Combating Terrorism (Hardcover) | Released: 2003

 To combat terror with terror generates chain reaction. The American bombers, destroying the airports and razing to the ground a large number of buildings, offices, schools and hospitals in the main provinces of the country have targeted the land-locked soil of Afghanistan. Even residential areas have not being spared by the bombers.





The resurrected Afghanistan, is likely to have the fragrance of Indian polity. Its first available indication is the nomination of Mr. Hamiz Karzai the Prime Minister, especially in. Karzai has his first political lesson in India, when he was the student of Post Graduation, in Political Science, in Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla.





The Interior Minister, Qunnani and the Foreign Minister, Abdullah Abdullah during their first tour of a foreign country, impressed upon India to keep Afghanistan in Administrative set up and policing.





To capture Osama Bin Laden every inch of the Afghanistan has been screened and bombed. Majority of the Muslims the world over hold the view that ???it is a war against Islam???, whereas the official spokespersons of America say that: ???It is a war against international terrorism???.





Terrorism manifests itself in political, religious and socio-economic inequalities and exploitation. It thrives on grievances, real or imaginary. When the state or the ruling oligarchy fails to redress injustices, infringement of rights of oppression the terrorism is learn. So long as the world of economic, social and racial indignities remains, the terror per se would always be there. Terrorism has been used by political, religious, nationalistic and ethnic groups and by governments themselves. Terrorism is a world-wide phenomenon. The terrorism is mainly product of injustice prevailing in society.





Islamic fundamentalism has terrorized countries in both the West and the East. On September 11, 2001, the US woke up to the horror of terrorism. The attack on the superpower America shows that enemy should not be underestimated. The enemy is however terrorism and not Osama Bin Laden as a person.





To avenge the dreaded surprise attack on the two World Trade Centre, towers and Pentagon Military headquarters on September 11, the USA has waged a fierce war against the Taliban of Afghanistan. The Taliban ambassador in Pakistan repeatedly boasted that ???America would never be successful in opening the lock of the land of Afghanistan and it would miserably fail in its mission. So far, Osama Bin Laden has neither been captured nor eliminated. War is in progress and the peace has not been given a chance. Compassion aimed at ???live & let live??? gives peace a chance. War divides. In war there are winners and losers. Wars never unite.





Unity will come when we learn and behave that religions are but the varied expressions oneness. There is a need to enlarge the concept of family to include the whole humanity and to give meaning to it. There is a hope for the world in Gandhi???s sublime message of love, universal harmony, tolerance and patience.





As a long-suffering nation, India, fittingly, has a prime minister who personifies patience, Atal Behari Vajpayee lives up to the Biblical adage, ???Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath?????? although his critics would contend that he is also slow to hear. Since he pledged ???zero tolerance??? against terrorism in his 1999 Independence Day speech, he has had to silently practice ???Maximal tolerance??? because terrorism has qualitatively escalated with the advent of fidayeen attacks under his prime minister-ship. But he remains imperturbable. Having left India with few options the merchants of terror would be well advised to heed the famous John Dryden saying: ???Beware of the fury of the patient Man???.





Like a divine physician, detect the cause of human suffering, strike at the root of all ills. Religion is not at fault, it is the purveyors of religions who are at fault. Religion as politics is bad, but politics as religion is worse. The epicenter of international terrorism had now skidded towards Iraq & Pakistan. The Islamic fundamentalists are targeting the soft spots like Akshardham (abode of God), with their base in Pakistan.





There is no better way to handle terrorist virulence, on the soft targets than decisive police action. The gunning down of five terrorists in Bangalore on 29th September 2002 by a team of Tamil Nadu commandos came in the wake of killing of two terrorists, on September 25 in the Akshardham temple in Gujarat. Both operations should set an example for the police force. More important, they ought to send a clear signal to India???s destabilisers that the security forces mean business about eradicating the terrorist menace. The death of Imam Ali, one of the five in the Bangalore encounter, conveys the message that extremists Islamic fundamentalists cannot run forever.





Terrorists target soft vulnerable places of open transparent societies and have not respect for national boundaries. United struggle against the global terrorism is the only way to combating terrorism.