BJP Ahead???

I fervantly hope that the polling picks up. 

The percentages till now have been disappointing to say the least. The Urban voters, those constant complainers, them forwarders of chain smses and hyperventilating news-viewers - have disappointed. When the time came to actually do something, most of them decided to enjoy the holiday. So much for Generation X and the new activist populace.

I did vote - most certainly. It would be hypocritical of me to advertize the ballot and not heed my own advice. Well, there are a few who haven't had the time to log in and check their names on the list - topping this list of great people who couldn't spare a minute is LK Advani. What does it say if he is asking for millions of votes, but doesn't have the time to realize that his own name isn't on the lists... it isn't hard really. Coming close is ISRO Chief Madhavan Nair - he can send up the most hi-tech gizmos thousands of miles up into the black yonder, but finds it difficult to do a few clicks on his computer. 

Forgetting these worthies, after two (3 when you read it), the trends do seem varied - While exit polls may be banned, I can direct you to Swapan Dasgupta's blog (http://swapan55.blogspot.com)  for the trends.

What does seem clear is that UPA is slipping (which is somewhat consistent with my predictions). What is unclear is whether NDA can make up the numbers. I think that it will need to find allies very fast. But definite gains are likely.

I do see a definite improvement for the BJP in urban areas, based on a qualitative indicator. While a majority of youth may have slouched at home and watched people queueing up at the booths (well, there weren't any) on NDTV, there has been a definite upsurge in the level of interest of those who did vote. The best part is that they are not bashful to declare their allegiance. I have had a large number of youngsters openly discussing their votes and why they chose so. Such a strong political sense is to be applauded and enjoyed.

Even more heartening is the fact that even larger numbers of people have been asking others if they voted - that creates a social incentive/peer pressure to vote. Good again.

Coming to the qualitative trend, I mentioned that a large number of urban voters were happy to say who they vote for (something that I can't imagine happening in the rural hinterland or even in most small towns). A large majority (I'd put it at 66-75%) of them were proud to have voted for BJP. The major reason simply was change. In my opinion, this is an interesting trend, where parties trump over candidates (something that I agree with, at least with the Lok Sabha polls - I'll explain why later).

So what do I think... I think NDA will gain in urban areas, at least with those among gen x who voted. But whether that will translate into larger gains than I thought remains to be seen.

A message for those who can vote in the next two rounds - VOTE!!!!!

Election Watch: Joining the astrologers - Poll predictions

I'm loath to predict the results of this elections, given the 2004 fiasco, but I'll try... maybe we can try verifying that with what the astrologers say:

It will be a hung house, with Congress losing upto 20 seats from last time. They will however gain seats in other areas, especially Orissa (although BJD will do much better over there). BJP will definitely do better, and will probably make up around 20 seats. However, both of these are not enough to get them to power, unless they band together - not likely either.

Regional parties will find this election to be their starting gun for the future - the 3rd front will get around 120 seats, but will disintegrate after the results - most of the constituents, who are even more promiscuous than the Congress (common whores have less of a choice than a courtesan) will join one or the other. Left will be left cold.

Given the BJP's infighting, it is difficult to see how they can actually pull this off... Congress has had a headstart, but their own house seems more precarious than a mountain of melting butter. BJP will gain from UPA's shakiness, and the splitting of the "secular" vote.

Final prediction - UPA may come back, but with a wafer thin majority. However, that depends on their allies. BJP could still pull it off, if they can stitch up alliances fast. They still need to have a good development-driven, common-man-focussed manifesto though - and sell that hard.

Election Watch: 4 Reasons why I'd vote for Congress, & the 3 reasons why I would think twice

(Like the 12 days of Christmas, I'll probably add a couple more reasons when they strike my brain, but right now, its 4 reasons).

1. Youth:

Whatever their faults, the congress does have the advantage of having, and most certainly encouraging young, dynamic, and well educated leaders. Forget Rahul Gandhi, what about people like Milind Deora, Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia and others. A strong second line of leaders with strength for administration. This, in spite of the fact that the party does have a tradition of intrigue and pitting two satraps against each other to strengthen the central hand.

The Youth Congress, which is by far the largest, most organized and most influential youth wing of any indian political party has an extremely strong tradition. Wild, rude and criminal behaviour of some of their leaders notwithstanding, they do bring out some able guys once in a while. It is this emphasis on youth that enthuses me.

BUT:
The problem, as I have pointed out, is that these dynamic guys rarely get the chance to rule, one, because the constant bickering means that the older leaders choose their own proxies, and would not want an independent minded guy, and second, because local alliances usually overrule any attempt at putting able leaders. Hopefully Rahul Gandhi can change that a bit.

2. A strong second rung:

Compared to the other big National party, the BJP (and CPM at a distant third), the Congress has a far larger bench-strength of National level crowdpullers and mass leaders, and strong second rung, while the BJP is mostly limited to regional kings who have little national recognition - the ones that do are not mass leaders, but managers.

If the BJP has Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Yashwant Sinha and others, the Congress has a far larger base of leaders who can actually gain them votes, and can also govern - Kapil Sibal, Digvijay Singh, Murli Deora, etc etc etc. It doesn't hurt that many of them are actually quite well educated. This would theoratically make the party stronger, more dynamic and gives it a firm foundation. The Congress can thus manage to fill a cabinet with a good number of strong and educated leaders, rather than having to scrounge around for people.

BUT:
The "Theoratically" word in the previous sentence said it all - all these second rung mass leaders and their strength and education comes to nought in the absence of inner-party democracy (something that the BJP abounds in - the recent infighting proves that). When everyone needs to pander to and obey her highness' words without question, that Oxford degree is useless.

Additionally, 10, Janpath has cleverly and perennially pitted these satraps against each other to strengthen its own hand... thus, at times when they need to be governing or taking on the opposition, they are stuck squabbling in their own house. Not a good sight, nor a good idea if good governance is required.


3. No Ideology to serve:

Unlike the CPM's class act (and US bashing, and China cuddling), or the BJP's Hindutva plank, The Congress' doesn't have any ideological pulls, except the short term ones that it chooses. "Aam aadmi" seems to be the only long term ideology that they have ("secularism" comes a close second).

This development-based agenda is a good idea, since it usually means that decisions would be taken on logic, rather than ideology. Its better to have someone with a people-focus at power, rather than those who have other pulls. Then, there is also the ideological danger of going too far with an idea - remember Germany.

