War has been an important component of human history and so it will be in future. Human civilization has never been annihilated due to wars and conflicts. A total or near total annihilation has always come because of natural catastrophe. Robert Oppenheimer, the Director of the Manhattan Project, had rightly said after the successful testing of the first nuclear bomb that ' the world will never be the same again. ' However, he could not foresee the balance of power that would emerge after many nations became legitimate nuclear powers along with some nations having nuclear power in a calendestine manner, which would be more dangerous than the legitimate ones. The fear of nuclear holocaust is there, but it is not likely to come as nuclear weapons are merely a deterrent and not a weapon of war to be used in a conflict or war. War has reverted to traditional warfare aided by most advanced technology sans nuclear warhead. An important addition is state sponsored terrorism.
The new tool of war is terrorism, which is most deadly, particularly in the part of the world we live in. The list of nations supporting terrorism includes America, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey etc. These terrorist outfits are conveniently dubbed as non-state actors. In reality, these are extension of their regular army. America created terrorist organisation in Afghanistan to substitute its army and serve its national interests. Iran has created Hizbollah and Houthis to take on its adversaries, particularly Israel and establish its hegemony in the region. Pakistan has created so many terrorist groups to wage a constant war against India and this is going on for the last thirty five years. The heat is gradually increasing and India is trying to adjust with this growing heat. It is simply an irony that all the nations which are victims of this terrorism have failed to realize and acknowledge that it is a full-fledged war and it has to be taken on that way.
India has been bleeding because of terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country. Our army and paramilitary forces make supreme sacrifices to contain them. The political leadership appears helpless and clueless as to how to deal a decisive blow to these terrorist attacks. They take to rhetorics to save their faces and the gullible population buys them. The country can find an effective solution provided it identifies the true nature of the problem. It is a continuous war against India and it should be dealt as such. Declare war against Pakistan and defeat them comprehensively. Punish their army officers and kill the so called non-state actors. Unless India does it, there will be no peace. Alternatively, create a wing of the army which could conduct terrorist raids into Pakistan on a permanent basis. Bleed Pakistan the way they have bled us in the past couple of decades. Mere condemnation and some military action within the country won't do any good.
This problem is so well entrenched that the killing of a terrorist like Haniye has created an unprecedented furore. It is a clear departure from the past when no nation stood for terrorism and terrorist leaders in such a blatant and naked manner. The game is clear and no veil whatsoever. The country should wake up to the new ground realities and act accordingly and only then we will be able to counter and contain them. Every nation has to live with this malady, particularly those which have rogue neighbours like Pakistan. The sooner we understand this the better.
The writer is a noted academician and political commentator. Views expressed in the article are personal.
