tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47041488902648435952024-03-19T02:40:18.167-07:00Raman's strategic analysisB.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.comBlogger1663125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-11681547914068421412013-05-14T22:19:00.001-07:002013-05-14T22:19:28.408-07:00CHINESE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO INDIA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Prime Minister Li Kequiang of China, who took
over<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in March last, is to visit India,
Pakistan, Switzerland and Germany during his first round of overseas visits
after taking over as the Prime Minister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. His clubbing together his visits to India and
Pakistan on his way to Europe indicates the equal importance which the
newly-elected Chinese leadership attaches to China’s relations with India and
Pakistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. The visit to India from May 19 to 21 threatened to
come under a cloud following the intrusion by a platoon of PLA troops into
Indian <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>territory in the Daulat Beg Oldie
area of Eastern Ladakh on April 15 and their camping in tents there for nearly
three weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4.The resulting stand-off between Chinese and
Indian troops of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) created trans-Line of
Actual Control tensions and led to demands in India for the postponement of the
visit of our Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid to Beijing to make preparations
for Li’s visit. The stand-off also revived the distrust of China in Indian
strategic circles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. The two countries managed to avert an
embarrassing postponement of the visits by agreeing on the restoration of the
status quo ante. The Chinese troops then vacated the Indian territory into
which they had intruded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. Two questions remain unclear. Firstly, why did
the Chinese troops intrude into this area even at the risk of their intrusion
casting a shadow on the first visit of their new Prime Minister to India?
Secondly, was there an Indian quid pro quo for the Chinese withdrawal? Sections
of the Indian media had reported that India had<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>agreed to remove some temporary infrastructure like bunkers for
sheltering patrolling Indian troops from its territory. If media accounts of
the quid pro quo are correct, it could ultimately turn out to be to the
detriment of our sovereignty claims in that area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7.While the Ministry of Defence of the Government
of India has been a little more forthcoming on the Indian right to build
defensive and logistics infrastructure in our territory, the Ministry of
External Affairs has been evasive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8.Ever since Xi Jinping took over as the General
Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in November last year, he has
been talking of the need for a border settlement “ as early as possible.” The
previous leaderships used to talk of the need for time and patience in reaching
a border accord and for not allowing this to come in the way of the development
of the bilateral relations in the economic and other fields. India had been
going along with this formulation of the past leaderships.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. From the various remarks of Xi<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on Sino-Indian relations since he took over,
it would seem that he wants a time-frame for finding a border accord without
allowing the pressure for a time-frame coming in the way of strengthening
relations in other fields. The recent intrusion, in this regard, could be
interpreted as an attempt by the new leadership to press the need for a
solution “ as early as possible” without letting the negotiations drag on
endlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10. It would be in India’s interest too to work for
a border accord “as early as possible.” At the same time, India should not
accept the Chinese formulation that the absence of a border accord should not
come in the way of the economic and other relations. This formulation has
immensely benefitted China.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11.Much of the delay till now has been due to
Beijing dragging its feet on exchanging maps of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the line of actual control, which has to be the first step. During the
forthcoming visit of the Chinese Prime Minister, we should make it clear that
we too want a border accord “ as early as possible”, but this would depend upon
the Chinese taking the first step of exchanging maps of the LAC which have to
be the basis of further negotiations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12. We should also make it clear that relations in
the economic and other fields cannot improve without satisfactory progress in
the border talks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(15-5-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre for
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-88052324740726202572013-05-14T01:19:00.003-07:002013-05-14T01:19:43.117-07:00STATE OF MY CANCER---AN UPDATE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(Medical history. Will be 77 in August next )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">27-9-2009—Heavy blood in urine after I returned
from evening walk. Only one episode.Underwent cystoscopy in Apollo Main,
Chennai. Urologist—Dr. Murali Venkataraman.Biopsy result: “ Bladder biopsies
superficial and deep and prostatic chips showing features of a high grade
carcinoma. The morphology is suggestive of a prostatic adenocarcinoma. Immunobiochemistry
is advised for confirmation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Gleeson score test was not done. At the time of
bleeding my PSA was around 4 only.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Full body PET CT scan was done on 3-11-09. Its
conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ Known case of high-grade carcinoma of the
prostate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ Enlarged prostate with hetrogenous increased
metabolic activity predominantly in the left half of the gland and in the
intravesical component involving the bladder base. No obvious involvement of
seminal vesicles. Metabolically active left obturator and internal illac
lymadenopathy--- metastasis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Hypermetabolic skeletal metastasis involving the
right aia of sacrum and left inferior public ramus.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Severe urinal bleeding on the night of November
1,2009. Stopped on its own<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Dr. Murali Venkataraman and Dr. I Raja, Oncologist
of Apollo, Chennai, advised me to undergo total androgen blocade. Was given one
Lucrin<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>depot injection once a quarter
from November 18,2009. Took one tablet of Calutide 50 daily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">My PSA level, which was already normal, came down
below one.Dr. Venkataraman stopped the Lucrin depot injection from November
18,2011. Felt<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>after two years of
injection, it could make my bones fragile. Continued taking Calutide 50.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">My PSA level started going up from Feb 11,2012, (
1.67) and reached 14.28 on November 27,2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In November,2012, started feeling weak, legs
swollen, pain while walking, gasping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">My haemoglobin level was taken in Apollo Main 5.9.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Ultrasound scan in Bharath Scan showed: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Bladder diffusely thickened measuring 4.8 mm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Presence of multiple polypoidal growths noted
within the urinary bladder, largest measuring 78 + 50 mm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ Significant postvoid residual urine in the
bladder vol 205 ml”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ Volume of prostate is 17 ml.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“It shows altered echo pattern.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ Evidence of calcification. “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Admitted in Fortis Malar, Chennai, hospital under
care of Dr. Pari, Urologist on Dec 3,2012. Cystoscopy , CT scan and biopsy were
done. Cystoscopy <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>conclusion :<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bladder
tumour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Prostate fossa—Normal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Large tumour from anterior wall of bladder 7 cm
extending from bladder neck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Biopsy conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Papillary urothelial neoplasm---high grade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Extent of invasion – Lamina propria<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Lymphatic/vascular invasion---Not detected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Histological type---Usual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Pattern of growth---Nodular.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The CT scan in Malar Fortis did not indicate any
abnormality in liver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Overall diagnosis of Dr. Pari:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ CT whole abdomen showed enhancing bladder growth
with dilated and thickened perivesial lymphatic.Large hiatus hernia”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">On his recommendation underwent 36 doses of
radiation in Apollo Cancer Hospital under care of Dr. Ratna Devi, Radiologist,
from January 2,2013 to Feb 23,2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">On her advice, a PET CT scan of the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>abdomen was taken in the Apollo Cancer
hospital, Chennai, on April 29,2013. Observations: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Multiple hypodense lesions are seen in both lobes
of liver, largest in segment V measures 3.5 + 4.7 cms. No focal lesion seen.
Portal vein is normal. Intra hepatic biliary radicals are not dilated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Enlarged retroperitoneal, retro crural and
bilateral common iliac nodes noted, largest paraaortic node measures 1.9 + 1.4
cms.Ne mesenteric or peritoneal deposits. No ascites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Hypodense lesion noted in right adrenal gland
measures 2.0 + 0.8 cms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ Prostate measures 3.8 + 2.6 + 4.2 cms.No focal
lesions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ Bladder wall irregularly thickened. The seminal
vesicles are normal. No significant pelvic adenopathy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Paraoesophageal hiatus hernia noted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Multiple subpleural and parenchymal nodules are
seen in visualised lung bases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Hypermetabolic hepatic, right adrenal,
retroperitoneal and bilateral common iliac nodal and marrow metastases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ No other demonstrable, significant metabolically
active disease in rest of the abdominal and pelvic regions.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Side-effects of radiation that still continue 10
weeks after radiation was completed:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -36pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Black"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Black";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">(a)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Burning sensation while passing urine.
Urispass of no benefit,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -36pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Black"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Black";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">(b)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Periodic constipation aggravating a
long-standing piles complaint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -36pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Black"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Black";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">(c)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Severe flatulence causing discomfort in
lower part of abdomen all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(d). Severe &
frequent belching. Sucrafil and Domstahl of no benefit<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Dr. Sankar Srinivasan,
Oncologist, Apollo Cancer Hospital, has been my consultant since May 9,2013. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.Raman, 11-5-2013.
Will be 77 in August.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-90052923576079933172013-05-10T16:19:00.002-07:002013-05-10T16:19:42.309-07:00IMPACT OF PAK ELECTIONS ON TIES WITH INDIA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">There is a need to restrain euphoric expectations
from the positive statements on relations with India coming out of some
mainstream Pakistani political leaders such as Nawaz Sharif, former Prime Minister
and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML—N).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.Nawaz Sharif, in particular, has gone out of his
way in befriending some of the Indian journalists covering the just-ended
Pakistani election campaign and expressing his intention to improve relations
with India and hold an enquiry into the Kargil military conflict of 1999,
which, according o him, was initiated by Gen.Pervez Musharraf, the then Chief
of the Army Staff (COAS), without his (Nawaz’s) knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. Such statements have created unwarranted expectations
of better India-Pakistan relations in sections of the Indian media.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4.The assessment in media circles in Pakistan is
that the PML (N) may emerge as the largest single party in the elections being
held on May 11 followed by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) and the united
front of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) and
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Awami National Party (ANP), which
have been viewed by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as liberal parties and
have been the targets of violent attacks by the TTP to disrupt their poll
prospects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.Whoever comes out on top in the elections, the
period after the elections will see competitive attempts to form a new
coalition to rule the country. During the period of the coalition formation,
foreign policy, except<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the policy
towards the Afghan Taliban and on opposition to the US war on global terrorism,
particularly the use of the Drone strikes by the US against targets in
Pakistani territory, is expected to occupy a low priority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6.Better relations with India will be a minefield.
The sensitivities of the Army and the fundamentalist and jihadi organisations
may have to be taken into consideration by the mainstream parties doing well in
the elections before they take any major initiative for a policy change in a
positive direction. They have to go very slow and keep down their enthusiasm.
Better relations with India are, therefore, unlikely to be for tomorrow unless
the PML (N)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>comes out with an absolute
majority of its own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7.India’s immediate policy interest ought to be not
in the prospects for a quick improvement in the bilateral relations , but in
the prospects for <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>better internal
stability and better internal security in Pakistan with a genuine control over
the activities of the TTP, the Lashkar-e-Toiba, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LEJ) and
other jihadi organisations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. India has had a contentious relationship with
Pakistan ever since the two countries became independent in 1947.If this
contentious relationship continues for some more years, we can live with it
provided the new ruling dispensation in Pakistan shows the courage and
foresight to take on the fundamentalist and jihadi organisations and defeat
them in the interest of the people of Pakistan and at the same time persuade
the Army to co-operate with the civilian leadership in this direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. If and when the fundamentalist and jihadi
organisations are removed from the scene, the obstacles in the way of better
ties with India will get gradually diluted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(11-5-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter : @SORBONNE75<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-83754454970615970102013-05-07T20:10:00.002-07:002013-05-07T20:10:29.111-07:00PAKISTAN: ELECTIONS OF QUESTIONABLE VALUE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The reported accident at an election meeting in Lahore
on May 7,2013, at which Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf
(PTI),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was injured requiring
hospitalisation, has added to the unpredictability of the Pakistani elections
being held on May 11.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.The election campaign has already lost much of
its value due to the systematic violent campaign of intimidation and
retribution unleashed by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) against the three perceived
liberal parties ---namely, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Mohajir Qaumi
Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party (ANP), which has resulted in about
100 deaths since the campaign began a month ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3.The calculated reluctance of the Pakistan Muslim
League of Nawaz Sharif ( PML-N) and the PTI of Imran to condemn the violence
partly out of intimidation and partly out of selfish electoral motives of gains
has made the elections, which should have marked an important landmark in the
coming of age of Pakistani democracy after five years of uninterrupted civilian
rule, anything but a genuine exercise in democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4.Public disillusionment with the democratic
process is bound to increase. The beneficiaries will be the Army and the
religious groups enjoying the patronage of the Army and political forces allied
with the Army. The elections might take the country further away from whatever
little liberal influence the country has and make the fundamentalist and jihadi
forces the continued arbiters of Pakistan’s future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.In maintaining silence in the face of the
Taliban’s violence, the PML (N) and the PTI have been short-sighted in
calculating their electoral gains of questionable value and closing their eyes
to the damage being inflicted to the cause of democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6.The PTI may still do well despite the injuries to
Imran Khan in the vital closing stages of the campaign. The PPP, the MQM and
the ANP may retain their following in their traditional areas of support in
Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtoonkwa (KP) and the Seraiki areas of Southern Punjab, but
the injuries sustained by the democratic process in Pakistan will take a long
time to heal. The religious fundamentalist and jihadi forces will continue to
hold the country to ransom for many more years to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. Instead of presenting a united front to the
fundamentalist and jihadi forces determined to keep the country bleeding till
the fundamentalist forces succeed in capturing power, the partisan electoral
calculations of the non-fundamentalist forces and their inability to unite
against these dark forces will ensure that Pakistan remains on the road to
darkness despite five years of seeming civilian democracy. (8-5-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute for Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre for
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-87251660466737565932013-05-06T19:29:00.004-07:002013-05-06T19:29:59.878-07:00NEW JIHADI MAGAZINE IN ENGLISH FOCUSES ON SOUTH ASIA, INCLUDING AFGHANISTAN & INDIA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">SITE, an Internet monitoring group, has drawn
attention to a new web-based jihadi magazine in English called “Azan”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.According to SITE, the magazine is believed to
have been started by jihadis in Afghanistan and Pakistan and its first web
issue appeared on May 5,2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. The English jihadi magazine, which is apparently
meant to cater to English-literate Muslims in South Asia, including
Afghanistan, is similar to “Inspire”. the English jihadi magazine of Al Qaeda
in the Arab Peninsula operating from Yemen, which has a readership among the
Muslims of South India. Some Muslims arrested by the Bengaluru police last year
were alleged by the Police to have been motivated by the articles carried by “Inspire”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4.It is not yet clear who has started “Azan”. One
suspect is the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is the Pakistani Taliban.