BUT:
No ideology results in no work... if development was indeed the Congress ideology that they believed in, they've failed miserably. Even the BJP has done better on that count. Their secular card is definitely doing a shabby job of covering their modesty. And without any long term ideology, the ideal the congress seems to live by is Power - they'll do anything to get it.

Plus, without a central pillar to hold on to, it is very very easy to get swayed by coalition pulls - something we witnessed during the last 5 years.

4. Development Agenda:

The UPA has taken some extremely important steps over the past 5 years - the ones that I'd list are - RTI Act, US-India Nuke deal, NREGA, NRHM, and increased support to the SSA. (If this sounds like acronym soup, Google ki jai!!). Even more important I'd say is the empowerment of Panchayati Raj's under Mr. Aiyar.

All these are potentially revolutionary steps towards creating a better democracy, and social welfare. The NDA too took many such important steps, but not in such a clear way.

BUT:
IMPLEMENTATION - total failure by the UPA. Which is surprising considering the surfeit of administrators that their ranks contain. NREGA is beset by corruption, and SSA hasn't really succeeded at the secondary level.

As for the BJP, I'd say that they're not far behind... if the INC banners their development and aam aadmi focus, the BJP actually does it... Most of the UPA's achievements built on the foundation that the BJP quietly set during their tenure - the Nuke deal was laid by BJP, they started the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Golden Quadrilateral and Gram Sadak Yojanas were tremendously successful implementations under their watch. IT boomed under their watch, and the telecom revolution truly started during their term (although i'd doubt if they can take all the credit for the inevitable). Even the vastly unpopular Disinvestments actually helped...

Its a pity that they didn't have the support of the English language press, and neither did they go about tomtomming their achievements. The problem was that they forgot a small detail when doing all this - the village man. But even this was a case of things getting bad before getting better - unlike the Congress' implementation, which has usually led only to a distribution of poverty, the BJP has a more right of centre view of trickle-down benefits. It works sometimes, sometimes it doesn't. Unfortunately, in my view, the BJP put too much trust in that, rather than focussing also on direct action at those levels (something that the UPA has tried).

However, as I said, implementation is the key.... and Congress has done quite badly on that front.


The three reasons that I'd think twice (apart from the BUTS that i listed above):

a) Sonia Gandhi and Family - Dictator for life:

The Congress survives for a surname. It listens to their every word, and would even sweep their floor if ordered so. When they're so preoccupied with satisfying her fancies (and beta's too), how can we expect them to listen to us common folk? And with no sign of inner democracy, I'd doubt its a good idea to put a bigger democracy in their hands.

b) Promiscuity for Power:
Certainly not a good idea to bring a group that'll screw anyone and sell their virgin ideals to get their preferred seat in parliament (the treasury side seats). Makes one wonder what they'd do after coming to power.

c) Constitutional respect:

Given the consistent way that Congress Govt's have torn down democratic institutions and constitutional bodies, is it a good idea to give them more time??

SIGChaos

We've just heard Varun Gandhi, and before him, Messrs Mutalik and Co., Raj Thakeray and family before that. Others too come to mind - AR Antulay, Jodhaa-Akbar, Non-Maharashtrians vs Manoos, Kandhamal, Gorkhaland, Gujjars, Da Vinci Code, MF Hussain, the Shahi Imam, Taslima Nasreen and a hundred other examples of intolerance and idle minds coming together in a volatile mix.

It wont be long before these pet peeves and psychotic hatreds explode in a fireball, and join their other examples- Maoists, NE Rebels, LeT and other madmen. We're hemorrhaging internally. And unfortunately, there's no way to put that lightly.

Well, the situation may not be as bad as it seems, but it does get very depressing to switch on the boob tube and see a new violent protest every day.

So heres a word of advice to Messrs Raj Thakeray, MIM, Togadia, Mutalik and other 'leaders' of these mobs - Get innovative. Riots and violent protests are getting old fashioned. Its interesting for about a month, but after that, it just seems that you lack the brains to think up new ways to unleash chaos. Then of course, you guys are wasting your time on these silly stunts.

Election blues (saffrons??)

Just a small observation here - have you suddenly noticed how a lot of websites seem to be filled with ads for LK advani for PM (leads to www.lkadvani.in)??? Even Times of India and other sites.... guess the BJP has started its battle preparation... if only they could first quell the fires in their own house, AND get in new, young leaders, like the congress is doing.

As we come closer to the elections, this blog will continue to follow the issues and opinions, and post our own. A request though, to all those who are even slightly interested in our Nation's welfare - Register your names on the voter rolls, get ur voter ID card, and VOTE!!!!

But not blindly - read, analyze, meet the local leaders if possible, get their opinions and make an INFORMED DECISION - I will not offer any suggestions, except the one in the previous sentence (not the previous paragraph ;-)) Whoever you vote for, make sure that the democracy that our founders envisioned wins!!

Police - Not Robots!

Every time I hear some self-righteous Human Rights activist or page 3 persona complaining about how rude and heavy-handed the police are, or about why the police are curbing their 'rights' when they check them for DUIs or breaking up parties "way too early" for their regal liking, one part of me wants to take the nearest heavy object and hurl it at the instrument from where their venom is being emitted.

Too bad that most of the time, the actual Highnesses are far away, in the cosy comfort of an air-conditioned TV studio, having been chauffer-driven there in their fancy cars, spewing dust and fumes on the policemen they are criticizing, and the poor of this land that they don't really seem to care about.

I agree, the police are quite often extremely heavy-handed. But understand their situation also. They are human and not robocops. Look at what they have to endure - low pay, shabby treatment, being tossed around at will by the netas, and almost no chance of advancement. So before you talk, try to understand.

And if you think you are qualified enough and have the right to criticize the police, I suggest taht you do the following before talking:

1. Find the busiest, noisiest and dirtiest road intersection in your city.

2. Leave the house early morning, and travel there by bus; preferably on a summer day. Carry no food or water with you. Take an unpaid leave on that day.

3. Stand at that spot for the next 10 hours, with only an hour or so lunch break. Find the dirtiest hotel in the vicinity, and have your lunch there.

4. Get shouted at by random strangers. If there is a politician around, or a politicians convoy, try and stop it or make it follow traffic rules, and watch the consequences.

5. After a 14 hour vigil at the spot, without rest (except for the lunch), and without sitting at all, except for short stretches, go back home by bus (crowded of course), and not a deluxe bus, just a normal commuter bus.

6. After reaching home, give yourself your day's salary of a princely 200 Rs. (Incidentally, this is on the higher side - a Constable usually earns less that 5000 Rs a month, not even enough for a decent house rent).

