UK presses India to send troops to Afghanistan

Infinity · 05-03-2006, 04:44 AM

Quote:

UK presses India to send troops to Afghanistan

Rajeev Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 2
Great Britain today surprised India by urging the UPA government to contribute troops for International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan and do justice to its own increased role and strategic requirements in the land-locked country.

The proposal was made by British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Foreign Policy Adviser Nigel Shinwald who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here this evening for half an hour. British High Commissioner here Michael Arthur was present during Mr Shinwald's meeting with the Prime Minister.

It is not known yet what is New Delhi's response to this request from London. But as it comes close on the heels of the kidnapping and killing of an Indian in Afghanistan, it shows the ongoing political churning in Afghanistan and the resurgence of the Taliban have not gone unnoticed by the international community.

London has taken care to couch its request in a language that is rooted to ground realities from New Delhi's point of view: that India should come forward to play its larger role internationally and that it has a sizable presence and substantial strategic interests in Afghanistan.

The request from London has come at a time when special Indian team headed by Mr K B S Katoch, Joint Secretary (Personnel) in the Ministry of External Affairs, returned back home today after making an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in Afghanistan. The team had reached Afghanistan on Sunday for securing the release of Suryanarayan.

One of the important recommendations of the special Indian team, headed by Mr Katoch, is to substantially beef up India's own security apparatus in Afghanistan.

New Delhi has already made up its mind to send more para-military troops to Afghanistan for giving a better security cover to the Indian workforce engaged in construction of strategic and military infrastructure all over Afghanistan. There are 1300 listed Indians in Afghanistan, besides those who are working in Afghanistan

Although some paramilitary personal have already been deployed in Afghanistan, but it seems Major Indian Troop deployment in Afghanistan is inevitable. This should cause fire alarms to go in Pakistan's Forgein Office.

OrdinaryGuy · 05-03-2006, 04:49 AM

I would support this. If our engineers are dying from bullets fired by ****ed up pakistani terrorists, we better be on the ground protecting them..

It's about time our government started employing some aggressive foreign policy

We should have hunting squads in Afghanistan and hanging these people from their balls

Infinity · 05-03-2006, 04:58 AM

Yep I agree Indian Government must show some balls now ... troop deployment will not only help us protecting our workers in afghanistan but also help in encircling Pakasstan. First tajikstan, now afghanistan wow it must be a headache for policy makers in Pakistan.

Garuda · 05-03-2006, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Infinity

Yep I agree Indian Government must show some balls now ... troop deployment will not only help us protecting our workers in afghanistan but also help in encircling Pakasstan. First tajikstan, now afghanistan wow it must be a headache for policy makers in Pakistan.

And Balochistan tomorrow

... string of 'pearls' as they might say

lemontree · 05-03-2006, 05:42 AM

Send in a brigade for starters and then increase it to division strength.

Quote:

New Delhi has already made up its mind to send more para-military troops to Afghanistan for giving a better security cover to the Indian workforce engaged in construction of strategic and military infrastructure all over Afghanistan.

On the right line boys.

Ray · 05-03-2006, 05:53 AM

It was indeed strategically juvenile of the Taleban to have killed the Indian engineer and the Indian before that.

India had not contributed troops to Afghanistan, even though it had volunteered to do so, when the ISAF came into being, because the US was aware of Pakistan's sensitivity to Indian military presence in Afghanistan for obvious reasons.

Now, with the killings, it becomes legitimate for Indians to send troops to protect its citizens and this request is no surprise since western countries are not overly enthusiastic at losing their personnel (UN forces are usually third world and the money is always western!).

If India does send troops, then technically it would not be to Pakistan's comfort. Yet, on the other hand, Pakistan or rather the Musharraf govt is fed up with the AQ making Pakistan look hapless in controlling the wild activities of the AQ not only in Afghanistan but also in the NWFP. Therefore, with increased ISAF pressure (and Indians will be given adequate "phook" so that they eagerly plunge in, right in,the frontline so as to bear the brunt and mount the offensive) and with the Pakistani Army doing likewise in a greater quantum, the AQ will be crushed by being boxed in, much to everyone's desires.

But the million dollar question is, will the dithering Indian govt, bite the bullet?

bull · 05-03-2006, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

But the million dollar question is, will the dithering Indian govt, bite the bullet?

There is an even worrying question,will the srilankan nightmare recurr here too???

Garuda · 05-03-2006, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bull

There is an even worrying question,will the srilankan nightmare recurr here too???

Sri Lanka/IPKF will be definitely in back of everybody's mind.

But the situation here is different. We will be just a part of a larger international force.

And no Taliban is not trained, armed and intel fed by RAW

An important objective should be logistic support to operations in Balochistan (and WANA?).

Depending on how large is the requested contingent there are other possibilities as well. If a sizeable section of the British contigent is relieved, there will be lot to watch on the Afghan-Iranian border.

**Officer of Engineers** · 05-03-2006, 07:00 AM

And the Brits are backing out.

Damn it! The Brits are supposed to send a brigade and the Dutch a battle group to the Khandahar region. The Canadians are the only ones who have done so thus far and is encountering more action than anticipated.

Just as Dehli is aware, this ain't security assistance. It's combat.