The other suspect is<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Al Qaeda
headquarters in the South Waziristan area of Pakistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">An article attacks the Pakistan
Army for turning its back on traditional enemy India to fight in the tribal
areas. It appeals to young Pakistani soldiers to turn away from the military.
“Azan” says it considers the entire Pakistani<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>state apparatus – from the army to police to intelligence agencies – as
the enemy. It also carries an article on the evils of democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. It appeals to Muslims around the world to come
up with technology to hack into or manipulate Drones. It said the Drones were affecting
the jihad in the Waziristan area of Pakistan and represented a challenge to the
Ummah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7.It says: “With the death of so many Muslim
assets, this is one of the utmost important issues that the Ummah must unite
and come up with an answer to. Any opinions, thoughts, ideas and practical
implementations to defeat this Drone technology must be communicated to us as
early as possible because these would aid the Ummah greatly in its war against
the Crusader-Zionist enemy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. The magazine carries extracts from past speeches
of the late Osama bin Laden and Mulla Mohammad Omar, the Amir of the Afghan
Taliban, and carries articles on the state of the jihad in Syria, Mali and
other places. ( 7-5-2013)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-23565418098642189412013-05-04T20:18:00.002-07:002013-05-04T20:18:43.846-07:00BEIJING UNDERLINES PLA'S ROLE IN WESTERN CHINA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">According to the Xinhua news agency, the Xinjiang
authorities have arrested 11 more suspected terrorists in connection with the
investigation of a violent incident on April 23,2013, in a town in Kashgar’s Bachu
county, 1200 kms south-west of Urumqi, in which 21 persons allegedly <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>belonging to different communities were
killed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. Since the clash, 19 arrests have been made by
the police from the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kashgar Prefecture,
the Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bayingolin and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Urumqi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. The Xinjiang Police have blamed the clash on a
new terrorist group headed by one <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Qasim
Muhammat, which, according to them, was founded in September 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. The Police have alleged that since <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>early December 2012, the members of this group
used to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>gather at the house of one Muhanmetemin Barat,
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to undergo training with the help of
video clips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. The Police further alleged that in March, they
fabricated explosive devices and tested them. The clash occurred when the
Police and some members of the local community co-operating with the police
tried to arrest them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. The World Uighur Congress (WUC) based in Munich
and the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples’ Organisation (UNPO) based in Holland
have strongly questioned the police version and called upon the European
Parliament to urge an international enquiry into the incident.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7.The Chinese authorities are worried that despite
frequent occurrence of violent incidents in different parts of Xinjiang, they
have not been able to convince the international community that these incidents
are due to terrorism sponsored from outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. In an article contributed to the “Global Times”
of the Communist Party of China, an associate research fellow of the Sociology
Institute with the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences has stated: “The Bachu
incident <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>reflects the severe social
conflicts within Xinjiang. In recent years, Xinjiang has achieved substantial
progress in terms of economic development, the social insurance system and
people's livelihoods. However, the social conflicts in Xinjiang remain
complicated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“While the policies made by local authorities are
mainly to improve the economy, they are still inadequate in fully and timely
responding to the political demands of ethnic groups. Social conflicts have
been accumulating rather than being resolved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“The Bachu incident has aroused international
attention, and external observers mainly cast doubt on whether this violent
attack was really terrorism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“The nature of terrorist attacks in China is not
very different with that in Western countries. They are, cruelly and
inhumanely, targeted randomly at innocent civilians. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“What's different is that the terrorist attacks in
Western countries can be traced to external input, while those in Xinjiang have
shown a tendency to come from inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“There have been terrorist activities in Xinjiang,
but so far there hasn't been enough evidence to show a concrete terrorist
organization exists. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“A terrorist organization needs an explicit
political doctrine, leading figures and a set of organizational bodies to raise
funds, train its staff, purchase arms and support logistics. Judging from this,
there is no terrorist organization in Xinjiang. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“The terrorist activities are committed mainly
under the influence of terrorist thought and partly because of dissatisfaction
with local governments and the Han people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“In the long run, violent terrorism is likely to
take place in Xinjiang again, and a terrorist organization in the real sense
may emerge. But terrorism is preventable and its head can be lowered. It depends
on whether we conduct solid work.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9.The PLA’s concerns over the internal security
situation in the peripheral regions inhabited by Tibetans and Uighurs were
reflected at a meeting convened by the Central Military Commission at Beijing
on May 2,2013, to underline the PLA’s role in the economic development and
internal stability of China’s soft Western region.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10.According to Xinhua, addressing the meeting, Xu
Qiliang, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the military
should prioritize improving people's livelihoods and addressing issues that
affect their most immediate interests, while participating in the development
of western regions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11.He asked the PLA <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to make utmost efforts to maintain border
security, enhance solidarity between the military, local governments and the
public, as well as to uphold ethnic solidarity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12.Xinhua has quoted him as saying as follows: “The
prosperity, development and stability of western regions are of strategic
importance to national security and development. The military should <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>be fully aware that helping develop the west boosts
the military's capacity to carry out diversified tasks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13. There are no indications that the meeting might
have been triggered by the Indo-Chinese stand-off in Eastern Ladakh, but the
PLA’s inability to strengthen internal security in the Tibetan and Uighur areas
and signs of continuing anti-Han alienation among the Tibetans and Uighurs is a
factor that needs to be continuously monitored and assessed by Indian policy
makers.( 5-5-2013)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-40784755408890503252013-05-02T20:55:00.003-07:002013-05-02T20:55:43.037-07:00CHINA: TIME FOR A CHANGE OF STRATEGY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">It is more than two weeks now since a platoon of
the PLA of China moved about 19 kms into Indian-claimed territory in Eastern
Ladakh which, according to India, is on its side of the Line of Actual Control
(LOAC) and set up a temporary camp with tents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.Media reports suggest that the Chinese action
seems to be in retaliation for India strengthening its military-related
infrastructure around the Daulat Beg Oldie area within Indian-claimed LOAC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. Three flag meetings at the level of local
military commanders have not persuaded the Chinese authorities to vacate the
Indian territory occupied by them. The Chinese attitude has been deliberately
vague and evasive. It is not even clear whether the Chinese are projecting
their vacation as a quid pro quo for India suspending its work on its
infrastructure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. Ever since Rajiv Gandhi as the Prime Minister
visited China in 1988 and had a cordial meeting with Deng Xiao-Ping, the two
countries have been following a policy of continuing with the border talks
while not allowing the lack of progress in it to affect the development of
bilateral relations in the political and economic fields. They have also been
following a policy of not taking any action that could affect peace and
tranquillity across the LOAC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. While de jure adhering to the various
confidence-building measures agreed to by <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the two countries, the Chinese have de facto
been trying to change the ground rules in their favour through a series of
steps the implications of which were not initially grasped by India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. Firstly, they have avoided for over 20 years
exchanging maps indicating the LOAC. As a result, they have sought to make
where the LOAC lays a matter of conjecture suiting them than settled fact.
Secondly, they went back on the understanding reached between our Prime
Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh and their former Prime Minister Mr. Wen Jiabao that
any border adjustments in the Arunachal Pradesh area <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Eastern sector) should not affect populated
areas. Thirdly, they unilaterally introduced a drastically reduced measurement
of the length of the disputed border in the Ladakh sector in a disguised
attempt to pave the way for inducting Pakistan as an interested party in the
Western sector at a suitable opportunity. And now, fourthly, they have
unilaterally sought to change the perceived, but not yet marked LOAC thereby
preparing the ground for increasing their sovereignty claims in this area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7.While<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>subtly changing the ground situation in their favour and to the
detriment of India, they have fully benefitted economically from the agreement
not to let the border dispute affect the relations in the political and
economic fields. China has become India’s biggest trading partner with a huge
surplus trade balance in its favour. The Chinese manufacturing industry has
benefited immensely from its ability to export its goods to the Indian market.
India has emerged as the largest market for Chinese construction companies
which have won more construction contracts in India than in any other country
of the world. The relaxed Indian attitude to security considerations have
enabled Chinese telecom companies, some of them owned by retired PLA officers,
which have been facing difficulties in the West, particularly the US, having a
free run of the Indian market. Indian IT companies have not benefitted to the
extent expected from their presence in China.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. Thus, China has been the beneficiary of the
policy followed till now. The time has come to revisit this policy and make it
clear to China that unless and until the border dispute is settled to mutual
satisfaction,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the relations in other
fields cannot improve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. The Prime Minister should immediately convene a
meeting of the National Security Council to discuss a new strategy with the
following components and initiate action for their implementation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Firstly, all exchanges of visits between the
leaders of the two countries, and planned joint military exercises should be
postponed till China vacates its occupation of Indian territory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Secondly, India should go ahead with the
strengthening of its infrastructure in its territory in all the sectors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Thirdly, no new construction contracts should be
awarded to Chinese companies till the border issue is settled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Fourthly, no replacement visas should be issued in
respect of on-going construction contracts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10. Our Army should strengthen its presence in the
Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh to pre-empt the Chinese surprising us there
as they have done in Eastern Ladakh. ( 3-5-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre
Fror China Studies. Twitter @SORBONNE75)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com82tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-10458583739830031932013-05-01T02:21:00.001-07:002013-05-01T02:21:38.458-07:00LEH: THOSE MAGNIFICENT KAO-BOYS ON MULE-BACK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A CORRECTION<br />
<br />
In the above-mentioned article, I had referred to A.P.Verma of the 1959 batch of IPS from UP. A reader has pointed out this should be M.S.Verma of the 1958 batch from MP. I stand corrected with apologies. B.Raman</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-16133031618667072862013-05-01T01:57:00.000-07:002013-05-01T01:57:01.311-07:00CHINESE MANOEUVRES AGAINST INDIA'S POSSIBLE USE OF THE GILGIT-BALTISTAN CARD<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In an article of December 20,2010, titled “Sino-India
border row: China's bid to boost Pak 'presence' in J&K” carried by
Rediff.com at <a href="http://www.rediff.com/news/column/chinas-bid-to-boost-pak-presence-in-jk/20101220.htm"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.rediff.com/news/column/chinas-bid-to-boost-pak-presence-in-jk/20101220.htm</span></a>,
I had stated as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“China, which had never openly questioned the
Indian estimate of the length of the common border before, is now unilaterally
seeking to exclude from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>consideration
during the border talks the dispute between India and China over the Chinese
occupation of a large territory in the Ladakh sector of J&K. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“In fact, it is seeking to question India's locus
standi to discuss with China the border in the J&K area in view of
Pakistan's claims to this area. It is trying to bring in Pakistan as an
interested party in so far as the border talks regarding the western sector are
concerned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“It wants to change the format of the border talks
in order to keep it confined bilaterally to the eastern and middle sectors and
expand it to a trilateral issue involving India, China and Pakistan in the
western sector. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“The exclusion of the border in the J&K sector
from its estimate of the total length of the border is another indication that
it does not recognise India's claims of sovereignty over J&K.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“It is apparent that this is part of a well
thought-out policy of unilaterally changing the ground rules of the border
talks. It had earlier allegedly changed the ground rules in the eastern sector
by going back on a prior understanding with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that the border should be demarcated in such a
manner as not to affect populated areas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“It is now going back on its previous stand in the
western sector by seeking to challenge India's locus standi in view of its
dispute with Pakistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Even at the risk of a further delay in the
exercise to solve the border dispute, India should not agree to any change in
the ground rules which would restrict the border talks only to the eastern and
middle sectors and exclude the western sector on the ground that India has a
dispute over this area with Pakistan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. The Chinese manoeuvres to change the ground
rules are reflected in the latest situation created by the People’s Liberation Army
(PLA) ( a platoon of it) in advancing 19 kms inside the hitherto perceived Line
of Actual Control (LOAC) in the Dipsang area of Eastern Ladakh on April 15,2013,
and staying put there in tents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3.In the absence of any commonly accepted maps
indicating a mutually accepted perception of the LOAC, the understanding as to
where the LOAC lies largely depends on the differing individual perceptions of
the two countries. While the Indian perceptions remain constant, the Chinese
perceptions remain changing depending on its individual interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. The Chinese assertion of claims of territorial
sovereignty in the Eastern Ladakh area had in the past remained restricted to a
few kms from the LOAC. For the first time now, it has unilaterally changed the
perception by 19 kms. Whether the Chinese ultimately withdraw from this area or
not, by this intrusion, Beijing is seeking to impose a change in the ground
situation that had prevailed since 1962 by unilaterally imposing a new
perception of the LOAC which will expand Chinese claims to Indian territory in
this area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.At the same time, according to media reports that
have not been questioned by the Government of India, the PLA is demanding India’s
reversal of its reported re-activation of the advanced landing grounds at
Daulat Beg Oldie, Fukche and Nyoma and suspension of India’s construction of
temporary posts at Chumar and Fukche to provide shelters to patrolling Indian
troops.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6.In one stroke, China is seeking to expand
considerably the area over which it claims sovereignty and restrict or reduce
the area over which India has been claiming sovereignty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. Why has China suddenly sought to activate
sovereignty issues in this area and to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>change unilaterally hitherto accepted perceptions/claims of the LOAC?