7. Do this for a week, preferably alternating between taking very long walks around dirty neighbourhoods to simulate a beat. On two days, do the beat at night. If there is a festival on those days, make ur duty stretch to 16 hours.


Now, after doing all this, you have passed the Police Etiquette and Sensitivity Test (PEST), and are worthy of spewing all the venom you have at the force.

The Police Life - not a dog's day

Chacko Joseph-ji pointed out all the points that I had missed, which made me wonder how a common man could understand it at all.... there really isn't any way to understand that. Chackoji and I will continue to list all the issues and tortures that a Police cop has to endure... hopefully that would lead to understanding rather than blind jingoism or hatred. Both extremes are bad.

About Pete's Blog

A lot of people have been wondering where Peter Coates' (Pete's) Intelligence Blog went....

So, FYI, Pete's blog, formerly located at http://spyingbadthings.blogspot.com has moved to http://gentleseas.blogspot.com/.

This move has been made mainly recognition of the shift in focus of Pete's old blog from purely Australian affairs to a more broader perspective of South Asia and Asia Pacific and Naval affairs in the Indian Ocean.

You can also go directly to it by clicking on the link on the blogroll to the right.

Cheers
Sniperz

Time to Strike?

Now that Pakistan has got the evidence they have been clamouring for, it will be interesting to see how long they take to "analyze" it and take action. One doubts that they will. As it is, they have got a shot in the arm, thanks to the US saying that the perpetrators can be tried in Pakistan itself, and China still sticking with the disingenuous "Deccan Mujahedeen" farce.

Perhaps its time to act. As Nitin Pai pointed out eloquently on the Acorn, the proof gives us a justification to take an action, but is not an action by itself. Neither will any other country act when we don't. So, based on what Pakistan does next, it is time to tell the rest of the patronizing, peace-mongering world to p*** off, and take action on our own... here's why.

1) Pakistan will not take any action, even with the evidence (which it used as a time-wasting tactic)
2) Neither US nor China will help, and in fact, would want to stop a strike, and will support Pakistan
3) UNSC is a no-no, for an obvious multitude of reasons.
4) The Pakistani war-mongering has run its course, and will not hold now.
5) The camps, which were emptied and leaders who were hidden will now slowly end their hibernation and come out once the snows melt.
6) Ironically enough, it is once the snows melt (quite literally) that we have the best conditions to fight.

What we should do now is simple - prepare our infrastructure, intelligence and military assets for short, intense (and mostly covert) strikes on Pakistani terrorists, and ISI "rogues". Best time would be in early February - not too near to elections, neither too close to the end of winter.

Let them die

Amir Kasav, the captured baddie is stuck in some unknown hellhole, where he is, if news reports are to be believed, alternating between lunatic taunting and suicidal sobs. Yesterday's TimesNow had the ticker that Kasav had reportedly pleaded that he be killed or else, "LeT will kill my family".

Well, guess what a**hole... thats just too bad!!! We don't care. And neither should we. Where was this concern when this worm-hearted pig looked through the sights of his rifle, and calmly shot down innocent civilians. Did he ask them if they had families? Did he think even a bit about families when he pumped in 3 bullets into Karkare's chest? Did he even believe that the people he filled with lead were little more that the pathetic little sh*ts that he had been brainwashed into believing?

Well, too bad for your family Kasav, but if you really were worried about their safety and wellbeing, maybe you shouldn't have left home in the first place. And maybe, just maybe, you should have thought of that when your mind was filled with thoughts only of killing.

((P.S. - Is that why we're getting to know so much about his family?? Make the job easier for the LeT?? I guess so))

Terror 1: India 0

I think I'm going against the tide by saying this, but the Terrorists won, and heres why:

Objectives of the Attack

1. Kill people - Achieved
2. Successfully attack high value targets - Achieved
3. Ensure widespread media attention to attacks - Nailed it!!
4. Bring a general feeling of insecurity - Achieved
5. Attack foreign and high value hostages to bring international reactions and reduce tourism - Achieved - India is now top 20 dangerous places.
6. Affect Business by killing business leaders and hitting business targets - Achieved - expected 50,000 Crore loss to industry.

Our Objectives:

- The terrorists knew they would most likely die. So killing them wasn't a victory for us.
- They didn't take hostages, except at Nariman, and even there, they were all killed, so we failed again.
- Short surgical Operation - Failed - a 3 day siege was certainly not a success, even if it succeeded in the end.


The only way we can salvage a victory or a draw out of this is if we learn from it, and react hard and fast. Destroy the Terrorists and their infrastructure, because the terrorists still had a final objective:

- Strengthen the cause of Jihad and live to fight another day.

This is a long term aim (not too long term though - it has a shelf life of a few months, so we need to act fast) and the most important one at that, and we can make sure that by destroying them, they fail in the long run.

Indian Govt - your move!!

Post Mumbai - What should India do?

After the Mumbai attacks, the groundswell of popular anger seems to have caught our Netas by surprise. Not that it'll last. When the Chief Minister of a state says that "not even a dog would have looked towards his house", when talking about a Martyr of the recent attacks, it should be pretty clear how disgustingly insolent our political 'leadership' is.

The problem here is simple - the "lip-stick wearing" cosmopolitan people of the cities don't vote, and so, the Netas don't care. The votebanks in the rural areas don't know about whats going on, and are more worried about their own lives (which is understandable). So why should the Netas care about this "little incident" when it will not affect them in elections anyway?

So the simple answer to all those people who are venting their rage, or like me, are sitting quietly and gnashing their teeth - VOTE, YOU FOOLS!!! And if you think there is no one worthy enough to vote for, STAND UP AND LEAD!!!

Coming to the government's response to this, there are 6 questions the Indian Administration should ask about Pakistan and the attackers:

1. Who is Responsible?

2. Did they have any institutional backing - Pak Govt, Army, ISI.

3. Who is in control in Pakistan?

4. Is it in their interest to stamp out this terror infrastructure?

5. If so, will they be ready to do that, taking any means necessary?

6. Based on the Answer to qn. 5, how do we respond?


The answers we're getting till now are:

1. Unclear, but a clear LeT hand.

2. Less clear is the level of ISI support. Pakistani Govt's hand is notably absent (till now at least), but given that ISI is firmly under Pak Army control, that issue isn't ruled out.

3. Certainly not the Civilian Govt, which is still tenuous. Its almost certain that the Army has the govt by the throats and Controls all political, military and security matters, given the backtrack over sending the ISI chief. The govt seems to only have the control over development issues that the Army has no interest in.

