comes after recent statements from the UNSC and Interpol backing Pakistan’s as well as the US appearing to distance itself from the conflict.
India is being forced on the backfoot as Pakistan Army prepares itself for swift and decisive action. There are even fears in some US and Indian circles that Pakistan may pre-emptively target Indian airbases if there is credible intelligence available that India plans to go ahead with any ‘surgical strikes’ on Pakistani territory.
What a stunning turnaround.
Expect India to make a hue and a cry in the next few days and beg regional and global powers to put more pressure on Pakistan, before resorting to increased covert terrorist activity in Pakistan. We should also not rule out the possibility of another false flag attack either in India or in a western country, which will legitimize an attack on Pakistan with the full military support of the US and Israel. Or they might just try their luck and carry out those surgical strikes they’ve been going on about.
India cannot be seen as pussying out of this confrontation now that they have made so much noise about ‘carpet bombing Pakistan’ and ‘turning it into another Afghanistan’ – certainly not in front of their American masters who have big plans for them in this region. This would have been their first test -proving their credentials in order to become America’s policeman for the region.
Backing off now in face of the unexpected and agressive response from Pakistan not only means total and utter humiliation, but is also a huge setback for India’s regional aspirations.
Are they brave enough to risk the total and complete disintegration of India by picking a fight with Pakistan?
Time will tell. Although they might not have much of a choice now.
Bring it on. Enough of the threats. Enough of the mindgames. Enough is Enough.
In the immortal words of Mr. Blonde, “are you gonna bark all day little doggy, or are you gonna bite?”
The Pakistan Air Force today scrambled its jets over Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi in what is being seen as a clear warning to India after the recent spate of immature statements from the politicians of that country as well as the recent military buildup in Rajasthan, India.
In their recent comments, Sonia Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee have failed to rule out military action on Pakistan territory.
The PAF has come out strongly to let the nation know that they are ready to defend the nation, and to let the Indians know that any air incursions into Pakistan territory will not go unchallenged.
A ‘red-alert’ was declared at Lahore airport delaying some flights as upto 30 PAF jets (hot mode) patrolled the skies over Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Residents of Lahore came out in to the streets and chanted slogans in favour of PAF. Many climbed on their roofs for a better look as the planes flew extremely low carrying their weapons.
This comes after the aborted attempt by the Indian Air Force last week to take out the Jama’at ud Dawa headquarters at Muridke and the abandoned Lashkar camp in Muzaffarabad. PAF jets chased them back over the border on that occasion.
UPDATE on December 23rd PM
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jet fighters today continued flying over the skies here for the second consecutive day.
Sources said that the aircrafts equipped with the extra-fuel tanks kept taking rounds of Lahore air space on Tuesday morning for surveillance. PAF jet fighters taking off from Sargodha Air Base made rounds over Lahore for about 8 minutes and then landed at the Lahore Air Base besides making to and fro surveillance flight from Sargodha to Lahore.
The people witnessing the jet-speeding fighters happily waved and welcomed the ever-agile ‘Shaheens’ and voiced slogans in support of the motherland.
