Fresh Attacks on Afghan Peace Maker Poses Fresh Trouble

Every plan of action is easier said than done. The hurdles faced during the execution of an action are far from anticipated. For the American troops, while scouting the Taliban, the hurdles where nothing less than the extreme climatic conditions and the rugged terrains of Afghanistan accompanied by a neighbor which served as a safe haven for Taliban. The attack on the Afghan Peace Council Chief clearly states that neither the Afghan security forces nor the American troops can match up to the thoroughness and preciseness of Taliban attacks, to protect the unstable fortress of democracy put up by the post Taliban government.

The assassination is a directed missile to amputate any hand of cooperation or negotiation to end Taliban interference. The message is clear. They are still powerful and can easily go through the final fencing of Afghan defense. It will not be a surprise if the splinters of Taliban reunite to form a girth of impactful militants. The latest assassination of a peace-maker diplomat along with the receding number of US troops from the Afghan heartland and Pakistan serving as an aid to the Taliban can cause a disconcerting descent of Afghanistan people from hopefulness to the unease of future threats.

A final faceoff with Pakistan is urgently required, as it is playing a pivotal role in dispensing aids to terrorists for years and serving as a breeding ground for militants. The series of bombings in Delhi and Mumbai and the latest assassination in Afghanistan squarely suffice for Pakistan‘s contribution in supporting terror. Perhaps India should place the issue on the table of next UN General Assembly.

Welfare vs Warfare - USA's Struggle to Regain Balance

After the ‘War on Terror’, as the Bush -led government chose to call their mass killings in Afghanistan, left millions homeless and caused exponential bilateral damages contributing to the current economic debt, America’s role in fighting terror has been persistently censured in people’s tribunal across globe. While Bin Laden’s execution has consoled many who questioned US counter-terrorism actions, the future threats of terrorism rising from the remnants of the once active Al-Qaida is an emerging concern.

The bi-partisan congress’ office is now thinking over the deliberations of tracking down groups of terror which pose threat to the US security. Active militant groups like the Al-Shabab and Al-Qaida operating in Yemen and Somalia have been identified as potential threats to the security of US. Even though the international law supports attack for self defense from any terror threats, it does not mean USA can strike military attacks anywhere and anytime. The principle of International law of war is quite unclear to the government officials as the law is quite unsettled. Hence, this raises a slew of questions pertaining to the legality of the attacks which includes the determination of combat zone, usage of weapons and selection of the target-individuals on attack list. The lingering question is whether to strike on high-value terrorists or attack the foot soldiers also who mostly operate with parochial concerns. The challenge lies in preserving the sovereignty of the attacked nation while tweezing out the terrorists.

Also questions on the limit of military strikes ( drone attacks, commando raids, missiles) have split the house in to two. Another burning concern is the economics of the attack which will incur high cost to the current economic stagnation of the country. In the face of an economic stagnancy, the concept of attacking terror groups in Yemen and Somalia with an objective to preserve homeland security sounds absurd. While the government is struggling drafting propositions to cut debts by adjusting military pension and medical benefit rates for retired service men, the idea of fresh military attacks remain under the shadow of budget debates.

It’s an irony that the government is toying with idea of fighting terror attacks, when it is thinking of adjusting the lifelong pension of retired military officers- a policy which might affect the volume of military application in the US, as the pension after 20 years of service is considered as an incentive which motivates young applicants to apply in army. With the current economic state at a standoff, lot is at stake and any wrong action at this delicate moment on the part of the Obama-led Government, will be weighed heavily against it. After all, no one wants a repetition of War on Afghanistan, which to a large extent contributed to the current economic condition.

Failure of a Society

The current unfolding of the slew of corruption which shook India has left the country in a paralyzing dismay. So far the swindle-beaten Indian population has received the government peculations in a resigned acceptance, till Anna Hazare waged the crusade against corruption. What we envisioned and pledged as youths, were brought into action by this almost octogenarian. The result was an upsurge; a never-seen-before mass upsurge of Indian middle class, after independence, with a collective agenda against the corrupt. I will not hesitate to confess that I felt ashamed and small, as Bengal remained silent.