4. Obviously not in the Pak Army's interests to stop terror - they are clearly supporting the Taliban and LeT, and have an even more active support for Anti-Indian terror groups.


6. Solution - How should India respond?

No easy answer to this, but a whimpering, weak position is certainly not it, neither is a repeat of 2002, which in the end, served no purpose except waste billions of dollars and weakened the economic growth.

Instead, I think we should engage the Pakistani civilian Govt, both with Carrots and Sticks. Zardari and his govt would want to stamp out these terrorists if they had the Choice. So give it to them.

1. Restart the covert operations against the ISI and terrorists (which had been closed down by IK Gujral way back in '97). Actively destroy and destabilize the ISI's hold on Pakistani policy and the terror groups.

2. Reactivate the assassination wing of RAW, which was closed down. This is no longer the time to wait for extraditions, which Pak will not do - US does not wait, and neither does Israel. Kill the 20 leaders of the terrorist organizations, and if need be, their backers in the Pak Military and ISI. This is no longer play time - gloves should come off.

3. Strike at Terror camps in PoK, either through air strikes, or through commando operations. Collateral damage be damned.

4. And Lastly, take a more active interest in Afghanistan - if need be, inject a battalion or two of special forces troops along the Pakistan Border (although I doubt the US will allow that), so that we can strike at terror infrastructure which is aimed at India - LeT and other terror groups have camps in A'stan and the border areas, but given that they do not directly affect US operations, they are being mostly ignored. That should stop.


Charity Starts at Home:

Unfortunately, without credible steps taken in India, we won't be able to respond in Pakistan. Coming to action to be taken in India itself, unfortunately, this is even more of a pickle:


Intelligence:

1. Strengthen the IB, RAW and other intelligence agencies - make sure that they do not fall victim to bureaucratic bean counting, and have all the funds they need. Remove them from Political control, and force cooperation between them.


2. Create a parliamentary committee to oversee the Intelligence agencies (a la US). Keeping them under only the PM's control ends up meaning that they are controlled by bureacrats in the PMO.

3. More openness from the intelligence organizations - excessive secrecy usually means that failure is being disguised.

4. Stamp out the inter-agency wranglings with an iron boot. Tough to do, but absolutely critical.

5. Open up intelligence agency recruitment to everyone, rather than the present system of deputation. Senior positions must be filled by career spooks, not policement who are deputed to them.

Security & Policing:

1. Improve the infrastructure of security agencies - it is absolutely disgraceful that the 3 Mumbai top cops were shot and killed through their sub-standard vests, while the request for a 100,000 better vests were being held up by some idiotic bean-counter who didn't know a thing about security issues

2. Give the agencies more autonomy, by removing them from bureaucratic control. Civilian control does not mean bureaucratic control.

3. Make sure that the people (bureaucrats) overseeing security issues are trained in them, and not some blundering idiot who didn't know that Marine Commandoes exist and were stationed less than a mile away from the site of the attacks.

4. Give them more leeway to procure equipment by providing with a larger fund limit.

5. Anti-terror Capabilities:

• Form specialized anti-terror centres in each state, with wings in all the major towns and cities, equipped with the latest technology, and given enough funds and a free hand.
• Give them the support of intelligence agencies and anti-terror forces like the NSG in terms of training, cooperation and intelligence sharing. Remove the middlemen and allow these agencies to talk directly.
• Set up dedicated SWAT-types forces in all major towns and cities, with dedicated air-wings to ferry them with speed. Set up NSG branches in major Metros, as mooted, with their own aircraft.
  

Police reforms are a must :

• Right now, the constabulary in most Indian cities is absolutely uncontrollable, being in the pockets or some politician or the other. Get them out of political control.
• Ensure that the top brass has a free hand in disciplining, suspending and firing their men.
• Give the policemen good infrastructure, pay, weaponry, and above all, excellent training. Lathis are not enough. They need better vests, weapons, and communication equipment.
• Strict retraining of policement - ensure that they stay fit, and keep up with Technology, and don't lose the grip over assault tactics.
• Training - ensure that cops are well trained, and not just the officers, but constables as well - it should not be a Raj style leader-chela force, but a professional, thinking police where all are equally knowledgeable
• In particular, improve the possibilities for transfer from the constable to Officer level. This is provide much needed enthusiasm to learn.
  

Investigative reforms:

• Improve and professionalize investigation capabilities.
  
• Split investigation away from law and order duties - Let police stations keep the order, give the CoD or a body of detectives the power to investigate all major crimes, such as murder, dacoity, terrorism, etc. Not only will this ease the pressure on police officers, who are both overworked and ill-trained, but will improve success rate in catching the accused, shorten investigative time, and make the results foolproof and free from external pressures.
  
• Improve forensic and investigative capabilities by pushing money into improving infrastructure, equipment and technology - we should not have only 3-4 Forensics centres in the whole country, but a lot more - at least 2 in a state.
  

Legislation & Strong Action:

1. Bring back a POTA like anti-terror law.

The power of anti-terror legislation isn't in their deterrent capabilities, but more so in the power it gives the authorities to carry out extra-ordinary measures to investigate, prevent and prosecute such attacks.

Police need to be given the power to tap phones, surveill suspects, hold suspects for longer periods than needed, and to use aggressive interrogation measures (BUT NOT TORTURE) against suspects to prevent attacks or to prevent the perpetrators from escaping. Time is of the essence in such cases, and that means that extra-ordinary measures are needed. Added to that is the secrecy element, where suspects being in contact with anyone can potentially blow the whole operation.

It is inexcusable that we do not have any laws to take on terror. We need one, and right now!! The common human rights nonsense be damned. However, keep an oversight and a strict eye to ensure that these laws are not misused - judicial oversight of the investigations is the best way possible.

2. Stronger action against illegal migrants:

This section is a huge national security risk, and until they are deported, terrorists will find an easy support base. Political will is needed, as is community unity from those affected - Netas need to know that not taking action on this is not winning them votes, or love.

3. The will to strike:

Without a strong leadership which is ready to defy international pressure and ineffective international laws, none of the above will work. We need to have leaders who think like those in Israel. Political consensus is needed, and in the absence of, a strong will by the leading party to ram through despite opposition from even its supporting parties (who obviously have their own motives). Else, it will all be in vain.


Two thousand years ago, a Roman citizen could travel the world without fear, for if the safety of even one of its citizens was in question, the Roman state would respond with fearsome force, sending its legendary legions to destroy those responsible, even if they had to traverse a thousand miles. That is the level of commitment we need. Unfortunately, that seems to be absent from all but the American and Israeli Governments. Our own, seems to believe that a few hundred dead out of a billion is a small thing.