This area where the PLA has embarked on a policy of activism contrary to China’s
proclamations of its interest in finding a peaceful solution to the border
dispute and maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas has assumed
importance for China in view of its proximity to the Karakoram area in the
Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan where the Chinese have stepped their
construction activities and inducted Chinese protection troops to protect the
construction teams with the acceptance of the Government of Pakistan, which has
been in illegal occupation of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) and Gilgit-Baltistan
(GB).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8.If a confrontational situation develops between
India and China, India will have two cards at its disposal--- re-activate
Tibet, which will be a difficult option or make the Chinese presence in GB
prohibitively costly for China just as the US made the Soviet presence in
Afghanistan bloody costly for the erstwhile USSR. The second is a doable
option.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. India looks upon POK and GB as an integral part
of India. The Chinese presence in that area is a violation of India’s
sovereignty claims. India has strategic allies amongst the people of GB who
could help it in making the Chinese presence costly. GB can provide India with
the option of proxy activism in that area to make the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chinese pay for their repeated intrusions in
the Ladakh area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10. The Chinese are seeking to pre-empt possible <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indian activism against Chinese presence and
interests in the GB area by occupying new territory in Eastern Ladakh and keeping
the Indian Army away from the vicinity of the Karakoram area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11. Whatever be the final outcome of the present stand-off,
the Chinese manoeuvres to prevent India from possibly using the GB card against
them will continue. We should not lose this card and should not legitimise the
Chinese presence in the GB area. We have already lost the Tibet card by
accepting Tibet in writing as an integral part of China. We should not lose the
GB card by succumbing to the new Chinese pressure in the areas in the proximity
of the Karakoram area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12. This may please be read in continuation of my
earlier article on the India-China Border Dispute of April 23,2013, at <a href="http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/node/1248"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/node/1248</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-29144911839289600652013-04-27T08:30:00.002-07:002013-04-27T08:30:37.949-07:00LEH:THOSE MAGNIFICENT KAO-BOYS ON MULE-BACK--DOWN THE MEMORY LANE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In the external intelligence division of the
Intelligence Bureau, headed by B.N.Mallick, DIB, and subsequently post-1968 in
the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), headed by R.N.Kao, Leh was a
coveted posting for young officers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.Both Mallick as the DIB and Kao<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as the head of the external intelligence
division of the IB and then as the head of the R&AW took a lot of interest
in the collection of human and technical intelligence from Tibet through young
officers posted in Leh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3.The IB and the R&AW had set up a chain of
Forward Intelligence Posts (FIPs) to collect Tibetan intelligence and these
were supervised by an officer of the rank of Assistant Director (Superintendent
of Police) based in Leh. The logistic and medical cover for the FIPs and the
IB/R&AW offices<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in Leh was provided
by the Army.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. We had very close co-operation between the Army
and the intelligence set-up. Except in Leh where the staff used to move around
by jeep, in the interior areas for the collection of Tibetan intelligence the
staff used to travel on mule-back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.Leh was considered a very difficult posting
health-wise. Only officers medically cleared by the Wellington Hospital for
travel or posting to Leh were sent there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6.N.F Suntook, who was the head of Administration
in the R&AW under Kao, was once medically cleared for going there on an
inspection tour. He almost died there due to accumulation of water in the lungs
and had to be airlifted in the nick of time to the Wellington Hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7.Young officers wanting to specialise in Chinese
intelligence opted for their initial posting in Leh. They were the blue-eyed
boys of Mallick, Kao and A.K.Dave. Leh, Hong Kong to learn the Chinese language
and Beijing---used to be the career path of the Chinese hands in our
intelligence community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8.Among the officers who distinguished themselves
in Leh were K.C.Patnayak, a 1954 IPS officer from Orissa, the late R.Swaminathan,
a 1954 IPS officer from Andhra Pradesh, N.Narasimhan, a 1957 IPS officer from
Karnataka A.S.Syali, a 1958 IPS officer from Madhya Pradesh, and A.P.Verma, a
1959 IPS officer from Uttar Pradesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. Of these, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Narasimhan and Syali subsequently rose to be
the chief of the R&AW. Collection of trans-border HUMINT from China
entailed a lot of imagination, innovation and risks. Since the borders were not
demarcated, one did not know where the Indian territory ended and the Chinese
territory began.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10.Indian and Chinese intelligence officers manning
FIPs often kept intruding into each other’s territory while moving on mule-back
for clandestine meetings with sources and for looking after the welfare of
their officers. Life was hell and at the same time an adventure for junior
officers manning the FIPs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11. Indian officers had to take risks to get into
Chinese-controlled territory to meet their sources without getting caught. If
they got caught, there could have been a serious diplomatic incident.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12. How to take the correct amount of risks without
being irresponsible and over-adventurous? That was the question constantly
before the young officers posted in the Leh sector.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13. One of the most risk-taking and adventurous was
A.P Verma, a lover of horses and mules who won the Tonk Cup for equitation in
the Central Police Training College in Mount Abu. His adventurous forays into
Chinese territory<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on mule-back to meet
his sources were legendary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">14. There was a remarkable empathy between him and
his mules. They knew where he wanted to go and how to escape capture by the
Chinese counter-intelligence. To make his mules gallop faster to escape capture
by the Chinese, he used to put a stick into the ears of his mules and excite
them. They would get excited and irritated, but always gallop to the nearest
Indian army camp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">15. It used to be said in the IB that no young
officer had forayed so deep into Chinese-controlled territory as Verma and come
back alive. Once he went very deep into Chinese-controlled territory for a
clandestine meeting with a source. To his surprise, he found that the Chinese
had caught his source and were waiting to trap him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">16. He quickly reversed direction and started
galloping towards an Indian Army camp with the Chinese chasing him. It must
have been a sight for Gods to see----with Verma and the Chinese <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>galloping in the direction of Indian
territory. The Chinese could not catch up with him. He managed to reach safe
sanctuary in the Indian Army camp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">17. He sent a flash wireless message to the IB
headquarters explaining what happened. Dave and his other supervisory officers
were shocked by what they looked upon as his irresponsible action in intruding
so deep into Chinese-controlled territory. They called for his explanation and
recommended to Mallick that he should be withdrawn to headquarters and reverted
back to UP.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">18. Mallick was shocked by their recommendation. He
called them to his office and expressed his utter amazement that instead of
giving a pat on the back for this young and adventurous officer, they should
seek to reprimand him for taking unwise risk and send him back to the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">19.Mallick sent for Verma, congratulated him and
recommended him for a gallantry medal. ( 27-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre for
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-17170724687828255462013-04-26T22:59:00.003-07:002013-04-26T22:59:43.896-07:00ANOTHER CLASH IN XINJIANG: TWO MORE DEAD<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Two Uighurs working for the Ministry of Public
Security in the Hotan area of the Xinjiang province of China are reported to
have been killed on April 26,2013, when the local Uighurs in the village of
Yengi Awat protested against fellow Uighurs forcibly being used by the Han
Police to make a physical search of Uighur women suspected of being
separatists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. Radio Free Asia, funded by the US State
Department, which, inter alia reports on the state of the non-Han minorities in
China, has quoted Dilxat Raxit, Sweden-based spokesman for the World Uighur
Congress, as stating that the Hotan deaths followed clashes between local
Muslim Uighurs and local people hired to "maintain stability" and
watch over the neighborhood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. He said in an interview to the radio: "We
are still trying to establish the actual cause of the clashes, but one issue is
that China has recently stepped up security patrols in the Hotan area. They
have sent large numbers of uniformed personnel there along the state highway
from Kashgar, and you can see Chinese military vehicles everywhere, frequently."
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. Before this fresh incident, the Xinjiang
authorities had organised a conference on April 25 to discuss measures for
maintaining stability in the region under the chairmanship of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zhang Chunxian, the Party chief of Xinjiang. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.In a message read out at the conference, President
Xi Jinping called for the early restoration of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>stability in the region. Party and State Government speakers<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at the conference said that terrorists are
enemies of the people of all ethnic groups across the country and should be
fought with no mercy. They added that it is also important to learn the right
lessons from the latest clash and to boost the powers of community-level
officials to maintain stability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. The “Global Times” of the Communist Party of
China (CPC) reported in its web site that Xi gave instructions on "how to
handle the case, deal with the aftermath, and maintain stability in
Xinjiang". <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7.In a commentary carried on April 26, the “China
Daily” said: “ Whoever they are, wherever they are, and with whatever it takes,
there has to be decisive moves to wipe out terrorist cells in the country. The
violent attacks are another bloody reminder that terrorist threats remain a
clear and present danger in the country's north-western region. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the 2009 riot in the region's capital,
Urumqi, which left 197 dead, the local government has been working hard to deal
with the threats from separatist, terrorist and extremist forces. While the
overall situation in Xinjiang remains stable, Tuesday's violence tells us the
battle against the "three evil forces" is still severe and
challenging. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Previous violent incidents
in Kashgar have all been traced to three evil forces, and overseas separatists,
extremists and terrorists have also been found taking advantage of modern
communication technologies, such as the Internet, to instigate unrest in
Xinjiang. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There has been evidence of
infiltration of terrorist organizations from neighbouring countries, some of
which have even been found to have links with al-Qaeda.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. The Chinese authorities have accused the US of
double standards in dealing with terrorism for calling for an impartial enquiry
into the violent incidents in Xinjiang. ( 27-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute
For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China
Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-44598289889059665842013-04-24T23:08:00.000-07:002013-04-24T23:08:38.756-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">WOMEN SPOOKS OF THE WORLD<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( By courtesy of one of my readers who has sent
these excerpts. This may please be read in continuation of my article titled “The
Jinx Against Women Spies in R&AW” at <a href="http://www.rediff.com/news/report/the-jinx-against-women-spies-in-r-aw/20120822.htm">http://www.rediff.com/news/report/the-jinx-against-women-spies-in-r-aw/20120822.htm</a> --B.Raman<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Excerpts of Remarks Delivered by Central
Intelligence Agency Director John O. Brennan and Dr. Madeleine Albright at the
CIA Women’s History Month Celebration<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(March 19,
2013)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">March 22, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>D/CIA
Brennan: Good morning CIA! I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to say
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[Laughter] Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">It is wonderful being back here at CIA, and to
participate in this event. I also would like to welcome back to the Agency my
wife Kathy. She is here with us today and is looking forward to once again
participating in Agency activities, as she and I did for 25 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
especially happy to be part of a celebration that honors women in the federal
service. During my three decades in government—including 25 years here at
CIA—I’ve seen firsthand the knowledge, leadership, courage, and dedication that
women bring to the table in meeting the most difficult missions, including the
intelligence mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years from
now, when enough time has passed so that authoritative histories of the
post-9/11 counterterrorism campaign can be written, they will tell the story of
how quite a few extraordinary women, here at CIA and elsewhere in the
government, made truly decisive contributions to the war effort against
al-Qa‘ida and its affiliates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And just
this year, we said farewell to a CIA legend, Jeanne Vertefeuille. An acknowledged
expert on counterintelligence and an East Bloc specialist, Jeanne led the unit
that identified Aldrich Ames as a mole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">She joined CIA in 1954 as a GS-4 typist and blazed
a trail for women in the Directorate of Operations—the forerunner of the
National Clandestine Service—at a time when it was overwhelmingly a male
enterprise. She worked her way up to leadership positions and retired as a
member of the Senior Intelligence Service in 1992.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1976 …
our History Staff says that of the Agency’s 98 key officials at that time, only
one was a woman. Some might regard that as ancient history, but it was only
four years before I joined CIA. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The situation is considerably different now, of
course—you’re laughing because I joined CIA that long ago? Yes, I am part of
ancient history! [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">This situation is considerably different now, of
course, thanks in part to leaders … [who] paved the way for the likes of Sue
Bromley, Fran Moore, Sue Gordon, Jeanne Tisinger, … and so many other women who
are part of the Agency’s leadership team today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, as an
organization, we can and must do better, leveraging the talents of women in our
workforce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Nearly a year ago, David Petraeus asked our keynote
speaker, the Honorable Madeleine K. Albright, to head up the Director’s
Advisory Group on Women in Leadership, also known as the DAG. Her mandate was
to examine why more women GS-13 and above were not achieving promotions and
positions of greater responsibility at the Agency.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The DAG
published its findings last month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>… I
was not here for the launch or completion of the study, but I have spoken to
Secretary Albright about the report several times and I fully support and
endorse the DAG’s findings and recommendations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I would
like to thank Secretary Albright and all the members of her team [names
removed] for all their hard work and dedication to this project. And now I’d
like to ask all of the DAG members to stand up so that we can give them a
richly deserved round of applause. [Applause]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
Secretary Albright and the other senior advisors, such as Michèle Flournoy,
Justin Jackson, John McLaughlin, Mike Mullen, Fran Townsend, and the DAG
members came up with isn’t a generic re-telling of where the Agency is, or just
another study to put on the shelf. It goes beyond numbers and statistics to
address some very important aspects of our Agency’s culture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The DAG drew
on the opinions of a great many officers … through a survey, focus groups,
interviews, meetings with Senior Advisors, and the DAG’s blog. They put a
tremendous amount of work into this effort, and the final report reflects it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And perhaps
the most important point I want to make here is that the recommendations will
benefit not just women of our workforce, but the entire workforce. These
recommendations are about developing and managing all of our people in a way
that optimizes talent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I want
all our Agency’s leaders to embrace the standards outlined in the DAG’s
report—like providing actionable and timely feedback; being candid with
officers about the impact of the choices they make on their career; and seeking
creative, flexible workplace strategies that allow us to meet our mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two of the
DAG’s ten recommendations—establishing clear promotion criteria from GS-15 to
SIS and expanding the pool of nominees for promotion to SIS—are already in
effect. But I must tell you that full implementation of all ten recommendations
will take years to accomplish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of
these—like promoting sponsorship—are long-term initiatives intended to change
certain aspects of our culture. They’ll require sustained attention—and
sustained attention we will give them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Accordingly, I have directed that the report’s ten
recommendations and as much of the report as possible be issued in unclassified
form. While most aspects of our intelligence mission need to remain classified,
we should be open, honest, and proud of our efforts to ensure that all
employees have the opportunity to reach their full professional potential.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[A senior
officer] has been named to lead the implementation of the DAG’s
recommendations, and she has my full and sustained support. I look forward to
working with her in applying these initiatives across the Agency. If we can get
the implementation right, we'll meet our mission even better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, of
course, on behalf of all of us at CIA, I want to express my deep gratitude to
Secretary Albright for her tremendous leadership and for providing such a great
service to our Agency. Her experience and knowledge were invaluable to this
project, and we could never have achieved as much as we did without her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Secretary
Albright was, of course, America’s first woman to serve as Secretary of State,
and, at the time, the highest ranking woman in the history of the United States
Government. She remains a widely admired and highly respected authority on
international affairs, national security policy, and diplomacy, as well as a
committed advocate for democracy and human rights worldwide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>… So please,
everyone, join me in giving a warm Agency welcome to one of the Nation’s
greatest public servants and a true friend of CIA: The Honorable Madeleine K. Albright.
