Pulwama attack - the cause and aftermath

After every terror attack on Indian soil, the social media goes berserk - becomes overactive with those baying for Paki blood. Most of them are upper caste Hindus belonging to the middle class, with little or no knowledge of Military or Geopolitics. Obsessed with Bollywood and Cricket their knee jerk patriotism will last until the next Salman Khan movie or IPL - which ever arrives first, until the cycle of attack repeats itself depending upon Pakistan's chosen time and place.

I am reminded of Julio Ribeiro, an Indian Supercop who once was the Police commissioner of Bombay (it wasn't Mumbai yet and there was no social media then). Once he took into custody a bunch of local Siv Sena hooligans caught harassing Muslims. He picked up the phone and pretended to be talking to an Army top brass at the other end. Turning to these young brats he told that impressed with their patriotism, the Army wants to hire them following a posting at the border. Using Odia slang -  TANKARA GA**I PHATI GALA (it made their asses crack, simply meaning they chickened out). The Facebook warriors are no different breed.

I have seen a plethora of JAI HINDs (Hail India) pouting on Social media like hails hitting the ground on a summer thunderstorm, hoping to make the Pakis pee in their pants. But as of 4PM IST, 16th February, it's advantage Pakistan. In the last quarter of the century that failed nation has been a fly in the ointment to us - always having the upper hand in terror strikes vis a vis India. 

All we can boast of is a disputed Surgical strike and a Bollywood movie eulogizing it as our solace. Many including me and independent media outlets were highly sceptical about the efficacy of surgical strike when it was announced with much publicity. Even if it was true, it doesn't seem to have reduced the nuisance value of Pakistan whose attacks in contrast are clear, precise and spectacularly executed by their so called non actors (our actors can only replicate such attacks in movies). It is always been an one sided mismatch for the last 25 years, with Pakistan 20 - India 0.5 (due to half success of the so called surgical strike). Giving credit where credit is due, our Western neighbor has a clear advantage.

Let's take a bow for our dead JAWANs (soldiers), throwing the emotions out and looking objectively at this incident where the 40 odd paramilitary personnel were blown away. It was an avoidable tragedy. They were sitting ducks for the Suicide bomber for no fault of their's, rather the poor planning by those at the helm of affairs who made this stupid decision of transporting 2,500 soldiers in a single convoy with plenty of security loopholes.

In the movie 7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE after the Operation was over the then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin still under the glory of the victory vouched that this won't be the last attack by Palestinian Guerrillas and a long term political solution is needed. A pragmatic Rabin could see it even in the aftermath of the spectacular Commando Operation to rescue the hostages with minimal casualty.

Same is applicable to Kashmir. Followed by Military retaliation in the short term, a long term political solution is needed. But unlike the Israelis, we have been perceived as weak facing attacks after attacks originating from Pakistan without any retaliatory measures of note. Our political leaders lack guts to act tough. Also terrorism is not a major Election issue, limited to border areas and Metros. These kinds of attacks will continue in regular intervals for a long time to come.

Time for action is long overdue. We are champions of giving long speeches without any action. AME SABU BAKYA BIRA (We are strong in rhetorics). In simple Odia - AMARA GA**I RE PANI NAHI (We lack sufficient water stored in our ass, meaning we lack courage). As long as Terrorism is not a major Election issue in India, don't expect a lot. 

In global geopolitics, US officials are already in Pakistan talking to the Taliban. Earlier the negotion was going on in the neutral territory of Doha. It means the Americans are going to get out of Afghanistan sooner than expected. It also means Pakistan will divert  the unemployed Taliban graduates to India. Be afraid. Be very afraid. What we got so far is appetitzer. The main course is yet to come. Bon Appetit.