Leader of Taliban Killed

[Bluesman]

Smug indeed. And that's the last time I'll acknowledge your posts.

[Ray]

Bluesman,

It is alright that you will not acknowledge my posts though it would be nice if you did.

One must remember that there is nothing personal in my posts and I do respect your view as I think you should respect my views. They are merely views and not national policies.

I have replied to the news article, which, in my opinion, is highly biased.

The end result that all are interested in is to win the War on Terror. What is the idea behind to antagonise the little that one is getting from some who are not in the combat role? If they did not contribute at all, would that not have made the effort and situation better?

In the event you feel that I am against the War on Terror, I would say that it is totally wrong. It means more to me and my country than it means to you and your country.

No matter how the War on Terror goes, America will survive because it is a powerful country in all respects, politically, economically, militarily and what have you. But if the WoT fails, India may not survive. You have sanitised your country from the Moslem terrorists but we face them daily. It was only two days ago, the terrorist blasted a prayer congregation in Hyderabad. Our social, religious and political structure makes us a soft state that cannot address the situation as the US can.

Therefore, we want the WoT to be a success and the radical Moslem menace crushed.

Therefore, we want the US to succeed and of that there is no doubt.

It is only when we see the US working at cross purpose or wavering or moving like a misguided missile (poor choice of word I concede), it is our sadness not anger than comes out. We are surprised that a nation that has all the talent in the world at its beck and command is getting issues wrong.

You will appreciate that as an Asian, I can understand the Asian mind, psyche and ethos better than you or quite a few American commentators, more so, since I have battled the same forces in Kashmir. Therefore, I have hands on experience and not merely a person writing from the comfort and cover of a safe place to earn a living and my daily bread by shoving something sensational to appease or titillate the worried and confused.

This article under discussion is another of journalists who is making a song and a dance so as to earn his daily bread........and at our expense!

These are the people who are dividing those who are on the ground and trying their best to contain the evil of terrorism.

I think those in Afghanistan are doing their job as best as they can and under great difficulties as those in Iraq who are patrolling and facing the brunt. It is a difficult and if I may say a thankless job that many ungratefuls will seize upon to gloat!

Ask me, none really cares for the people on ground and yet on their shoulders the rear echelons make a living like the media men and politicians, who give the spin without understanding ground realities and the harrowing times the front line folks have, be they in combat or non combat tasks. It is these folks who make capital over the bad times the front line has. If they were such great minds who could solve the issue, then why don't they come and take the place of the front line men?

Do they really care for the honour, safety and welfare of the nation as do the front line men who are dying daily?

Every dead soldier, no matter what is his uniform or country, haunts me of those harrowing days when I was in Kashmir!

We die so that the Rear echelon can gloat and gripe to earn their daily bread!

They don't care a damn how the situation goes!

[Ray]

You missed the point of the article, Ray. The soldiers DO have the will to win. But their craven governments have hobbled them.

That is 100% right.

The aspect about the govt, that is.

But then they are staffed by political animals!

[Karthik]

Taking off the focus from Afghanistan to Iraq was a foolish blunder.

Had all the attention and energy stayed put in Afghanistan, perhaps the ISAF would have far more effective.

But no, they opted to have one leg in Afghanistan and the other Iraq.

I dont think it is fault of the armed forces of any participating countries in the ISAF.

It is the misguided policies of the White House, with Afghanistan awfully incomplete and Iraq in total shambles.

[Ray]

The War on Terror is and was perfectly justified.

There can be no second guessing that.

However, when politicians wrested Bush's mission from him and converted it to a political mission and violated the principles of war 'Selection and Maintenance of Aim' and "Concentration', it went off balance.

Had the AQ been pulverised in Afghanistan first and then the attention turned elsewhere, it would have possibly been seamless.

The current situation leads one to believe that a correct appreciation had not been done as to what the task involved or how far one could plan. The troops to task seems to have not been taken into consideration. The result is that though the intent is there, the effort is too thin on the ground. The bottomline, thus, is the frustration that one observes, which is made worse with most countries slowly opting out or leaving only a token presence. This naturally means that while one is around, one is not there!