OrdinaryGuy · 05-03-2006, 07:24 AM

Afghanistan is much more important to India than it is to the UK...

**Officer of Engineers** · 05-03-2006, 07:27 AM

The ISAF is a NATO command.

platinum786 · 05-03-2006, 07:30 AM

Tajikistan, you have 12 Mig-29's, big deal.

Afghanistan, you worry aboutthe Talibans your going to be fighting, not about us.

**Officer of Engineers** · 05-03-2006, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

India had not contributed troops to Afghanistan, even though it had volunteered to do so, when the ISAF came into being, because the US was aware of Pakistan's sensitivity to Indian military presence in Afghanistan for obvious reasons.

Sir,

When the ISAF was formed, it was supposed to be an all European affair. Even us Canadians were ignored; insultingly only asking for 300 engineers that all of Europe knew we would not comply. Sending 300 engineers would effectively rendered the rest of my army ineffective.

Canada's reaction was "you take a battle group or you take nothing."

The result was the Americans grabbed the 3 PPCLI Battle Group before the Europeans saw what they lost.

Thus, I don't think it was any part of the Americans to deny India a role in the ISAF. It was that the Europeans thought they could make it an EUROFORCE (not even a NATO) deployment.

Since then, it was Canada who pushed the ISAF into being a NATO affair.

As for the Canadian reaction to possible Indian participation, do you guys need a lift?

lemontree · 05-03-2006, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bull

There is an even worrying question,will the srilankan nightmare recurr here too???

The Sri Lankan case was different. We went in to disarm the LTTE thinking that they are our "boys" and will comply. But the LTTE refused to play ball and started fighting. The Indian army was taken by surprise.

But this time we know that we have to kick Talib butts. So we know what we are being sent for.

bull · 05-03-2006, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemontree

The Sri Lankan case was different. We went in to disarm the LTTE thinking that they are our "boys" and will comply. But the LTTE refused to play ball and started fighting. The Indianmy was taken by surprise.

But this time we know that we have to kick Talib butts. So we know what we are being sent for.

In a terrain which is not known..Im sure after the initial casualities there wd be lot of noises abt our soldiers fighting somebody elses war.

05-03-2006, 05:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 25,738 Country:	It was indeed strategically juvenile of the Taleban to have killed the Indian engineer and the Indian before that. India had not contributed troops to Afghanistan, even though it had volunteered to do so, when the ISAF came into being, because the US was aware of Pakistan's sensitivity to Indian military presence in Afghanistan for obvious reasons. Now, with the killings, it becomes legitimate for Indians to send troops to protect its citizens and this request is no surprise since western countries are not overly enthusiastic at losing their personnel (UN forces are usually third world and the money is always western!). If India does send troops, then technically it would not be to Pakistan's comfort. Yet, on the other hand, Pakistan or rather the Musharraf govt is fed up with the AQ making Pakistan look hapless in controlling the wild activities of the AQ not only in Afghanistan but also in the NWFP. Therefore, with increased ISAF pressure (and Indians will be given adequate "phook" so that they eagerly plunge in, right in,the frontline so as to bear the brunt and mount the offensive) and with the Pakistani Army doing likewise in a greater quantum, the AQ will be crushed by being boxed in, much to everyone's desires. But the million dollar question is, will the dithering Indian govt, bite the bullet? __________________ "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination." I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to. HAKUNA MATATA

05-03-2006, 07:00 AM	#9 (permalink)
Officer of Engineers Moderator Scotch taster Join Date: 08-06-03 Posts: 15,650 Country:	And the Brits are backing out. Damn it! The Brits are supposed to send a brigade and the Dutch a battle group to the Khandahar region. The Canadians are the only ones who have done so thus far and is encountering more action than anticipated. Just as Dehli is aware, this ain't security assistance. It's combat. __________________ Chimo

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05-03-2006, 04:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
OrdinaryGuy Contributor Join Date: 09-24-05 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 361 Country:	I would support this. If our engineers are dying from bullets fired by ****ed up pakistani terrorists, we better be on the ground protecting them.. It's about time our government started employing some aggressive foreign policy We should have hunting squads in Afghanistan and hanging these people from their balls

05-03-2006, 04:58 AM	#3 (permalink)
Infinity Regular Join Date: 05-03-06 Posts: 39	Yep I agree Indian Government must show some balls now ... troop deployment will not only help us protecting our workers in afghanistan but also help in encircling Pakasstan. First tajikstan, now afghanistan wow it must be a headache for policy makers in Pakistan.

05-03-2006, 07:24 AM	#10 (permalink)
OrdinaryGuy Contributor Join Date: 09-24-05 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 361 Country:	Afghanistan is much more important to India than it is to the UK...

05-03-2006, 07:27 AM	#11 (permalink)
Officer of Engineers Moderator Scotch taster Join Date: 08-06-03 Posts: 15,650 Country:	The ISAF is a NATO command.

05-03-2006, 07:30 AM	#12 (permalink)
platinum786 Banished Join Date: 06-14-04 Posts: 1,986	Tajikistan, you have 12 Mig-29's, big deal. Afghanistan, you worry aboutthe Talibans your going to be fighting, not about us.

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