[Applause]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Dr. Albright: Thank you. Thank you very, very much.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am delighted to be here and to welcome the
new Director—really a very, very kind introduction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And I take to heart very much what you have said in
terms of the report and your support for it, because leadership comes from the
top and you are providing it in so many ways. So thank you—thank you so much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I am certain that the President made the right
choice for our country in nominating you; whether you made the right choice for
your mental health in accepting it [Laughter] only time will tell! But you did
survive the Senate, which shows your grit and your capability of succeeding. So
I wish you the very, very best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this
morning, I am delighted to join with you here in observing Women’s History
Month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I say that not because I recognize any distinction
between world history and women’s history or, for that matter, men’s. In my
view, these are really not separate categories but should be considered part of
a complete whole. I feel this very strongly and may even write about it in my
next book, so stay tuned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, I
want to thank each of you for what you and the Agency accomplish on behalf of
our country. I know that, in the popular media, the CIA is often portrayed as
either evil or angelic, with a large dose of drama and glamour part of every
day. But what is almost never emphasized is how much time and labor goes into
the routine but vital job of collecting and analyzing information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my
earlier life, as UN Ambassador and then Secretary of State, I was known as a
consumer of intelligence—and I always had a voracious appetite. Each morning, I
read your briefings and special reports, and consulted with CIA experts on
everything from the Middle East and Central Asia to what sounds like the world’s
worst law firm: Mobutu, Mugabe, Milosevic, Kim Jong-il—and sons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always
wondered why the briefers stayed and watched me read—to see if I was moving my
lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[Laughter] But I know—was there in
order to answer my questions. Along the way, I did ask many questions and I
received many helpful—although carefully hedged—answers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left
office believing that the CIA is imperfect—as any human organization is—but
that, collectively, you still know more about everything than most of us know
about anything, and that you make enormous contributions each day to the safety
and security of our people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the years
since, nothing has happened to change my opinion. So I was intrigued when, last
spring, former Director Petraeus invited me to participate in the Director’s
Advisory Group on Women in Leadership. And I want to thank everybody that
worked so hard on the DAG …. Really, you worked so hard, and we have now become
good friends, and thank you for all your work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
joined by several outstanding outside advisers, and—some of whom are here
today—and finally, I would also want to thank the … senior Agency leadership,
and have been—who have been so supportive in all the work. I think it really
was remarkable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our mandate
was to examine and recommend changes in the Agency’s personnel practices as
they relate to the careers of women. And, to that end, we consulted widely, and
I really am so grateful to many of you that participated. The final report does
include these recommendations, and I think that they need—there is need for
significant reforms in how people are managed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Employees
deserve to be judged fairly, rewarded equitably, and informed how and on what
basis decisions affecting their careers are made. Overall, there is a
requirement for better accountability, more transparency, and a greater
willingness to adapt to new circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope that
the report will be received in the same spirit with which it is offered, and
that its implementation will benefit both the Agency and its vital mission. And
so, I really am so encouraged by your remarks, Mr. Director, and—I guess you’ve
ordered everybody to call you John? [Laughter] So, [thank you] for everything
that you have done and will do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So this
morning I was also invited here to share with you a bit of my personal history
and to offer my insights, any of which might be of interest to you. Time is
limited, so I’ll begin with the Twitter version of my biography. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like many
Americans, I did not begin my life in this country. Instead, I was born in
Czechoslovakia only a few months before Hitler’s troops marched into the
capital city of Prague.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">My father was a diplomat at the time and unwilling
to cooperate with the Nazis. And so my parents and I fled to England, which is
where we spent World War Two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I was just eight years old when that conflict ended
and we returned to Prague. And because the fighting was over, my parents and I
expected to be able to settle in. But within a couple of years, the government
of Czechoslovakia was taken over by the Communists. And once again, my family
was forced into exile, this time sailing across the Atlantic to a new and
welcoming home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We soon
moved to Colorado, where my father helped to establish a school of
international affairs at the University of Denver. And my own highest ambition
was to fit in with my classmates and become a bona fide American teenager.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My parents
weren’t a lot of help in the “blending in” department. [Laughter] Mainly
because my mother was this delightful nut who actually read palms at dinner
parties [Laughter] and would say to men while sitting next to their wives that
they were going to meet mysterious women. [Laughter] She also predicted that I
would have three sons and I have three daughters. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile,
my father also wanted to fit in but he was very, very serious. In Colorado,
fitting in meant you went fishing. It’s just that he wore a coat and tie when
he fished. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In high school, when I went out on a date, he’d
follow along behind in the family car, later inviting the poor boy in for milk
and cookies. So I didn’t have a lot of second dates until I went away to
college. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I did
go away it was to Wellesley, a women’s college in Massachusetts. And I had a
wonderful time and I received a fine education. But young women of that era
were being groomed more for marriage than for anything else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were part
of what we called the Silent Generation, but there were also a time and process
of transition, and my own feelings were certainly mixed. I hoped to pursue a
career that reflected my interest in journalism and world affairs. But I was
also in love and planned to get married right after graduation. I waited
actually three days. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, my new husband happened to work
for a newspaper in Chicago where I also wanted to work. And I had done the
right thing by working on a small paper in Missouri while he was in the Army.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And then we went to have dinner with his managing
editor in Chicago, and he said, “So what are you going to do, Honey?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And I said I’m going to work on a newspaper. And he
said, “I don’t think so. You can’t work on the same paper as your husband
because of guild regulations.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And even though there were three other newspapers
in Chicago at the time, he said, “Well, you wouldn’t want to compete with your
husband.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">So, instead of saying what I might say now—or you might
say [Laughter]—I basically saluted and went home. But I really didn’t—was not
able to forget about it. But what’s interesting is I recently came across a
letter that I had written when I was 24 and out of college for two years,
sitting at home with my twin daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I concluded
that I had been naïve to think that I could compete in the job market with men.
And any competent interviewer would want to know what I would do if an
emergency arose with the babies, or if my husband switched jobs and I had to
leave town. I described myself as “a housewife who is dissatisfied with
housekeeping and who doesn’t know how to get out of the rut.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the
next decade or two, as my husband and I raised our family, we did move whenever
he changed jobs. And I kept busy doing volunteer work, arranging car pools,
navigating a double-wide stroller through the streets of Georgetown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
many satisfactions in being a mother, but I eventually decided to return to
school and started my PhD work. And I used to get up every morning at 4:30 to
write my dissertation. I finally finished—I started when my children were two,
I finished when they were in junior high—when my daughter said, “Mom, if you
can’t finish your paper, we’re never going to finish ours.” [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
was—when my children were older, I took a job in Washington with then United
States Senator Ed Muskie, and then I later served in the Carter Administration
on the National Security Council. And in all that time, I never imagined that I
would one day become Secretary of State. And it wasn’t that I lacked ambition.
It’s just that I had never seen a Secretary of State in a skirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll never
forget what it was like the first day after I was sworn into my job and walked
down that mahogany hallway at the State Department where all the portraits of
my predecessors were hung. And the only difference among them was those who
were clean-shaven and those who had beards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I
imagined that my—that when my portrait went up, that the walls would shake a
bit. Actually they did. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Obviously, this was a pivotal moment that altered
perceptions and changed history. And in fact, given what has happened more
recently with secretaries Rice and Clinton, we can now say that John Kerry is a
source of inspiration for little boys everywhere. [Laughter, applause]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And by the
way, my youngest granddaughter—when she turned seven, which is about three
years ago—she said, “So what’s the big deal about Grandma Maddy being Secretary
of State? Only girls are Secretary of State.” [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But looking
back on my career, you might detect a lot of juggling, which all people who
work—and especially women—have to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And as my career progressed, I had my share of
setbacks and inner doubts, but I was also stubborn. When criticized by the
media, I explained that the reason that I looked fatter was that I had grown a
thicker skin. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was also
determined to succeed and felt after a while that I had truly found my voice
and that some people, at least, were listening to it. And that’s why I remain
truly grateful to President Clinton, not only for nominating me to two
cabinet-level positions, but for backing me on many of the key decisions during
our years in office. I was proud to be in his administration and absolutely
loved my job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me, a
career in public service, especially as a representative of the American
people, is all anyone can ever ask for. And in that spirit, I offer my respects
to all of you, for what—that you would not be here if you had not earned the
trust of our government.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
challenge, always, is to make the most of the opportunity. And that requires
both that you do your job to the best of your ability, and that you stand up
for your rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And this in turn demands leadership, which has been
the subject of countless self-help books—none of which I have read. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Unlike some public speakers—Donald Rumsfeld for one—I
never developed a catchy list of leadership rules. I don’t have any favorite
motivational slogans or quotations from Napoleon. And I find a lot of standard
advice to be self-evident, useless, or worse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example,
I have found that telling a person who is chronically indecisive to be
confident does little good, and that advising a person to trust her instincts
can actually cause harm when addressed to someone who has extremely strong
opinions that are usually wrong. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do,
however, have a few suggestions, which you can take for what they’re worth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Years ago, I noticed that, in the classes I teach
at Georgetown, female students were generally more polite than boys. And then I
also remembered myself sitting in meetings and thinking that I might want to
say something, and then thinking, no, I won’t say it because people will think
it’s stupid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then,
two people later, some man says it and everybody thinks it’s brilliant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you sit there and you’re so mad at
yourself for not having spoken up. And everybody thinks that whatever Bill said
had been so smart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now in my
classes, the girls tended to sit quietly and raise their hands. And this often
meant that the boys were able to dominate the discussion. Ever since then, I
have told my female students not to be afraid to interrupt. They don’t raise
their hands—my classes are a bit of a zoo. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the
bottom line is that they learn to speak up. In our era, it’s better to risk
being thought rude than to give the impression that you have nothing to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">A second lesson I learned when serving as America’s
ambassador to the United Nations. And that—I have to say here I had given all
this advice about not sitting in a meeting and not speaking and telling my
students to raise their hands, but I walk into my first meeting at the Security
Council—not in that big fancy room, but in that—the room where we have our
informal discussions—and I sit there, and there are 14 men looking—sitting
there and looking at me—and I’m thinking, well, I think I’ll just wait, and see
if they like me [Laughter] and what the mood of the room is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then I
looked at the sign in front of me, and it said, “United States.” And I thought
if I didn’t speak on that day, then, in fact, the voice of the United States
would not be heard. And—I really—it was kind of an out-of-body experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t
sit around and play it safe. I had to plunge ahead. After a while I got used to
it and, before long, nobody could shut me up! [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">My point is that, in any group, someone has to lead
and it might as well be you—when if you—and you have to be prepared to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">A third lesson I learned is not to be obsessed by
the clock. I was 39 years old before I had my first professional job. I was 55
when I became UN ambassador and four years older than that when I became
Secretary of State.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friend,
Senator Barbara Mikulski, says she worked for a quarter of a century to become
an overnight success. [Laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">There is no question that we live in a
youth-oriented culture. But when it comes to generating results, experience and
character count far more than a wrinkle-free face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">My fourth point is not to let anyone else tell you
what you can do and where you belong. You may have ambitions that go beyond
what others expect. These desires may surprise your friends and inconvenience
some who are close to you. But you have to make the choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to
decide whether to allow others to define the boundaries of your life—or to
chart your own course even if you’re not entirely sure where you’re going. No
one can make that choice for you—and no path is inherently right or wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My only
advice is to act out of hope, not fear, and to take responsibility for whatever
you decide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally, I have one message that I always insist on
sharing with professional women, and that is to look around the room at the
faces of your colleagues and remember that there is a special place in Hell
reserved for women who refuse to help one another. [Laughter, applause]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of
us—none of us get to where we are on our own. And none of us will get to where
we want to go unless we move forward together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">And if you remember nothing else from what I’ve
said this morning—remember that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">So thank you very, very much, and thank you all for
giving me the opportunity to be a part of your family. I hope I get to stay.
