Op-Ed: Indo-Pakistan war is an unaffordable luxury

Going to war will help the terrorists’ cause. What purpose will it serve? It will lead to destruction, loss of lives and livelihood and give rise to hatred. History tells us that war wounds take a long time to heal. There are no winners.

Does war serve any purpose, other than leading to destruction, loss of lives and livelihood, hatred and venom? History tells us that war wounds take a long time to heal and the scars remain in the form of simmering tension, which lasts for decades and even centuries. But why are our leaders not sensitive to the ill-effects of war? Why do they still take the gamble of launching an all-out offensive? Will India going to yet another war with its neighbour Pakistan serve any purpose? Will military action against cross-border terrorism practised by the “non-state actors” against the Indian state stop, if the so-called terrorists camps of the “non-state actors” in Pakistan are bombed? Will the war not help the terrorists’ cause, by creating ill will, hatred and mayhem and crippling the economy amongst other things? In fact, this is what they sought to do by targeting Mumbai on November 26, 2008. How about home-grown terrorism, which both the countries have to deal with? The two countries have not been able to effectively deal with terrorism in certain pockets of their own country. These are some of the questions which are being hotly debated by Indians A majority of Indians approve of military action against terrorist camps in Pakistan. In opinion polls held by the major newspapers of the country, readers have approved of military action against cross-border terrorism. They said that the terror emanating from Pakistan should be stopped once and for all. But is it possible to wipe out terrorism in one stroke? Recent events tell us that it is too deep-rooted to be eliminated in a month or a year. We do not have to go far for answers. The United States of America’s fight against terror in Iraq and the NATO’s bid to end the Taliban foothold in Afghanistan are classical examples. But then Pakistan owes it to the world to fight against terrorism and dismantle the so-called terrorist camps flourishing on its soil where terrorists are being trained to launch a non-sate war against India. The civilian government of Pakistan has its hands full, curbing its home-grown terrorism, which targeted its own leaders like Benazir Bhutto and westerners. The Taliban has stamped its dominance in certain areas, over which the government has no control. That calls for some introspection. The global fight against terrorism in Pakistan which has the backing of the United States has not been successful. But the battle rages on. If the US action of targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan created uproar, a similar action by India will create uproar too, which will be difficult to handle. Certainly, Pakistan will not take things lying down and allow its sovereign space to be used for the purpose. It is common knowledge that damage to civilian targets can be minimized but not ruled out during a war. Having already fought three wars, the older generation of both the counties know the pain and sufferings that war can inflict. War signals are in the air now, with Pakistan moving its troops close to the border. If war breaks out, then another generation will have to live down the mayhem and chaos it creates. An entire generation which grows up in an atmosphere of hatred and animosity towards its neighbour will encourage another group of individuals to seek revenge. India too has many home-grown terrorists, who have unsettled issues with the state. The atrocities committed by the state and the lurking hatred against the armed forces, create a wedge between communities and provide an excuse for groups to wage an undeclared war against the state, through terror. Both India and Pakistan have home-grown terror issues to deal with; indulging in yet another war will not serve its interests or for that matter, the global community’s fight against terrorism in the larger context. Instead it will be playing into the terrorist’s hands. If the two go to war, then the fight against terrorism in Pakistan will subside and that’s what the terror groups want In the current global economic downturn, going to war will not be in the best interests of both the countries. Instead the governments of both the states will be well-advised to use all the resources at their command to fight the menace of poverty and unemployment, the twin issues which need action on a war footing. War is a luxury which the two countries can ill afford.