HELPLESS!!!

This is what happens when a nation thinks that it can defeat terrorists by sweeping their attacks under the carpet and trying to brush them off flies.

This is what happens when the nation decides to forget about their security when voting.

This is what happens when the concerned official cares more about his wardrobe, his masters and his own life.

This is what happens the leaders bicker about anti-terror laws and human rights but forget that even the thousand's who've died, and the hundred who died yesterday also had rights!

This is what happens when leaders think that supporting & condoning terrorism will get them votes from certain communities (the most disgusting height of stereotyping - as if the people who've died were only Hindus).

This is what happens when counter-terror agencies are not given technology, money, manpower or power, and aren't kept on a tight leash when they are.

This is what happens when you forget that those who died were people too, and not numbers.

This is what happens when we JUST STOP CARING!!!

Why is it that Gordon Brown talks of a "Vigourous response", while out great stooges only Condemn and Condole??

Will the government wake up at least now? Or are they waiting for their lives to be threatened (Dec 13??) till they decide that its time to act?

Youtube Terry & the Viral Video from Hell

If you've been following the defence aviation grapevine for the past week or so, you'd have surely heard about the so-called controversial video (Part 1 & 2) and comments by Col. Terrance Fornof of AFB Nellis about the Indian participation at Red Flag Nellis. Bharat-rakshak also had a lively discussion about the videos. Vishnu Som of NDTV, who was present at the exercise then gave a rebuttal to some of the points raised by the good Col on another BR thread. The other Indian DDM's obviously had a field day trying to rake in the TRPs by piggybacking on some of Fornof's "offensive" remarks about the Exercise and IAF.

I just saw the video (2 parts- 18 min), and disagree with most of the hyperbolic hyperventilators on the Indian side. The video was clearly an informal dinnertime discussion (listen to the clinks and clanks in the background) about the exercise, and given the video quality, location and steadiness I'm pretty sure it was an official video for USAF posterity that unf0rtunately (or fortunately??) got out.

Pilots are known to be a spirited and frisky bunch, and the language and enthusiastic tone of the talk, and the racuous response by the audience are indicators of this. Given that, its wholly unreasonable to expect these pilots to speak among themselves with a drollness reserved for diplomatic banquet-parties.

I will not talk about the factual mistakes that the Col. made, namely about the Su-30's engines, the Bison Radar, datalink and a few others... they are small errors that any pilot can make about an unfamiliar aircraft, and make no difference to the discussion itself. We can hardly expect our pilots to know what engine or datalink the F-16 has.

The major thrust was on three issues:

1. Su-30MKI, MKI vs F-22.

• TVC - Su-30 vs Raptor
• Size - big aircraft, big RCS
• Comparison with the F-15
  

2. Indian pilots and their experience with the Mig-21 Bison.

3. Issues faced during the exercise by both planes and pilots.


MKI vs Raptor:

I find this the most complimentary portion of the video itself, unlike most who saw it in negative light. The fact that a senior USAF pilot is acknowledging that the IAF has bridged a massive gap and is slightly better than the USAF itself is a big admission from a very gung-ho and egoistic bunch of people (pilots in general, and not the USAF itself. Just to clarify, Thats a good thing to be as a pilot).

More importantly, that Fornof was constantly comparing the Su-30 with the F-22 and talking about how reassured he was that the F-22 was a way better aircraft is amazing. We already knew that the MKI is nowhere close to the Raptor, which is really a revolution in aviation design, and to think that the USAF was worried that the Su-30 might be as good, or close to it till they saw it in action speaks volumes of the MKI's capabilities. Remember that the F-22's capabilities have been touted as much for its radar and sensors, and the American's have not got a look at the Su-30s 'tronics at all. So we still have a lot of hidden cards.

The major point that people found contentious was the "drill-his-brains-out" comment. Too bad they didn't see it for what it was - just a passionate and air-force way of describing tactics. Having faced and developed tactics for the F-22 (which again, Fornof pointed out, was really a very long shot), they were able to apply these tactics to the Su-30 against new pilots. And here, Fornof pointed out that this advantage was a long shot anyway, and you'd have to hope that the opposing pilot was dumb enough to do that. And some of the inexperienced Indian pilots did (according to Fornof) do that on an inferior aircraft (to the F-22) and got killed as a result.

The big thing is - Fornof himself states that the INDIANS WOULD FIX THIS FAST as they learnt and then, we'd beat the F-15s and F-16s "ON A REGULAR BASIS". Its a compliment to our pilot's, especially considering his disdain for the French and sympathy for the Korean's inexperience. Seems like there were only two real forces at Nellis - US and IAF. The fact that the only chink the USAF could find in our armor was a long shot that would be fixed anyway is a testament to our strength.

Of course, it has been pointed out that no 1vs1s were flown at Nellis. And the Cope-India thing also, there was no chest thumping by the IAF (Fornof does not mention the IAF, but only says Indians - the DDM and media obviously thumped their chests till it hurt, so Fornof could be referring to them as well, with good reason).

A small point about the TVC on the F-22 - Fornof points out that the F-22's TVC is only for Post-stall maneuvering, while the MKI's can be used for normal maneuvering as well... I'm no expert, but that does sound to me like an advantage to the MKI.

And if the USAF is saying that the only way to fight the Su-30MKI is the Raptor, god help the Pakistanis and Chinese who won't have either.

Indian pilots & the Mig-21 Bison

I'll start with the Mig-21 Bison, which Col. brought up to talk about the experience our pilots have come out of. Given the admiration he had for the capabilities of this 50 year old jet against even the modern F-15s and 16s, I think is a compliment.

The 1-vs-1, Fornof correctly pointed out (and most ppl missed) took place at Mount Home (as mentioned by Vishnu Som as well), but his points about having been drilled out has been rebutted by Som. I guess its a matter of perception, but even Vishnu has agreed that "there were days when several Su-30s were shot down". No aircraft is invincible, but as I mentioned above, given that the only chink (that we know of) that they could find was in the temporary inexperience of our younger pilots should be reassuring.

Just to point out, even in Cope India, 1 on 1 wasn't the main focus, as both USAF and IAF have mentioned. Another point to note is that Fornof was almost certainly talking about the sustained non-TVC rate, and talked about the F-15 being able to follow the MKI better than against a Raptor, after which the Pilot engages TVC on the turn to get an advantage. Again a case of not hearing the good Col. closely.