Thank you very much. [Applause, standing ovation]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-48261566743036439272013-04-24T22:02:00.000-07:002013-04-24T22:02:08.949-07:00XINJIANG & TIBET:CONTINUING WEAKNESSES IN CHINA'S PERIPHERAL SECURITY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Ten Uighurs, three Hans and two Mongols working for
the Ministry of Public Security in Xinjiang and six Uighur separatists were
killed on the morning of April 23,2013, in an incident in the Selibya Township
in the Bachu county, in the Kashgar area of China’s Xinjiang province. The area
of the incident is near Xinjiang’s borders with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. The Information Office of the Xinjiang
Government has projected the incident as a “severe, violent, terror incident”
which has been brought under control. It has projected 15 of those killed as
police officers and social workers helping the police in maintaining security.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. In its announcement, the Information Office has
given the following details of the incident: The <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>incident happened after three community
workers<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>found several suspicious people
and knives in a local house. They reported the details to their supervisor but
were then restrained by suspected terrorists. When police and community workers
arrived, they were ambushed by attackers inside and outside the house. The
attackers, who had killed the three community workers who had been held
captive, then set fire to the house. By the time police brought the situation
under control, 15 people had been killed by the gang. Six gang members were
shot dead at the scene, bringing the death toll to 21. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4.The “China Daily” has quoted Mutalif Wubuli,
commissioner of Kashgar prefecture, as saying that eight suspects have been
arrested. It has also quoted Qi Baowen, commander of the Xinjiang Armed Police,
as saying that the consequences of the incident are relatively severe because
there are many casualties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. Last month, courts in Kashgar had sentenced 19
people for their alleged <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>involvement in
organized terror activities and for spreading extreme religious information via
the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Internet and cellphones. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6.In March, the local Ministry of Public Security
had started what was described as “Social management in communities” under
which Uighurs were recruited as community workers to help the police in the
maintenance of security. “It is the foundation of maintaining stability in the
region,” Xiong Xuanguo, Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission
of Xinjiang, had said in a media briefing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. The incident of April 23,2013, appears to have
been in retaliation for the jailing of 19 Uighurs last month and to deter the
local Uighurs from co-operating with the police in dealing with separatism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. In a commentary on the incident carried on April
25,2013, the “Global Times” of the Communist Party of China said: “The latest
clashes show that Xinjiang has a long way to go in its anti-terrorism efforts.
But it's worth pointing out that this case will not pose a threat to the
overall stability of Xinjiang. The public expects social harmony and prosperity…..Although
Xinjiang has experienced several violent clashes in recent years, social
confidence in Xinjiang and the confidence of the whole country toward the
region have remained stable. The situation in Xinjiang since the July 5 riots
in 2009 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>has improved and no violent
cases have impeded that process. As the sources of violence in Xinjiang haven't
been eradicated, its occasional occurrence cannot be fully prevented. Xinjiang
has learned to manage the situation despite some isolated violent cases. It has
been investigating and eradicating the internal and external sources of violent
terrorist attacks. We should firmly act against violent terrorists. Terrorists
should not be permitted to have the misconception that they are carrying out a
"holy war" or simply fighting against the regime. They must be clear
that they are making enemies of all the Xinjiang people and the Chinese people.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9.The Xinjiang authorities have not so far blamed
the Pakistan-based Islamic Movement of Eastern Turkestan for the fresh
violence. They are apparently worried that as the US-led Western troops thin
out from Afghanistan, violence by different separatist groups could increase in
Xinjiang adding to internal instability. Hence, their interest in co-operating
with India in monitoring the ground situation in Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10.The Chinese face a two-pronged threat to their
peripheral security--- from the growing anger of the Tibetans in the Tibetan
areas and from the Uighurs in Xinjiang. Their hopes that rapid economic
development of these areas will dilute the threat have been belied so far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11. In view of China’s insensitivity to India’s
core interests and major concerns in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and
Gilgit-Baltistan, it will not be in India’s interest to co-operate with China
in relation to its peripheral security problems. ( 25-4-2013)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter : @SORBONNE75)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-72711047718571337852013-04-22T22:59:00.002-07:002013-04-22T22:59:46.767-07:00INDIA-CHINA BORDER DISPUTE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( To be read in continuation of my article of
November 6,2012, titled “Chinese Checkers” carried by “Outlook” in its online
edition at <a href="http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?282899"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?282899</span></a>
)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The continuing (since April 15,2013) Chinese troop
intrusion ( about 20 troops) 10 kms into Indian territory near Burthe in the
Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) area of Eastern Ladakh in the western sector of the
Sino-Indian border should be a matter for careful analysis and concern, but not
alarm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.A spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Office has
denied any Chinese intrusion into Indian territory in this area. The Government
of India, for the present, has been treating it as one of those intrusions
which take place sometimes due to differing perceptions of the Line of Actual
Control (LAC) in this area and trying to deal with it through the normal
mechanism for handling such issues without disturbing peace and tranquillity
across the border.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. There is no evidence to show that this could be
a prelude to a major Chinese assertion of territorial sovereignty in this area.
The Chinese aim seems to be to re-assert their claim of sovereignty over this
area without disturbing peace and tranquillity. The Chinese troops are
presently camping in the area in a tent. We will have reasons to be more than
concerned only if they stay put there and construct permanent defences as they
often do in the uninhabited islands of the South China Sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. Since last year, the Chinese have been a little
more assertive of their sovereignty claims over the islands of the South and
East China Seas. They have reportedly constructed permanent defensive and
administrative structures on some of the islands over which they have disputes
with Vietnam and the Philippines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. In the East China Sea, where they have
sovereignty disputes with Japan, they have avoided any such construction, but
stepped up seemingly aggressive air and naval patrols of the areas in the
vicinity of these islands. The Chinese Navy has also stepped up its visits to
the islands in the South China Sea claimed by Beijing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6.Till now we have seen greater Chinese activism in
the enforcement of their sovereignty claims only in the South and East China
seas, but not across the Sino-Indian border. If the Chinese troops stay put in
the Burthe area and construct defensive structures in the area, that will be an
indicator of their deciding to follow a similar policy of activism across the
Sino-Indian border too. That should add to our border concerns. We may have to
revisit our peace and tranquillity strategy and think of a more activist policy
to face the Chinese activism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. In the Western sector of the border, which is
largely unpopulated, the status quo favours the Chinese. Since 1962, they are
already in occupation of whatever territory they have claimed. We have very few
options to re-assert our sovereignty in any area of this sector which is under
Chinese control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. In the Eastern sector ( Arunachal Pradesh, which
the Chinese call Southern Tibet), the area is populated and the status quo
favours India. Even though our defensive and administrative infrastructure in the
Arunachal Pradesh area is not comparable with the Chinese infrastructure in the
Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), we are in a much stronger position in the
Eastern sector than in the Western.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9.While the Chinese continue to repeat from time to
time their claims to the Arunachal Pradesh area, they have avoided in the
Eastern sector the kind of ground activism that one comes across in the Western
sector. There is a noticeable keenness on the part of both China and India to
avoid any provocative incident either in the Eastern or Western sector.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10.The Chinese are unlikely to relent in their
claims to Indian territory in the Eastern sector till after they have succeeded
in imposing on the Tibetans a Dalai Lama chosen by the Communist Party of China
(CPC) with the help of the Panchen Lama chosen by the CPC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11.The wave of self-immolations (115 incidents so
far) in the Tibetan areas of China since March 2009 has created concerns in
Chinese mind of possible political instability in the Tibetan areas after His
Holiness the Dalai Lama when the CPC imposes its nominee on the Tibetans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12. The older generation of Tibetans continues to
abide by His Holiness’ exhortations for peaceful means of protest. The Chinese
are worried that the GenNext of Tibetans represented by organisations such as
the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) may take to violent means to resist the
imposition of a Dalai Lama chosen by the CPC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13. In their calculation,this may necessitate
action by the PLA in the populated areas of Arunachal Pradesh. Till Tibet is
pacified without fears of any further trouble and the Chinese have forced the
Tibetans to accept their nominee as the Dalai Lama, Beijing would like to
maintain its claim to Arunachal Pradesh to justify action by the PLA in that
area to contain trouble, if need be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">14. If they now make a deal with India recognising
Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, they will not be able to act in
that area. By recognising Tibet as an integral part of China we have given up
our options for action in Tibet. The Chinese would not want to commit the same
mistake by recognising Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">15. They will, therefore, keep the Arunachal
Pradesh issue alive till they have forced the Tibetans to accept their decision
regarding succession of His Holiness. We should factor this into our border
strategies relating to China. (23-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. @SORBONNE75<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-74989006316057985972013-04-19T18:51:00.002-07:002013-04-19T18:51:18.799-07:00BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING:QUESTIONS SANS ANSWERS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Two Chechen brothers living in the US since 2002—Dzhokhar
( 19) and Tamerlan Tsarnaev ( 26),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>are
suspected of bombing the Boston Marathon on April 15,2013, in which three
persons were killed and over 150 injured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.The team led by the FBI, which has been
investigating the blast, has been able to identify them reportedly through CCTV
images of their placing bags, which probably contained the improvised explosive
devices (IED), fabricated with a pressure cooker and a metal container, at two
places near the finishing line where the explosions occurred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. Even though the FBI-led team haS not said so,
tip-off from persons knowing the brothers also possibly contributed to the
needle of suspicion pointing at the two brothers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4.Tamerlan died following a shootout with the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>police on Thursday ( April 18) night. His<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>younger brother, Dzhokhar, is still on the
run in Boston. However, latest reports indicate that the police are “in
engagement” with a person suspected to be Dzhokhar in the Watertown area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. From the accounts of the police search for him
received so far, Dzhokhar has been making<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>frantic efforts to evade capture by the police, who must be anxious to
catch him alive to question him on what and who motivated him and Tamerlan to
commit the bombing, if it is proved that they did it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.According to the profile of the Tsarnaev family
carried by the BBC and the CNN, they were Chechens who had migrated to Kyrgyzstan
and from there to Dagestan. They migrated to the US from Dagestan with Kyrgyz
passports in 2002. The father,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Anzor Tsarnaev, is since reported
to have gone back to Dagestan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. According to the BBC, the brothers lived in the
Massachusetts town of Cambridge, home of the prestigious Harvard University. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tamerlan<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>studied engineering at Bunker Hill Community College just outside Boston
but had taken the year off to train as a boxer.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Dzhokhar <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is enrolled at the University of Massachusetts
– Dartmouth to study medicine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Russian news agency RIA Novosti
has reported that "extremist material" was on the YouTube account
belonging to Tamerlan. "Several albums were posted, one of them titled
'terrorist'," the agency said. However, the BBC says it has been <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>unable to confirm the presence of extremist
material on Tamerlan's YouTube page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. Their mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, told Russia's
RT television network on April 19:</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">"My youngest was
raised from 8 years in America, my oldest he was really properly raised in our
house," she said. "Nobody talked about terrorism. Tamerlan got
involved in religion five years ago. (He) started following his own religion,
never told me he could be on side of jihad."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. According to some reports, the FBI had
interviewed the father sometime ago to enquire why the two sons had started
attending a local mosque for prayers. This would show that the two brothers
were under watch by the FBI for some time before they carried out the bombing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10.Details of their life in Boston available so far
do not indicate any travels by them either within the US or outside. If they
had developed any radical influences, it must have been through the Internet or
during their visits to the local mosque for namaz. Particulars of the mosque to
which they started going for namaz are not available. Who was the cleric in
charge of it? Did he have any radical background? Why was the FBI worried about
their going for namaz?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11. Dzhokhar was very proud of his Chechen
ethnicity. It has been reported that whenever his friends referred to him as a
Russian, he would correct them and say he is a Chechen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12.If it is established that the two brothers
carried out the Marathon bombing, what could have been their motive? They had
no reasons to be angry against the US and its civil society. Their anger should
have been against Russia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13.Were they self-motivated to carry out the
bombing or was their an external motivation due to US policies towards the
Islamic world? It is not anger over the state of affairs in Chechnya and
Dagestan, but anger over matters relating to Islam that seem to have motivated
them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">14. Was there an Al Qaeda inspiration behind their
action? Chechens had always formed an important component of Al Qaeda. Chechen
instructors were employed in Al Qaeda’s training camps in the Waziristan area
of Pakistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">15. Under Ayman al-Zawahiri, the present chief of
Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda has turned the focus of its operations from the Af-Pak
region to Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Mali, Somalia, Libya and Algeria. Did Al Qaeda
propaganda against the US policies in Libya and Syria influence the brothers in
their actions?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">16. There are many questions without answers. To
find the answers, it is important for the US authorities to catch Dzhokhar
alive. (20-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-39789684521067463212013-04-18T18:54:00.000-07:002013-04-18T18:54:01.043-07:00THE BENGALURU BLAST<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( Written at the request of “The Times of India”.
