At last, Pakistan has launched a big military offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan (editorial “Pakistan’s big battle,” Oct. 20). Had it initiated the offensive against the Taliban and other terrorists operating on its soil after the Mumbai attack, they would not have dared to attack the army headquarters in Pakistan and perpetrate a series of terrorist strikes.
The offensive should not be confined to South Waziristan. It should cover all areas where the Taliban and other terrorist groups are either taking shelter or operating from.
J.P. Reddy,
Nalgonda
The Taliban which was nurtured and offered full assistance by Pakistan has turned out to be a Frankenstein’s monster. The rise of the Taliban is a typical case of sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind. The Pakistani establishment needs to change its anti-India policies and realise that the politics of hate is subject to the law of diminishing returns.
B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore
The panic-driven Pakistanis have little room to safeguard themselves from the clutches of unbridled terrorism. Though the evidence in the recent terror attacks pointed to the outfits operating from the Pakistani soil, some sections there blamed India. This only shows how far removed they are from reality. India should be more cautious as it is likely to be the next target. All countries should come forward to help Islamabad eliminate the Taliban.
Ippili Santhosh Kumar,
Srikakulam
Pakistan must realise that the al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban, the Pakistani Taliban and the terror outfits operating in Punjab have all joined hands. No distinction can be made among them. It should stop clinging to discredited concepts such as strategic depth in Afghanistan, using jihadi terrorists as the first line of offence and exhorting them to bleed India through a thousand cuts.
Subramanyam Sridharan,
Chennai
Pakistan’s battle with the Taliban is the inevitable consequence of repeated attacks on it. The terrorists are bent on destabilising India and Pakistan. The killing of a few militants in South Waziristan is not enough to make a dent in the functioning of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan which is doing the al-Qaeda’s bidding. Pakistan cannot afford to rest until all the militants are eliminated from its soil and peace is established.
K.V. Seetharamaiah,
Hassan
All these years, Pakistan played a dangerous game by encouraging the Taliban to succeed in Afghanistan even while it wanted to defeat the force on its soil. When it comes to India, Pakistan has no qualms about sponsoring terror which claims even civilian lives. The Taliban, the monster Pakistan has grown and nurtured, will eventually take its toll on the country. At least now, Islamabad should take firm action against the terrorists.
R. Sampath,
Chennai
It is good to hear from Defence Minister A.K. Antony that the nation is prepared to meet any challenge from the Taliban. But the situation in the region has turned so serious because we lost many opportunities to reclaim PoK, and destroy the terrorist training camps operating in Pakistan. We failed to take a hard stance on cross-border terror even after the attack on Parliament and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
K.S. Sailesh,
Thrissur
Mr. Antony’s assurance that the nation is prepared to meet any challenge from the Taliban does not provide any sense of safety to ordinary citizens as we always become wise after an incident, as was proved by the Mumbai terror attack. India should take a bold decision to bomb the terrorist camps in PoK and eliminate the infiltrators, instead of arresting them. On the nuclear front, we should discard our no-first-use policy.
S. Raghunatha Prabhu,
Alappuzha
A Taliban leader has already said that after consolidating its grip on Pakistan, the force will turn its attention to India. Hence, there is a visible danger and the nation should prepare itself to meet any eventuality. Our people are noted for standing together in the face of grave threats and displaying an extraordinary sense of unity. We can expect this to happen now too. But it is not enough. Our military preparedness and statesmanship of the highest order are equally necessary to ward off the external threat.
C.G. Sivakumaran,
New Delhi