More importantly, he is extremely respectful and amazed at our zero error rate, which again shows the respect IAF has earned among their pilots.

Issues & Random points:

The point about fratricide has been explained by Vishnu, and is clearly not a fault. Fornof has not talked about the Frats by their aircraft, but the fact that our pilots have taken this issue so seriously is obviously another pointer that Fornof also notes.

RF Nellis, as the Col. mentions, is not like Alaska, which is a goodwill pageant, but a serious exercise aimed at creating coalitions - anybody says we're not respected by the US?? Fornof does mention (in a somewhat brusque manner), that we are not yet integrated with their forces. No one on this side of the world disputes that.

The FOD point itself was not so much an insult, but a matter of fact way of putting the point across. Fornof has explained about our reasons for the 60" spacing, and does mention quite clearly that a satisfactory workaround was found. Quite clearly no insult to anyone.

The major thrust of the talk was about how professional our pilots were, how good the Su-30 and even the Bison is, and how the ONLY way to be better is to get the Raptor. Simple. Nothing more, nothing less. What Fornof has said does corroborate to a large extent with what is coming out from our side. If it was only the casual and spade-a-spade manner of talking, too bad people listening didn't know a pilot's get-together from the Miss World pageant.

Letter to the Editor - ToI Excerpt

There is a superb letter to the Editor in today's Times of India (Page 13, column 6) that I just HAD to post here...

to clarify, this IS NOT a letter written by me, but it certainly does make one think:

Congress is destroying the secular fabric of India.

While the attacks on the churches and Christians is condemnable, what is really surprising is that none of the "secular" leaders of the UPA and the Congress have questioned how missionaries have granted themselves the right to degrade Hindu gods. It is as though Hindus dont have any sentiments. The Congress has time and again resorted to stamping on the sentiments of Hindus. The action taken by the Centre in issuing an advisory to the BJP government is immediate. But why wasn't a similar advisory issued during Raj Thakeray's anti-Bihari terror, during Hurriyat's anti-India tirade or during anti-Hindu attacks in Kerala?

The Congress confidently declared that Lord Ram never existed. Can it (or will it) similarly question the existence of other religion's gods? This central government seems to be only interested in trampling on the sentiments of lakhs for Hindus for vote-bank politics. This Pseudo-secularism is adding fodder to the agenda of the Bajrang Dal and the VHP. It is a shame that Hindus get such a raw deal in India. More than the BJP, it is the Congress which is trying to destroy the secular fabric of India.

- Hullas Jain, VIA E-MAIL

A most brilliant letter I'd say, although I'm not sure that the BJP govt in Karnataka can be let off the hook that easily... they are guilty of sitting back and watching (and through their justification, indirectly aiding) the Bajrang Dal violence.

However, the Congress' fleetfootedness in coming to the rescue of their votebank is admirable. If only they could continue that protective streak for the rest of the country's 1200 million people.

Tickling a feinting dragon

Apologies for the outdated post you'll be reading... I'd planned to post it after the 2nd day of the NSG meet, but as things so often happen, I found myself looking at the train as it passed me by. Still, even though the deal is now done (Hurray??), I didn't feel like putting this piece to the trash, so here it is, a whole 3 days late.... Please give me your opinions.


The goings on in the NSG and out are laughable - and not in a good sense; more in the sort of laugh that movie characters end up giving when victory turns to impending doom, when there isn't any hope, and they're amazed at the unbelievable turn of events.

I'm talking of course about China's "U-turn" on the Nuke deal, after "expressing its support" for our Nuclear Ambitions earlier (goddam desi media can't read a thing right, can they?).

TimesNow called this stance "nuanced". Not so I say. CNN-IBN has termed it a "broadside". Not so again, Sir. I'm now expecting some half-assed TV opinionator to call it a betrayal.

Except that in the case of China's "turn-around" on the Nuke Deal issue, it really wasn't unexpected to close watchers of the game. Ajai Shukla has an excellent analysis of Chinese thought process on his blog (China's strategic thinking: A gold medal for mental gymnastics). That somewhat unrelated report has a lot of insights to apply to what our government is now facing.

Chinese thought, deeply influenced by Sun Zhe's classic on warfighting and strategic thinking, has a few principles that underline its actions. First, never fight a battle you aren't ready for - The "Hot Peace" is a common feature (a concept also elucidated by Chanakya). Second, don't do something (eg. lead a war) when someone is already doing it for you. And, if it does require, never hesitate to attack with all your might. And lastly, no promise can stand against an iron fist (as indicated by their repeated disregard for laws, treaties, and promises in their single-minded pursuit of national pride, strength and greatness).

Unfortunately, our own South Block Mandarins, hamstrung by their own personal problems, failed to read the Chinese, or if they did, weren't able to come up with a suitable battle plan. And all indicators say that they did anticipate such a move by the Chinese. Any reasonably regular reader of the diplomatic winds would have been able to see the storm coming.

The Battleground:

1. China is absolutely wary of any nation being able to challenge it in any respect. As the new leader of the third world, it is trying desperately to bring nations into its warm, tight embracing fold of renmenbi (yuan for common folk), guns, aircrafts and technology and secure its energy and mineral needs for the coming 50 years.
   
   The last thing they'd want is a challenger to any of these, and certainly not one with such a strong hold over the energy routes as India, and even worse, a neighbour and an old leader of the poor (although that nehruvian idealism was both flawed and useless, and is now, dead).



2. The US has already signaled its wariness of a powerful China in no uncertain terms. China already sees the US as an enemy (and an ideal of power that they look up to as well). Any tie up with India will (and already has) set alarm bells ringing in Zhongnanhai, PRC's corridor of power.
   
   Beijing's alarm of US doesn't extend to India, which it views with a more patronizing and condescending viewpoint (read any internet forum populated by Chinese posters, and you'll see the picture pretty soon, even among the civil and friendly ones too). That condescension only increases their eagerness to keep Indian interests far away from their (expanding) sphere of influence.
   



3. Pakistan is a friend China needs, and not just as an enemy's enemy - the land route afforded to Xinjiang and energy security gained by removing the need to traverse the US-infested Malaccas is attractive to China, as is the foothold that Pakistan affords due to its standing among Muslim nations. And anything that is bad for the Land of the Pure is of concern to its leige-lord.

Still, China cannot take on India head on - not because of what India could do (honestly, with such a weak system, Indian responses to provocations have only made for dinnerside humor at the tables in Beijing and Islamabad), but because of what a spat between two heavy-weights will do to an image-conscious China. Their aim right now, and for the next 10-15 years is to keep quiet, maintain good relations, grow, become powerful, and then roar to subjugate the world, and report with China and dispute on the same page is bad. Neither would they like to take on the US, whose markets are sustaining Chinese manufacturing growth for the time being, and whose opinion matters to a whole load of Chinese business clients.