Carried by it on April 19,2013, at <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Dont-politicise-terror/articleshow/19619767.cms
…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">---------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Sixteen persons, 11 of them policemen posted on
pre-election law and order duty near the office of the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) in Bengaluru, are reported to have been injured on April 17,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>motor-byke<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>fitted with an
improvised explosive device (IED) exploded near the BJP office. Some vehicles
parked in the area were also destroyed or damaged. Some damage to window-panes
of nearby buildings has also been reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. The blast is in the preliminary stages of
investigation<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>by the local police. The
National Investigation Agency (NIA) of the Government of India has also joined
the investigation. The State and central authorities have categorised the blast
as an act of terrorism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3.No organisation has<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>claimed responsibility for the blast. The
motive is still to be established. The only lead the Police have so far<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is that the motor-byke had a fake number
plate of Tamil Nadu and was probably stolen from Hyderabad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4.From the details available so far it can be
tentatively categorised as an act of terror of low lethality carried out with a
timed IED mounted on a motor-byke. The use of a motor-byke would indicate that
the intention of the perpetrators was not just to create a scare, but to cause
casualties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.While the BJP was the target of the blast, it is
not clear whether it was directed against the BJP as a political party and its
ideology or against the BJP-led Government which had been ruling the State and
its policies or the local police.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. It would be premature to say whether the blast
was carried out by an angry individual or individuals with grievances against
the BJP or by an ideologically motivated organisation such as the Indian
Mujahideen (IM), which had operated in Bengaluru in the past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. The explosion coincided with the third
anniversary of the blast outside the local Chinnaswami Stadium in 2010 in which
the IM was suspected. Fasih Mehmood, an engineer from Bihar formerly<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>working in Saudi Arabia and arrested by the
Delhi Police in May last year, was to have been interrogated by the Bengaluru
Police in connection with his suspected role in the Stadium blast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. The blast of April 17 has also come about seven
months after the high-profile<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>arrests by
the Karnataka Police in September last year of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>18 educated Muslim youths<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in Bengaluru, Hubli, Hyderabad and
Maharashtra on charges of conspiring to assassinate a number of Hindu
personalities believed sympathetic to the Hindutva movement. According to the
Bengaluru Police, who were interrogating them, the Muslim suspects in their
custody were self-motivated by visiting the web site of Al Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula (AQAP)in Yemen, also known as the Ansar al-Sharia. The
Ansar-al-Sharia was suspected in the assassination of a US diplomat in Benghazi
in Libya on September 11,2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. There were no subsequent details of these
Muslims allegedly in the custody of the Bengaluru Police. What did they say
during their interrogation? Was there corroboration of the allegation that they
were self-motivated by visiting the Web site of AQAP? What happened to the case
against them? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10.There were already pockets of anger in sections
of the Karnataka Muslim youth against the police and the Government due to
various reasons. This anger was reflected in the low-intensity explosions
allegedly carried out by the IM in Bengaluru in July 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11. One should not be surprised if there was
aggravation of this anger as a result of the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>interrogation of Fashi Mehmood and the 18 Muslim youth arrested in
September last year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12.The anger against the Police and the perceived
unfairness of the Indian criminal justice system towards the Muslims have often
been cited by the IM as a cause for their movement against the Government and
the police in different States. The recent execution of Afzal Guru, for his
role in the attack on the Parliament in December 2001,has added to this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13.One has been seeing reports of such anger in
Bengaluru too since the IM struck in 2008. Bengaluru, being an IT nerve centre,
has also been an important target of ISI-sponsored Pakistani jihadi
organisations such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">14. While the IM reportedly has contacts with the
LET, local anger has till now been the motivating factor of its activities and
not the objectives of its Pakistani associates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">15. One has to keep in view these details in order
to understand the background to the terrorist scenario in Bengaluru. This
narrative should not be interpreted to mean that these elements must have been
responsible for the blast of April 17.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">16. One has to keep an open mind as to who might
have been responsible and what could have been the motive and avoid
pre-conceived assumptions. At the same time , one has to keep in view the
background.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">17. The political parties should leave it to the
police and the counter-terrorism experts to do the investigation with an open
mind. Till they come to definitive conclusions based on reliable evidence, the
temptation to exploit the blast for political purposes should be avoided. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-60208583844673202652013-04-17T02:28:00.002-07:002013-04-17T02:28:43.056-07:00PRESSURE COOKER BOMB NEAR BOSTON MARATHON FINISHING LINE---I AM CONFUSED<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I am confused by reports of the perpetrator or
perpetrators of the Boston blasts on April 15,2013, having used a pressure
cooker bomb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.A pressure cooker bomb is a conventional type of
improvised explosive device (IED) of the 1990s vintage. It can be used to cause
high casualties through low intensity explosives by packing it with shrapnel.
The exploding part of the cooker will add to the shrapnel effect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. The pressure cooker bomb is ideal for use in a
means of transport like a bus or a train or in a public place. They easily
merge with the background. In India, many people visiting towns and cities buy
pressure cookers and carry them with them. Nobody suspects anything on seeing a
person carrying a pressure cooker on board a train or a bus or in a public
place. A terrorist finds it easy to pack it with explosives and shrapnel and
leave it in a train or a bus or in a public place, where physical security is
not intense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. A pressure cooker bomb does not lend itself to
easy use without risk of detection on occasions like the Boston Marathon, when
physical security will be tight. Evasion of physical security will be difficult.
A pressure cooker near the finishing line of the Marathon would have stuck out
like a sore thumb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. Why did the perpetrator or perpetrators use a
pressure cooker? It is difficult to think of an explanation unless the
perpetrator or perpetrators are employed in a stall near the finishing line which
makes and sells snacks etc during the Marathon. Carrying a pressure cooker to
the stall on the day of the Marathon may not create suspicion in the minds of
the police.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. One could pack a pressure cooker already in use
in the stall with explosive material and shrapnel and leave it nearby during
the final moments of the race when in the prevailing joy and excitement among
the participants attention may not be paid to a pressure cooker kept aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai,and Associate of the Chennai Centre for
China Studies. Twiiter: @SORBONNE75 )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-59570468167277438912013-04-16T00:44:00.003-07:002013-04-16T00:44:51.407-07:00BOSTON MARATHON EXPLOSIONS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">THE FACTS: As reported by the BBC and the CNN:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">•<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Three
persons, including an 8-year-old child, were killed in two explosions near the
finish line of the Boston Marathon on the afternoon of April 15,2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">•<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hospitals
reported at least 144 people are being treated for injuries, with at least 17
of them in critical condition and 25 in serious condition. At least eight of
them <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>are children. At least 10 people
injured had limbs amputated. Several of the patients treated at Massachusetts
General Hospital suffered injuries to lower limbs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">•<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The two
blasts were about 50 to 100 yards apart with a few minutes one after the other.
A federal law enforcement official told CNN that both bombs were small, and
initial tests showed no C-4 or other high-grade explosive material, suggesting
that the packages used in the attack were crude explosive devices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">•<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Authorities
in Boston found at least one other explosive device , Boston Police
Commissioner Ed Davis said. Rep. Bill Keating of Massachusetts said two more
were found. One unexploded device was found at a hotel on Boylston Street near
the bomb site and another unexploded device was found at an undisclosed
location.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">There
were no credible threats before the Marathon, a state government official said.
There is no suspect in custody, but many people are being questioned, Davis
said. Investigators warned police to be on the lookout for a
"darker-skinned or black male" with a possible foreign accent in
connection with the attack, according to a law enforcement advisory obtained by
CNN. The man was seen with a black backpack and sweatshirt and was trying to
get into a restricted area about five minutes before the first explosion, the
lookout notice states. Also, a Saudi national with a leg wound was under guard
at a Boston hospital in connection with the bombings, but investigators cannot
say he is involved at this time and he is not in custody, a law enforcement
official said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In
addition to scrutinizing images of surveillance cameras in the area, the FBI
likely was issuing subpoenas for records from cell towers in the area to
isolate and trace calls from around Copley Square at the time of the blasts,
according to a former federal law enforcement official who now works in the
intelligence community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Mayor
(Thomas) Menino said: “Our focus is on making sure that the area around Copley
Square is safe and secured. I am asking everyone to stay away from Copley
Square and let the first responders do their jobs."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Federal Aviation Administration placed a flight restriction over the site of
the blasts. Other cities, including New York and Washington, tightened security
as a result. Following standard protocol, the White House cleared out an area
in front of the West Wing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Troops
from the Massachusetts National Guard, already at the site as part of the
marathon's security and crowd-management plan, were assisting police as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
FBI has taken over co-ordination of what it described as a "potential
terrorist inquiry". Although President Obama, in his initial statement,
did not use the word "terrorism", a White House official later said:
"Any event with multiple explosive devices - as this appears to be - is
clearly an act of terror and will be approached as an act of terror."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Officials
in Washington said no group or individual had so far said they carried out the
attack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. Since the 9/11 acts of catastrophic terrorism in
the US Homeland carried out by Al Qaeda, using hijacked aircraft, there have
been two attempted acts of catastrophic terrorism by Al Qaeda by causing
explosions on US passenger aircraft flying from Europe to the US.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">On 22 December 2001, Richard Reid,
a British citizen, boarded American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to Miami,
wearing shoes packed with explosives, which he unsuccessfully tried to
detonate. Passengers overpowered him on the plane, which quickly landed at
Logan International Airport in Boston, , the closest US airport. He was <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>arrested and indicted. He was reported to have
been motivated by Al Qaeda elements in Pakistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. On December 26,2009,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Abdul
Mutallab, 23, a Nigerian, tried to detonate an explosive device, apparently a
mix of powder and liquid, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on a North-West
Airlines flight, coming from Nigeria via Amsterdam, and approaching Detroit. An
alert passenger noticed him and he was overpowered. He was believed to have
been motivated by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. The Boston Marathon blasts have coincided with a
fast reportedly undertaken since March 19,2013, by 24 of the Al Qaeda suspects
still held in the Guantanamo Bay detention centre to protest against the
alleged inhuman conditions in the Centre.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Activists of a Muslim
group called Witness Against Torture (WAT) began a hunger strike <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in solidarity with the detainees at Guantanamo
Bay. The group said in its web site: “We will gather for action in New York
City, Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities domestically and internationally <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to denounce the barbaric practice of torture
and indefinite detention and to demand justice for the men at Guantanamo.” The
solidarity fast by WAT was scheduled to last till March 30. A handful of
activists plan to continue fasting every Friday until the prison is closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>6. There is
so far no evidence to indicate that the Boston blasts might have been linked
with the fast. No claim of responsibility for the blasts has been made so far
and there is till now no evidence to show whether the blasts were carried out
by individual rogue elements with personal grievances or ideologically motivated
organisations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. While the US Homeland had previously seen acts
of catastrophic terrorism and attempts to commit such acts through aircraft,
this is the first time a conventional act of terrorism using improvised
explosive devices has been committed, if the involvement of rogue individual
elements is ruled out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. The perpetrators, whether rogue individuals or
members of ideologically motivated organisations, have succeeded in evading
physical security for the Boston Marathon in procuring explosive material,
detonators and timers and planting the IEDs without being noticed by the
extensive CCTV camera network along the Marathon route.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. The local security authorities and the FBI do
not appear to have received any advance inkling of a possible terrorist strike
either through electronic chatter or from human sources.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10. The explosions show that despite the
strengthening of homeland security in the US after 9/11, terrorists have
managed to find intelligence and physical security gaps in the security network
and exploited them. The Boston blasts also illustrate the difficulties in
preventing conventional style attacks as against sophisticated catastrophic
attacks. (16-4-2013)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-71835181708345364872013-04-15T18:58:00.000-07:002013-04-15T18:58:12.734-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
BOSTON BLASTS: INITIAL OBSERVATIONS<br />
B.RAMAN<br />
<br />
Three killed, over 100 injured in two explosions about two hours after the lead runners in the Boston Marathon had crossed the winning line on April 15,2013.<br />
<br />
2.At least two other unexploded improvised explosive devices were reportedly defused by the police..An act of terrorism involving well-timed serial blasts.There was reportedly an interval of only a few minutes between the two explosions.<br />
<br />
3.It was meant to be an act of mass casualty terrorism.If the IEDs had been planted along the route of the Marathon while it was on there might have been mass panic among the runners resulting in possible stampede. Fortunately, this did not happen.<br />
<br />
4. Indications till now are that the perpetrators had used low or medium lethality explosives. There are reports of the limbs of some of the injured being blown away. If the explosive was not of high lethality, how did this happen?<br />
<br />
5.Details of security checks during the Marathon are not known, but the perpetrators had successfully managed to evade whatever physical security was there while planting the IEDs.<br />
<br />
6. No cliams of responsibility so far. No reports of any prior warnings.No indication that Homeland Security had any prior warning of a possible blast in the form of electronic chatter of the perpetratos or suspect interception and interrogation.The perpetrators had well maintained operational secrecy while planning and executing the blasts.<br />
<br />
7. No indictation so far whether it was an act of rogue individuals or an organisation. The motive too is not clear. (16-4-2013)<br />
<br />
( The writer is Additional Secretary (etd),Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi. Twitter : @SORBONNE75 )</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-56394914533482336222013-04-12T22:36:00.001-07:002013-04-12T22:36:56.517-07:00CAN 1996 REPEAT ITSELF IN AFGHANISTAN?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">As the US troops prepare to thin themselves out of