While I ate the reports on television beaming every aspect of the ‘Jan Lokpal ‘referendum put forward by Anna, I sensed an uncomfortable feeling of helplessness devouring me. The feeling was familiar. I felt bad at my ineptitude to make much difference when the situation called for. My tryst with the section officer at the Bengal Secretariat had put me in such predicament, several times. Each time he turned a deaf ear to my request, my fury started buzzing and burrowing under my skull. My slightest revolt resulted in a noisy confrontation. At last when he delivered, I had lost 2 days. The staff’s indifferent behavior and reluctance to respond frustrated me to call for an influential help even knowing that the crony-culture runs upstream the bureaucratic hierarchy. All of this, to get my academic certificates attested by the Home Department- a matter of 30 minutes.

If corruption is a carcinoma, my problem is at an atomic level of the disease. The scariest part is that the disease is so widespread that there’s barely any area unaffected. Today, unearthing a new scandal is no different from swatting a bothering mosquito. People have learnt to chew corruption with their morning toast without a frission of surprise. They are happy in their cocoon of promised life. My feeling goes out with million others who are thinking like me and not daring to act. What is at stake? Perhaps my self-respect which, will be taken off my skin any which way even if I don’t protest. What if I protest? Will they yield to my rebel? Can the ‘Jan Lokpal’ Bill be my answer?

The bill suggests installation of an external governing body to check the nation’s legislative and judicial proceedings. This means a new set of laws to police the functioning of existing laws, central to the bureaucratic hierarchy of the ruling government. This is like cleaning the visible surface of the affected body. The challenge lies in putting the entire body under a microscopic probe, which certainly is not feasible.

The truth is, corruption cannot be irradiated. One might recover the visible damage but that can easily be the tip of the iceberg. Corrupts are immune pathogens who survive irrespective of vigorous cleansing process and in case of humans they are evolved. Amending laws or deploying social vigilance will not bring the desired change, for all will come back to where it started.

The situation needs a much closer attention than heeded to, as it is not the system which is at fault. It is the intricate nature of human mind which deserves the blame. Yes, we all are corrupt at some level and when situation calls, we fall for it inadvertently. It is our basic instinct. A fallout of being human. (Look back and we will realize our bits and parts of corruption. Be it a mere admission in a college or gaining a majority in election , corruption in diverse forms is all pervasive. A range of scandals spiraling from Watergate Scandal, House Banking Scandal, Yellowcake forgery in the US to Bofors, Hawala, Commonwealth and 2G scams in India backs this statement.) But this cannot be an excuse for cheating on a billion population, as we are social beings and the basis of our society is an implicit mutual trust.

A corruption-free society is an ideal case and hence not possible. But there are societies which are great examples of organized, crime-free and healthy coexistence. Where people don’t have to think twice before approaching a policeman for help, where women are free to dress their way without a nasty stare, where vehicles stop for a pedestrian to cross the road. From my experience I can mention, Amsterdam, Berlin and Annandale, the suburban area where I live now as some such places. How can people here live with dignity? They just do their job because the price they pay for a single breach of rule is more than the average income of an Indian middle class. People in these societies cannot afford to slip, let alone a conscious crime. They are scared of being penalized for any sort of defined impropriety.

Laws are everywhere, but to follow them or not is a commoner’s choice. The problem arises when the governing bodies get a choice to ignore the commoner in question and goes scot free. It’s a mutual agreement amongst the citizens, the policemen, the government and everyone under the ambit of law, to follow the laws to keep things organized- to maintain a balance. India today needs an overhaul of the implementation of social policing tools. A failure of action should be reprimanded with a heavy penalty. The message should be loud and clear. One cannot afford an excuse to compensate irresponsibility.