Hence, their reticence to come out with an open opinion about the Nuke deal. Till now, that is. However, this wasn't unexpected. As their sabre-rattling in 2005 alarmed our government into appeasement (whitewashing of the incursions in Sikkim, a flurry of official visits by the high and mighty among the Indian leadership, ignoring China's strategic throttling of our bilateral relations with neighbouring countries, courtesy their "string of pearls" doctrine, and eyes shut to Chinese barks on various issues).

The Game Plan:

1. From the very beginning, it was China that had our guys worried. Early grumblings notwithstanding, the Chinese silence after that probably got a few hopes up, as did the improving bilateral relations (our perception as always). But a Chinese silence is no comfort, not to us anyway. Repeated attempts to get a clear opinion from them failed - coaxing, prodding, even wrong news reports (in the hope that Chinese reaction would shed light) couldn't move China to show its cards that early in the game (Patient waiting - another Chinese trait).
   
   It was here that we should have taken a slightly stronger line. Press China for a response. Heat up things a bit on the border issue as well as with our defense capabilities, while at the same time showing China what it had to gain by supporting us. Even better, get America to do that. Its a risky game - too little pressure and they wouldn't budge; too much and the opinion would only turn against us. Instead, we did the Indian thing and decided to leave things till they boiled - escape from the task at hand. And China was happy too. Wait and watch - strategy for battles, applied to statecraft.



2. China didn't really need to talk or be heard till now - after all, they were able to ride on their lapdogs, the Indian Left's antics to scuttle the deal, and before that, the certain political wranglings within the Indian system. What they probably hadn't counted on was the Congress' determination to get the deal pushed, even at risk of death. Then again, they achieved a one years delay. Then, there wasn't much to be gained by talking at the IAEA, where only a simple majority was needed. Why do that when a no vote at the NSG would be a veto.



3. The NSG was where China had planned to set up its ambush point. Classic military tactics here too - instead of meeting the enemy on level ground, attack and choke him where the road is narrow and chance of escape is slim; where you have a huge advantage.
   
   Again, if there were signs from the small nations that they would oppose the deal no matter what, perhaps China wouldn't have needed to open out. I guess Prez. Bush's decision to personally lobby for the deal with the dissenters and possible signs of easing off by them spurred the leaders to take control.



4. The People's Daily piece and the Chinese spokesperson's comments are not aimed at India... they're aimed at the nations which would take solace in the knowledge that they'll have a strong nation to support them if matters came to a head. It was also a way of reminding people about possible reasons they'd have to say nay to the deal - Non-proliferation (however flawed and hypocritical the concept may be), hatred of US's overbearing attitude, or simply a way for them to squeeze something. Notice the clever way in which the piece talks about the reason why the NPT was created in the first place (India's '74 tests).
   
   Mind you, the game isn't over yet - the Chinese have a lot of cards yet. They'd still take the backseat, and not oppose the deal any more than they already have, nor take leadership in the issue. Leave the barking and fighting and suggesting changes to the smaller countries, and wait for India to say enough is enough and draw the line. That way, they can paint us as the stubborn ones, the ones to blame.
   
   Alternatively, they can quietly support a whole range of overbearing conditions. And in case all other nations decide that its not a bad thing at all, they may CONSIDER vetoing the deal. Remember, NSG is not an organization - its a cartel, where every member can veto an agreement.
   
   But this option will be dangerous for China, and one they'd very carefully consider before implementing. Chinese torpedoeing of the deal will bring them the unmitigated animosity of India and the US (although that will depend upon how the next administration looks at it). It will not be easy for them to destroy whatever progress they've made with India. More importantly, such an action could cost them the goodwill and support of some nations, which they've painstakingly earned after the Olympics. But that seems like a relatively mild prospect.
   
   In all likelihood, China will not keep itself at the forefront of this. It may back the smaller pomeranian nations that are barking away at the NSG, and have secret meetings to support them. But if America does step up its backdoor negotiations and probably give a tough word or two to the Chinese, they should grumble, but will most likely back off and abstain... either way, there is no way we can expect a Chinese yes vote for the 123 Deal.
   

But certainly, if China plays an instrumental role in destroying almost 8 years of painstaking embroidary, it will only earn them the animosity of the Congress Party. I see that as a good thing - a bright sliver in a very very dark cloud; for it will give us, a eunuch nation, a chance to act and think decisively (much like the Chinese). Take the strong line and act on it, unlike our previous all-talk-and-no-action farces.

If the deal goes through, China will be a big loser - not only will it have lost all its good relations with India and a good deal of support in US, but it will lose the trust of the nations it has been supporting. Its a zero sum game - India's win is China's loss; China's gain will be an Indian disaster.

My only hope is that if the deal does go bust, we will not think of it as a small disappointment. And if it does go through, we'd better make the Chinese know exactly what we think of them - in diplomatic style, of course!

A translation of the latest Chinese re is available at:
http://svaradarajan.blogspot.com/2008/09/peoples-daily-commentary-on-indian.html

For those who think that this was unexpected, read this Chinese release from 2005:

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200510/27/print20051027_217234.html

Tank Comparisons

Here is a comparison chart of Modern Main Battles Tanks that I've been working on. You're free to use, modify and share it according to the license listed in the document.

The license is as below:

As the creator of this work, I own the copyright to this document. I allow redistribution, copy and use this work with or without modifications is allowed under the following conditions:

1. Redistributions must retain the above copyright notice, with my name (Sniperz11), and this list of conditions;

2. Redistributions in modified form must explicitly state the fact that the document has been modified.

Any other rights are released by the author.

Some points to note:

1. I have tried to make it as comprehensive as possible, but not being a subject expert, the parameters for comparison elude me.

2. I have also strictly adhered to taking data only from authentic sources, preferably only the user or manufacturer websites. The source of this data has been indicated in the comments on each cell, and in the sources worklist. If you are also modifying this, I request you to do the same.

3. The information for some parameters, for eg, Armor ratings are highly classified; while there is no information for other tanks, like the Chinese Type-99.

4. Please ensure that you give data relating to the most common version of the latest variant of the tank. For eg, for Merkava, provide data for the Merkava Mk.4, or M1A2 SEP for the Abrams, and Leopard 2A6 variant.