Afghanistan starting from next year, India has to worry whether 1996 can repeat
itself in Afghanistan, when the Taliban, with the help of Pakistan’s
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), captured power from the Afghan Mujahideen in
Kabul and enforced its rule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. In searching for an answer to this question, one
has to remember what happened after the Soviet troops withdrew from Afghanistan
in 1988:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1989:The Afghan Mujahideen, with ISI’s help, tried
to have Najibullah’s army defeated at Jalalabad, so that they could set up a
base there. They were defeated by Najibullah, who demonstrated the strength of
his army.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1992:The Afghan Mujahideen succeeded in
overthrowing Najib <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>by taking advantage
of a US-encouraged split between Najibullah and Rashid Dostum and setting up
their Govt in Kabul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1994: Naseerullah Babar, Benazir Bhutto’s Interior
Minister, promoted the formation of the Taliban in Kandahar to escort Asif Ali
Zardari’s cotton convoys from Turkmenistan. The US established secret contacts
with the Taliban to secure its support for a gas-oil pipeline from Turkmenistan
to Pakistan via Afghanistan being planned by UNOCAL.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1996: The Taliban, with the ISI’s support,
overthrew the Mujahideen Government in Kabul and set up its Government.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1996: Ahmed Shah Masood set up his Northern
Alliance to counter the Taliban.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1996: Osama bin Laden shifted from Khartoum to
Jalalabad and from there to Kandahar where Mulla Omar, the Amir of the Taliban,
was based.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1998: bin Laden formed the International Islamic
Front for Jihad Against the Crusaders and the Jewish People for fighting
against the US and Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1998:Al Qaeda carried out explosions outside the US
Embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam.US carried out reprisal Cruise missile
attacks on Al Qaeda camps in Jalalabad. Not successful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1999:The US demanded that the Taliban should hand
over bin Laden to it. It also demanded that Pakistan should force the Taliban
to hand over bin Laden to it. Both the Taliban and Pakistan evaded the US
demand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11/9/2001:Al Qaeda carried out its terror strikes
in the US homeland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">October,2001:The US declared its war on the Taliban
and Al Qaeda and ordered military action in Afghanistan. The Taliban was
overthrown, but Omar and bin Laden crossed over to Pakistan, where they were
given shelter by the ISI. The Northern Alliance collaborated with the US in its
operations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3.The sequence of events mentioned above was due to
the following reasons:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
sudden and abrupt withdrawal of the Soviet troops from Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
differences between the Pashtoons and the Uzbeks and the consequent lack of
unity in the Najibullah Government.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
ambivalent US policy towards the Taliban. It hobnobbed with it initially in the
hope of getting its support for the projected UNOCAL pipeline project and
realised too late the pernicious nature of the Taliban.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
USA’s misplaced faith in Pakistani co-operation against the Taliban and Al
Qaeda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. What is the
position now as the US prepares to thin itself out?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Just
as the Soviet troops withdrew in 1988 before effectively defeating the
Mujahideen, the US is going to thin itself out before effectively defeating the
Neo Taliban and the Haqqani Network, both of which continue to operate from
Pakistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
command and control of Al Qaeda based in Pakistan has been badly disrupted, but
not eliminated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">There
could be political instability in Afghanistan after President Hamid Karzai
completes his term next year leading once again to ethnic differences between
the Pashtoons and non-Pashtoons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
ambivalent US policy towards a possible political role for the so-called good
Taliban post-2014 could add to uncertainties and instability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 54pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In
1988, to facilitate the Soviet withdrawal, Pakistan ensured that there were no
attacks on the withdrawing Soviet troops by the Mujahideen. Pakistan had better
control over the tribal areas on the Afghan border. Today. Pakistan has little
control over the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and will have little ability
to facilitate the withdrawal of US troops and equipment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. Qualitatively, the ground situation post-2014
will differ from that which prevailed in 1988 as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Soviet withdrawal in 1988 was abrupt and total with no Soviet presence left in
Afghanistan. There was no air cover for the Soviet troops due to the effective
use of the US-supplied Stinger missiles by the Mujahideen. The US withdrawal is
going to be gradual and not abrupt and total. The US will still have some
presence with the required air cover in Afghan territory to enable the Afghan
troops perform their security role. The Soviet troops left Najibullah all alone
without any back-up support to counter the Mujahideen. The US is unlikely to
leave the Karzai (his successor’s) Government all alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
US fleet of Drones and their effective use will enable the US to prevent the
Neo Taliban, the Haqqani network and Al Qaeda under Ayman Al-Zawahiri from
re-grouping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. From 2014, the US will have the limited
objective of preventing a come-back by a Neo Al Qaeda that could again pose a
threat to the US homeland. The Neo Al Qaeda is presently focusing on Yemen,
Syria, Iraq and Africa. After the US thin-out, it might be tempted to re-focus
on the Af-Pak region. To prevent this, the US will need a continued capability
to maintain a limited ground presence in Afghanistan and operate its fleet of
Drones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. What should be India’s options and policies? If
the post-1996 events are repeated in Afghanistan, India may again face serious security
problems in Jammu & Kashmir and even in hinterland India. To prevent this,
Indian policies should be focused on the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Continue
to strengthen the Afghan security forces through training and supply of arms
and ammunition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Strengthen
trilateral intelligence co-operation involving the intelligence agencies of
India, Afghanistan and the US.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Encourage
the US not to repeat the Soviet mistake of total withdrawal, but to maintain a
minimum presence in Afghan territory to keep weakening the Neo Taliban and Neo
Al Qaeda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Encourage
the US to continue using its Drone fleet and if the US faces any difficulty in
using them from Afghan territory, allow the US to operate them from Indian
bases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Work
for a smooth political transition after Karzai completes his term. ( 13-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: distribute-all-lines;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-53467575578760811512013-04-11T19:02:00.001-07:002013-04-11T19:02:05.192-07:00THE CASE AGAINST JAGDISH TYTLER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In its online edition, “Outlook” has carried a
detailed chronology of the case against Jagdish Tytler, a functionary of the
Congress (I), in connection with allegations of his involvement in the murder
of some Sikhs during the massacre of about 3000 Sikhs in certain areas of Delhi
after the assassination of Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards from the
Delhi Police on October 31,1984. This may be seen at <a href="http://blogs.outlookindia.com/default.aspx?ddm=10&pid=2961&eid=5"><span style="color: blue;">http://blogs.outlookindia.com/default.aspx?ddm=10&pid=2961&eid=5</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. The massacres led to two kinds of complaints by
sections of the Sikh community . The first was about studied inaction by the
Delhi Police in the face of the massacres without effective action to stop them.
The second was regarding the role of some functionaries of the Congress (I) in
the massacres. Three of the Congress functionaries accused by some sections of
the Sikh community of orchestrating the massacres were H.K.L.Bhagat, Jagdish
Tytler and Sajjan Kumar. Bhagat is since dead. Tytler and Sajjan Kumar faced
enquiries and investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. The Government of India ordered Ved Marwah,
former Commissioner of Delhi Police, to enquire into complaints of police
inaction. When it was found that he had taken his task seriously and was trying
to identify police officers guilty of inaction, the enquiry was taken out of
his hands. The whole thing was subsequently covered up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. The investigations by the CBI were perceived by
large sections of public opinion to be another cover-up exercise to protect the
Congress functionaries allegedly involved, particularly Tytler, who was alleged
to be close to the family of Indira Gandhi. Tytler did not suffer any political
or criminal consequences as a result of the investigations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.In 2007--- 23 years after the massacres--the CBI
submitted to the trial court <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a Final
Report claiming that there was not sufficient evidence to warrant Tytler’s
prosecution. As it was contended by some Sikhs that the CBI had not examined an
eye-witness living in the US, a Sessions Court rejected the FR and ordered the
CBI to further investigate the case and record the statement of the alleged
eye-witness living in the US.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. The CBI did so and submitted another FR in 2009 claiming
that there was still no evidence to warrant the prosecution of Tytler. The
court accepted the FR this time and the case against Tytler was sought to be
closed once for all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. The “Outlook” narrative has quoted Ritu Sarin of
the “Indian Express” as finding out that two senior officers of the CBI had
recommended that the investigation should be completed and all the evidence put
up before a court in the form of a charge-sheet against Tytler and it should be
left to the court to decide whether the evidence is sufficient to convict
Tytler.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. According to “Outlook”, Ashwani Kumar, who was
the Director of the CBI from August 2008 to November,2010, rejected their
recommendation and ordered the submission of an FR once again stating that
there was not sufficient evidence to warrant the prosecution of Tytler. This
was done. After his retirement, Shri Ashwani Kumar has recently been appointed
as the Governor of Nagaland. This appointment has come in for allegations in
sections of the media as a quid pro quo for his decisions favouring the
Government when he held office.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. Following complaints by sections of the Sikh
community that there are other eye-witness now living in the US, who were not
examined by the CBI before submitting an FR for a second time in 2009, a
Sessions Court has ordered a further <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>investigation of the charges against Tytler by
the CBI.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10. The massacres of about 3000 Sikhs after the
assassination of Indira Gandhi, with some functionaries of the Congress
allegedly playing an active role in orchestrating the massacres, has
illustrated the cover-up culture of the Congress, which pushed under the carpet
complaints of inaction by the Delhi Police and then sought to distort the CBI
investigation to ensure that no functionary of the Congress suffered adverse
consequences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11. A clean chit was twice sought to be given to
Tytler on the basis of an incomplete investigation. He <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>continues to be an important member of the
Congress, defended and protected by senior leaders of the Congress <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and he roams around as a free man <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>appearing
in one TV channel after another to discredit the witnesses against him outside
a court of law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12. In the years since 1984, the credibility of the
CBI as the premier investigating agency of the Government of India has
repeatedly taken a beating. The entire investigation process in the Government
of India stands discredited at the political and professional levels and hardly
anyone takes the CBI seriously<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13. If the credibility of our criminal justice
system has to be restored and if we have to win the confidence of the Sikh
community, it is important that the further investigation against Tytler be
done in a time-bound manner by a special investigation team reporting directly
to the court.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">14. We have failed to do justice to our Sikh
community for nearly three decades after the massacres were committed. It is
time to end this Government-sponsored charade of investigation and identify and
punish the guilty. ( 12-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter : @SORBONNE75 )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-54831926306236866392013-04-10T23:09:00.004-07:002013-04-10T23:09:58.885-07:00KIM JONG-UN: CHINESE CONCERNS & CAUTION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">As <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kim
Jong-Un of North Korea, who completes one year as First Secretary of the
Workers’ Party of Korea on April 11,2013,uses North Korea’s power of escalatory
rhetoric to threaten the region with the danger of a nuclear war if its demands
are not met, there is increasing nervousness not only among North Korea’s
perceived adversaries such as the US, South Korea and Japan, but also in its
traditional friend next door, namely, China.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. Does Kim realise the implications of the threats
which he has been holding out against his adversaries? Does he realise that if
he carries out his threats or if he loses control of the situation under the
irrational force of his rhetoric, he would be seriously endangering not only
the national interests and security of his own country, but also<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>those of North Korea’s traditional friends
such as China?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. Even Fidel Castro, in a recent column for a
Cuban paper for which he writes now and then, has pointed out the likely
dangers to North Korea’s traditional friends if the situation in the Korean
peninsula gets out of control. He has not named the traditional friends of
North Korea, but it is apparent he was having in mind China and Russia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. The Government and Party-controlled media in
China has been increasingly---initially indirectly, now directly--- reflecting
the concerns in China over the developing situation in the Korean peninsula in
the wake of the recent North Korean nuclear and missile tests and the new sanctions
sought to be imposed against it under pressure from the US.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. The Chinese concerns are reflected very clearly
in two commentaries carried by the ‘People’s Daily” and the “Global Times”,
both run by the Communist Party of China, on April 11, coinciding with the
first anniversary of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kim Jong-Un’s leadership
of the Party<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. The “People’s Daily” commentary, explaining
China’s policy of not allowing trouble-making at its doorstep, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>said: “ Not allowing troublemaking at the
doorsteps of China means to stop the vicious circle of tension on the
peninsula, to prevent any party from stirring up trouble, to oppose creating
tension on purpose, and to say no to render the use of force to resolve the
problem. Words and deeds that intensify the tensions on the Korean Peninsula
should be condemned and opposed. Not allowing troublemaking at the doorsteps of
China is not China's "Monroe Doctrine". China does not seek spheres
of influence. China intends to maintain regional peace and stability on the Peninsula,
and determine its own position and actions in accordance with the Peninsula
situation on its own merits. At present, it is not without hope to maintain
peace and stability on the peninsula.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. The “Global Times” was even more explicit in
cautioning North Korea. It said: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Since the transition of Pyongyang's leadership,
the outside world has been speculating over the future direction of the regime.
North Korea is sure to change, because its current situation is unsustainable
and is placing huge pressure on the country. Escaping this pressure fits the
North's interests and would allow the country to meet external expectations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“During the past year, the nuclear issue has
remained at the centre of the North's domestic and foreign policies. The new
leadership has shown its resolve, which is to develop nuclear technologies,
rather than solve the nuclear crisis. The regime has taken an extreme path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Pyongyang should clearly understand that it does
not have the capability to dominate the situation in the Korean Peninsula. Its
nuclear capacity to some extent makes it feel secure, but at the same time it
worsens its international strategic environment. Pyongyang should drop its
illusions that it can make the world stay silent over its desire for nuclear
arms through its hard-line stance and deceptions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“The international community will never permit
North Korea to have the legal status of a nuclear country, because it would
lead to more devastating consequences. A number of Asian countries have
acquired nuclear weapons, but none of them use them in the manner North Korea
envisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“The North Korean regime has to face up to the
difficulties in returning to the international community if it refuses to give
up its nuclear ambitions. Even if the US and South Korea make concessions, the
North still confronts problems such as sanctions and economic obstacles.
