The War on Terror

The War on Terror

The world looks at the USofA and its war on terror with contempt and scorn. I look at what they have embarked upon as the world’s only successful execution of an anti-terrorism strategy. Since 9/11, America has not been subjected to a single act of terror on its soil by any external force. A lot of commentators would attribute this to their new Homeland Security Programme, the willingness of the average Amercian citizen to have his civil liberties compromised in exchange for safety, etc, etc. But I don’t believe for a minute that this has put off any terrorist from embarking on a fresh mission.

In my opinion, what has really prevented the reoccurrence is simply one factor – FEAR.

And it is not the terrorist who is afraid – no – because he has never really been the target of America’s war on terror. Its real target has been the softer underbelly of the nation states who have allowed terror units to function and operate from their soil. America realizes that you cannot stop a committed terrorist – what you need is to pull out the rug from under his feet by putting the fear of god in those around him. In this case the Middle East and North African nations. Afghanistan and Iraq might sound like intelligence and strategic follies with the inability of the forces to hunt down Osama Bin Laden (is he even for real?) or to locate WMDs. But to be honest does America really even care? I don’t think so. They are simply convenient ploys to embark upon a war which is more a demonstration of capability to the other rogue nations – warning them to either get their flock in order or to face the very painful condition of having war waged on them by the might of the US. Iraq and Afghanistan simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

At the end of the day if you need proof please point out the last terrorist activity against the US on its soil (or for that matter specifically against the US even on foreign soil). If this is not winning than what is? In the bargain if America loses a few soldiers so be it, one cannot really win a bloodless war or can one?

The lessons here for India are two fold

1) Please do not look towards the US to sympathise with our problems. For them Pakistan is a necessary evil to be lived with as it provides them with the right platform to conduct their activities while at the same time ensuring that it controls it’s home grown terrorist modules from acting against the US. You only have to look back at countless examples of the US courting the many dictators and despots in banana republics to ensure that it secured its interests. And for the record – I am completely with the US on this strategy – ones own interest comes first, second and last.
2) India may or may not, can or cannot mount a similar campaign against those whom it perceives to be the original perpetrators. However one can be reasonably sure that if India was to do something, no other country in the world would object or step in. “Peace comes from the barrel of a gun”. So India has to find its own solution without caring a damn about what the world thinks or does – because the world is going to think nothing and do nothing.