5. As you will see, there are huge blanks in the document. I look forward to your assistance in this regards. If you are creating a new version, or modifying any information, please ensure that this is mentioned in a disclaimer/license text at the back of the excel sheet.

6. I request you to also create a seperate worksheet in the file, and list the alterations to the original file. This will make it easier to create a common version from many.

You can upload your version (please make sure that the filename contains the date updated and your name) on any site in the net (box.net is a good one; rapidshare is the among the most popular), and give a link to the URL on a comment to this post.

Thanks

Download links:

Please let me know if there are any problems with the download or viewing. Thanks.

1. Box.net - Tank Comparisons_July 24 2008_Sniperz11.xls

2. Rapidshare - rapidshare.com/files/132615218/Tank_Comparisons_July_24_2008_Sniperz11.xls.html

Sick and Tired

Aah, the Arjun fiasco continues. One lacks the patience or endurance to care any more about what happens next. Even if the Army does accept the tank, it will do so grudgingly, defeating the whole purpose of inducting a cutting edge tank. The Arjun has given the Army a perfect opportunity to usher in a Revolutionary in Military Affairs (RMA) , and create a new operational doctrine for their armored Corps who have till now been working with old, Soviet Era tactics.

But it appears that with the T-Series, the Army is following the "Familiarity breeds contentment" logic. Look at the most vehement and mindless opposition to any opinions or directives to conduct an impartial evaluation of the Arjun.

Things will not change till new minds inhabit Sena Bhavan. Till that day comes, I can only wait and watch and gnash my teeth at the destruction of our indigenous technology and a potent weapon. We can only hope that DRDO doesn't feel the same and comes back with a vengeance with a far better Mk.2 tank that the Army cannot ignore.

Masterful Butchery and Rapier wit

The whole blogosphere seems to be heaving a collective sigh of relief at the Left-UPA divorce after 4 years of matrimonial horror (make that 3, counting out the first Honeymoon year). Doubtless that most of them fine folks favour a centre-right viewpoint (my observation in general), but even the most objective student of our present situation will agree that this cut is a good thing.

First of all, it took a long time for the UPA to realize that the Left parties were taking a free ride on both the pro-govt and opposition backs. By cowardly giving only outside support, they ensured that they could take their own viewpoints on different agendas and gather votes. I'm sure that when he made that momentous decision in 2004, Surjeet Singh would have also salivated at the electoral prospects of acting as a peacemaker and mediator between both sides of the spectrum.

Unfortunately, the great Carrot seems to have got his head spun backwards; sticking to hopeless dogma and strict overseas instructions in not budging. If UPA-Left relations soured in 2005, don't blame the nuke deal for it, the tension had been building the moment Karat put his fingers into the Central Governance pie and found the pudding soft, malleable and tasty.

And given the amount of pliability the Congress has shown the Left in agreeing to all their demands just to keep the ruling Dynasty in power, its not hard to figure out the reason for Karat and Cos' smugness. Unfortunately for them, the beam snapped, as beams are wont to do when pushed too far.

It is here that I admire the masterstrokes that 10, Janpath has wrought to the political Picasso over the past month or two. Regular readers of this blog would probably know that I'm not a great fan of the Congress party. While do think their local leaders are among the best there are, the micromanagement from the Central Dynasty has ruined it all. I'm certainly skeptical about Sonia Gandhi's administrative capability. The next generation of princes too worry me.

But for all the criticisms, We've got to admit, Sonia-ben is a dab hand at political masterstrokes, and regularly shows glimpses of her mother-in-law's cold, calculating ruthlessness (who can forget the coup that kicked out Kesri and brought her in).

In appeasing the Commies over the past year by keeping the Nuke deal in the background while gaining leverage from their co-operation during local polls, the UPA probably made a calculated decision to cut off the relationship before it became a millstone in preparing for the polls, and pushing through the related policies.

In effect, by wooing the SP close to them, and making the announcement in Tokyo rather than back in Delhi, the Congress upset the Left's well-laid out plans, and in one sweep of the blade, cut their leverage to nothing. Seize the advantage, and you win. It was a move worthy of Don Corleone.

Not only has Sonia's strategy defanged the BJP's assertion that the government is weak, but, with the SP in its pocket, has removed the Left's chances of cobbling together a Third Front next year. And if the inflation situation does ease out, we may very well see the Congress coming back to power with a similar, if not slightly higher number of seats.


As I see more of Sonia Gandhi, one's respect for her grows. Not for her idealism or administrative prowess (for she has little aptitude for the latter, and even less of the former), but her tactics. She has proven to be an excellent player at the game of intrigue, and a clever operative. Its Godfather meets James Bond. I can't think of any other leader who plays this game better. Advani may be a good mass mover, and Arun Jaitley a great strategist in planning polls, Sonia is more than a match for both in silent killing.

Unfortunately, The problem arises when she puts the family position ahead of the Party, refusing to yield power to the local leaders, and creating a web of local, infighting satraps. Karnataka was the best example of this disastrous policy. Perhaps then, its time that Sonia starts looking out for her Party rather than family.

Till then, lets pop the champagne at the removal of the Red boulder in the country's path, and pray that it doesn't come crashing down on the UPA during the next Lok Sabha Session

Good riddance, Go left!

Today is the second independence day. India just got independence from China. The resident Chinese commissar CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat has no where to go back except the land of Mir Jaffers. Left parties today withdrew support to the UPA government.

Left parties accuse Congress of betraying. They say don’t believe Congress. They are right, 3 decades of my life and I have learnt to distrust Congress. But I have learnt to believe Communist. I always believed that they are anti-India and expect them to sell India to their beloved Papaland China.

Left parties say don’t vote for Congress in a nationwide campaign because of the Indo-US nuclear deal. Let me inform them that I never voted Congress into power and I do not intend to vote back them back in power. One of the main reasons is that they brought the anti-national communist to center.

The commies cohorts with national tax collector P. Chidambaram and his Italian master have made the common mans life miserable. The so called anti-imperialist commies were very comfortable working with the citizen of imperialist’s Italy. The only person the commies could not get along with is the Indian sardarji.

The commies say that communal parties are biggest threat to India. I say, I prefer suffering communilasim than commuist.

Today is a red letter day, the reds are out.

Adm. Arun Prakash about the 6th Pay Commission

Shiv Aroor has posted an excellent piece by Adm. (retd.) Arun Prakash about the 6th Pay commission on his blog, LIVEFIST. It is an excellent analysis and a definite must read.

Check it out at http://livefist.blogspot.com/2008/06/exclusive-reflection-by-admiral-arun.html