Concrete moves are needed to solve the current dilemma that the North faces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“China respects North Korea, but it also holds the
responsibility of preserving peace in Northeast Asia. Pyongyang's nuclear issue
concerns China's national interests. We hope that the North Korean regime can
stay rational and pay attention to the interests of the whole region as its
bottom line. We also hope that its moves will not pose threats to the peace and
stability of China's north-eastern area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“North Korea has more difficulties in opening
itself up to the world. The stances of South Korea, Japan and the US are partly
the reason. Regardless of the situation, we believe the North still has a
chance and we regret that it has become mired in this crisis. We hope the
crisis is only temporary.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8.A perusal of the recent comments in the Chinese
media indicates that Chinese observers feel there is need for fresh thinking on
the question of North Korea’s nuclear and missile capability. It seems to be
their view that after all that has happened recently the question of a
negotiated de-nuclearisation of North Korea is no longer a viable option. A
more practical option could be to work for a freezing of North Korea’s
capability at the present level in return for a Chinese offer of its nuclear
umbrella to North Korea to calm its fears regarding the US nuclear umbrella for
South Korea and Japan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. Will such an offer work? The US may not accept
any attempt to legitimise North Korea’s present capability as that could create
problems in relation to Iran. Moreover, the present North Korean leadership
seems determined not to accept any externally imposed constraints on its
nuclear and missile capabilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10. How to calm the North Korean leadership and
de-escalate the situation? The Chinese do not seem to have an answer. They seem
to know so little about the mind-set of Kim Jong-Un and his advisers. He has
not visited China since assuming office. He had visited China along with his
father, but as the ruler of North Korea after the death of his father Kim
Jong-Il, he and his advisers have not maintained the same level of contacts
with the party and PLA leadership of China as during the days of his father.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11. China is no longer an important and reliable
window on North Korea as it used to be in the past. It is as confused by the
policies and unpredictability of Kim Jong-Un and his advisers as the US and
South Korea. As Kim, who had done his schooling in Switzerland, took over as
the supreme leader in December 2011 after the death of his father, there was a
fond expectation that his exposure to the West as a student might make him
amenable to a policy of gradually opening up his country to the outside world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12. This has not happened. Is it because he himself
is not inclined to pursuing a policy of opening-up or because he is unable to
overcome opposition from the old guards in the Army and the Party to any policy
change. One has not so far seen in the Party and the Army a new generation
wanting to experiment with new policies in the economic field.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13. In the face of a dearth of information regarding
the new post-December 2011 leadership in North Korea, China has been finding
the recent developments as unnerving as the rest of the international
community. Apart from articulating its concerns and caution and expressing its
hope that things will not reach a point of no return, China has been finding
its ability to influence the developments in a constructive direction limited. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(11-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-61152486173946839032013-04-08T18:38:00.002-07:002013-04-08T18:38:27.327-07:00CONTINUING FERMENT IN TIBETAN AREAS OF CHINA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The anti-Han and anti-Beijing ferment, marked by
endless self-immolations of freedom-loving Tibetans---monks and others, young
and old, men and women---- continues in the Tibetan areas of China.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2. There have already been 114 self-immolations so
far---the majority in the Tibetan areas of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sichuan, where the self-immolations started in 2009 following Chinese
suppression of the monks of the Kirti monastery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. The Chinese attempts to intimidate the potential
self-immolators by jailing friends and relatives of some self-immolators on
charges of abetment of suicide have failed to crush the movement. The more the
suppression, the more the self-immolations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. In their desperation, the Chinese projected the
movement as orchestrated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his overseas
supporters and by the Voice of America. Finding that their allegations had no
takers in the international community, they are now trying to blame some
Tibetan followers of His Holiness in Dharamsala, India, for allegedly
instigating the self-immolations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. On March 18,2013, the State-owned Xinhua news
agency disseminated the following report: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“ Chinese police have sent co-investigation request
to police authorities in related countries concerning a 32-year-old man who instigated
a self-immolation incident in which two teenage boys died.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Police in southwest China's Sichuan Province said
two teenagers died after setting themselves ablaze in Jamcha Village, Ruoergai
County, in the Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Rinchen Tseli, 15, and Sonam Dakyi, 16,
self-immolated on Feb. 19 and died at the scene, according to a statement
released Monday by police authorities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Fear and homesickness prompted Ye Ja, a
17-year-old who had planned to self-immolate with the other two teens, to
reconsider, said the statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Police said they found that Rinchen Tseli's
32-year-old uncle, known as Tenpa Gyatso, among other names, organized the
self-immolations. He formerly served as a monk in the Jage Monastery in Jamcha
Village.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“Tenpa Gyatso illegally crossed the border to
India's Dorje Monastery in 2007, and he was also a staff member with the press
contact group of India's Kirti Monastery. He maintained close contact with
Rinchen Tseli and inculcated the idea of "Tibet independence" upon
him frequently, said the statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Since
January, Tenpa Gyatso repeatedly incited Rinchen Tseli to self-immolate through
the Internet-based smartphone chatting software WeChat and claimed that
self-immolators are "national heroes," according to the statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">“"The Indian side will carve your name on the
Monument to Self-immolators in Takla Sala and pray for you. You will become an
extraordinary man," Tenpa Gyatso encouraged Rinchen Tseli, according to
the statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. By “co-investigation request”, the Chinese
apparently mean a request for mutual legal assistance in the investigation. The
Xinhua despatch does not name the countries to which the co-investigation
request has been addressed, but India is likely to be one of them since it has
been alleged that Tenpa Gyatso works for a monastery <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in India and was in China till 2007.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. In the past, the Chinese had blamed
organisations such as the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) and members of the
diaspora for the self-immolations, without directly blaming anyone in India or
seeking Indian assistance in the investigation. This is the first time they had
named someone in India and sought mutual legal assistance in the investigation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. To my knowledge, India does not have a treaty on
mutual legal assistance with China. We are not bound to take cognisance of
Chinese allegations and request for legal assistance. India should not become
an unwitting party to Chinese attempts to intimidate freedom-loving Tibetans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. In the meanwhile, the Chinese authorities are
reported to have circulated in the Tibetan areas a list of “Unlawful”
activities by Tibetans which would result in police action against them.
According to Radio Free Asia, activities made punishable include fund-raising
“in the name of social welfare,” urging protection of the environment or the
Tibetan language, and conducting prayer rituals or other religious ceremonies
if these carry “overtones” of support for Tibetan independence. ( 9-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and ,presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter @SORBONNE75)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-66419297625956905642013-04-06T19:21:00.003-07:002013-04-06T19:21:29.888-07:00PAKISTAN ELECTIONS---A PREVIEW<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The forthcoming Pakistani elections to the National
Assembly on May 11,2013, should be of close interest to India. Will the
elections pave the way for another five years of civilian rule uninterrupted by
Army intervention or will there be new instability prompting the Army to
intervene? It is too early to answer this question, but certain issues need to
be underlined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.Despite the usual ups and downs in Indo-Pakistan
relations which come in the way of normalisation of bilateral ties, one has to
acknowledge that the five years of rule by the coalition headed by the Pakistan
People’s Party (PPP) saw a new mindset in Islamabad marked by a loosening of
the historic obsession with the Kashmir issue. It is no longer Kashmir or nothing.
The PPP-led Government showed a willingness to give a try to past suggestions
from India and others, including the US and China, not to oppose progress in
other issues such as bilateral trade by continuing to make the bilateral
relations a hostage to the Kashmir issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. While the Pakistan Army under Gen.Ashfaq Pervez
Kayani, the Chief of the Army Staff, continued to regard India as the main
threat to Pakistan and did not relent in its attempts to undermine any Indian
role in Afghanistan, it did not come in the way of the attempts of the civilian
Government to improve bilateral relations in other fields.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. Indian attempts to encourage the signs of a new
mindset in the Pakistani leadership were thwarted by the 26/11 terrorist
strikes in Mumbai by the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET) and the lack of sincerity and
seriousness in the Pakistani leadership in acting against Hafiz Mohd Sayeed,
the Amir of the LET, and other Pakistan-based masterminds of the 26/11 strikes
in Mumbai. The recent violation of the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and
Kashmir by the Pakistan Army and its brutal beheading of an Indian soldier
added to suspicions that the Pakistani military leadership continued to give
primacy to its traditional policy of keeping India bleeding in J&K.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5. Despite these negative factors, two seemingly
positive factors need to be noted. The first is the absence of any major act of
terrorism by ISI-sponsored jihadi organisations in Indian territory outside
J&K after 26/11.The second is the similar absence of ISI-sponsored attacks
on Indian targets in Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. One would have thought that the ISI-sponsored
organisations, particularly the LET, would have exploited the unhappiness among
sections of the Muslim community over the execution of Afzal Guru, one of the
perpetrators of the attack on the Indian Parliament in December,2001, to revive
mass fatality terrorist attacks in the Indian territory outside J&K. This
has not happened. There is so far no credible evidence of any Pakistani hand in
the recent terrorist incident in Hyderabad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7. One has to be alert to the possibility of a
reprisal attack by the LET and the Karachi-based Dawood Ibrahim group to avenge
the recent confirmation by the Supreme Court of the sentences passed against
the perpetrators of the March 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai, which marked the
beginning of the ISI attempts to spread jihadi attacks to Indian territory
outside J&K. There would be need for special security caution in Mumbai and
Gujarat. There could be attempts by jihadi elements – indigenous or
LET-orchestrated--- to discredit Narendra Modi as he emerges as the possible
next Prime Minister by disturbing internal security in Gujarat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. While the strength and capability of the LET and
other ISI-sponsored jihadi organisations for carrying out acts of mass fatality
terrorism in hinterland India continue to improve, their lying low since 26/11
is an indicator of the Pakistan Army’s keenness not to be seen by the
international community as coming in the way of the civilian leadership’s
attempt to avoid new frictions in the relations with India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. The poll campaign in Pakistan is yet to pick up
steam, but one could see that while the fundamentalist and jihadi organisations
continue to be venomous in their attitude to India and in their determination
to make India bleed whenever and wherever they can, the political mainstream is
slowly coming round to the view that perennial hostility to India may prove
counter-productive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10. As one waits for a clearer indictor of the
likely outcome of the polls, one has to be worried over the possibility of
rogue elephant terrorist organisations such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
and the Sunni extremist Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LEJ) causing major disruptions in
the elections, particularly in the Pashtoon areas and in Karachi. If they can
disrupt the elections in Karachi and aggravate the instability there, the political
consequences could be unpredictable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11. Keeping aside the security scenario, one
notices from the reports coming out of Pakistan that there is so much
disenchantment with the five-year rule of the PPP-led coalition that the
chances of the Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League (PML) coming to power
have improved despite some support for Imran Khan in Punjab and the
Khyber-Pakhtoonkwa (KP) province.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12. In Pakistan, the mainstream media is generally
better disposed towards Nawaz Sharif than to Asif Ali Zardari. Despite their
optimistic projections of the chances of Nawaz, one should not rule out a
repeat of the 2008 elections--- with the PPP doing well in Sindh Rural and the
Seraiki areas of Southern Punjab, its ally Awami National Party (ANP) doing
well in KP and the Pashtoon pockets of Karachi, the Mohajir Qaumi Movement
(MQM) of Altaf Hussain retaining its traditional Karachi strongholds and Nawz’s
PML doing well in Central Punjab despite the challenge from Imran Khan. If
Imran Khan does well it will be more at the expense of the PML and the ANP
than<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of the PPP.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13. Whether 2008 is repeated or whether a new combination
of political forces emerges on top, it will be in India’s interest to welcome
the continuance of civilian rule and remain engaged <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>new civilian leadership in an attempt to give
a benign direction to Indo-Pakistan relations. ( 7-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi,
and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate
of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. Twitter @SORBONNE75)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704148890264843595.post-4438150345520155632013-04-04T02:19:00.000-07:002013-04-04T02:19:04.602-07:00NEED FOR CAUTION IN SPACE-RELATED ACADEMIC EXCHANGES WITH CHINA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">B.RAMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">According to a report carried by “The Hindu” of
April 4,2013, “ the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), a Government-run
research university known for its work on China’s space programme, signed on
April 3 a first of its kind Memorandum of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Understanding (MOU) with Karnataka-based
Manipal University paving the way for closer collaboration on joint research
projects.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2.The report adds that the Manipal Universirty will
sign on <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>April 5 an MOU with BIT’s sister
university, the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in
southern<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jiangsu province.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3. The report also says: “Both universities have
ties to China’s space programme and also run research and development
programmes related to defence projects.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4. For China, research and espionage are synonymous
.Chinese universities and nuclear and space research establishments often
provide academic cover to their intelligence officers for the collection of
intelligence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5.A Chinese university in Shanghai allegedly
collaborates with China’s offensive cyber intelligence set-up to enable the
People’s Liberation Army (PLA) develop a capability for infiltrating foreign
cyber networks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6. Strengthening counter-intelligence capabilities
against China is a priority task for Western intelligence agencies and
particularly for the US intelligence community. Since the Chinese intelligence
techniques for the collection of nuclear and space related intelligence from
the US came to notice during the Clinton Administration, the US Government has
considerably strengthened its counter-intelligence capability against China. This
subject is constantly under review by the Congressional Intelligence Oversight
Committees. The US intelligence agencies are cautious in vetting and cleating
academic exchange programmes with <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chinese academic institutions which are
suspected to act as Trojan Horses for the Chinese intelligence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7.Our intelligence and counter-intelligence
capabilities relating to China are weak. After the 1962 war, we found that
China had more intelligence about us than we had about China. Since then steps
have been taken to improve our capabilities for counter-intelligence against
China. There are still deficiencies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8. For the Chinese intelligence agencies, among priority
targets in their briefs for intelligence collection in India are our space establishments
in and around Bengaluru <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and our space
launching sites on the East coast. Another penetration target for them is the
Indo-Russian Brahmo project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9. The presence of Chinese space experts in
Manipal<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>will enable the Chinese to use Manipal
as a base for putting in place an intelligence collection network under the
cover of an academic exchange programmne.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10. When asked about the security aspects of the
programme, Shri M.D.Nalapat, Honorary Director of the Department of Geopolitics
of the Manipal University, has stated as follows: “ It makes no sense for us to
avoid dealing with China when every other country in the world is embracing
China---even the US and the EU, where universities are having far more in-depth
engagement than what we are proposing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11. It is a simplistic argument which can prove
counter-productive. No one can object to in-depth exchanges with Chinese
institutions in fields like humanities, special areas like energy conservation,
pollution control, disaster management etc. But before engaging in exchanges in
very sensitive fields like nuclear and space research, we have to be certain
that we have the required counter-intelligence capability to prevent the Chinese
from misusing the exchanges for intelligence collection and sabotage like injecting
computer viruses into the computer networks of our nuclear and space
establishments. We had seen what happened in Iran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12. The Manipal University’s initiative needs close
scrutiny from the Counter-Intelligence angle before it is cleared by our
intelligence community. (4-4-13)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt lof India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For
China Studies. Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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B.RAMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12278000644746170031noreply@blogger.com1