Time to stop the terror games
Terrorism is the scourge of the modern world. All scientific advancement and technological prowess get nullified by the terrorists – living in various safe havens – and striking civilization at their will. Is the era of progress, development, civility and openness over? Has the “Sine Wave” of history turned downward? First, the rampant coronavirus pandemic, and now, a Taliban government taking over Afghanistan do signal an ominous trend.
India’s vast resources are locked in safeguarding our borders, fighting terrorism and keeping its citizens safe. What nobody is saying but feeling with dread is, “What if India becomes the next target of these demonic forces?” We are indeed standing at the turning point of global politics. There are hardly any friends whom we can trust, and we are surrounded by big and small enemies; some that are apparently hostile and others, waiting for their moment to ditch and defy.
The modern era had begun with the colonization of Africa, Americas, Australia and Asia by the European nations The British, French, Germans, Dutch, Spaniards and the Portuguese sailed to wherever they could with their guns, plundered and pillaged, lording over the local people. The loot created their great cities and financed industrialization.
The First World War ended four Empires – the German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Romanov. The Second World War brought down all European colonial empires and saw the simultaneous rise of two superpowers: the Soviet Union (USSR) and the United States (US). And now, China is emerging as the new boss of the world. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in July 2021 before the curtain was raised.
When were these forces born and how did they become so formidable? Can the Chinese takeover Afghanistan? Will the spread of instability from Afghanistan spill over into Pakistan, India and even China? What would stop the Uyghur fighters from becoming another Taliban? It is important to look at this phenomenon by removing all ideological glasses and calling things by their proper names.
Modern international terrorism was born on July 22, 1968, when the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) hijacked an Israeli El Al flight traveling from Rome to Tel Aviv. Many more hijackings followed and it became a method to get Palestinian terrorists who were imprisoned in Israel released in exchange for the airline passengers. But why did this begin after 1968?
Since Israel was created after World War II on the territory of Palestine by the Winners of the War, Palestinians hoped the Arab nations to win them back their homeland but when in 1967, the mighty Egypt was defeated by Israel squarely and swiftly in just a week’s time, the Palestinians were the first to understand that the era of wars was indeed over and the culture of terrorism was born.
The next form of terrorism was demonstrated in 1972 when Palestine terrorists killed 11 Israeli athletes and a German policeman at the Munich Olympics, capturing the attention of the world media that had gathered for the games.
On 23 June, Air India Flight 182 flying from Canada was blown up by a bomb killing 329 people by Khalistan terrorists. It set a pattern for future air terrorism plots. On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103, from London to New York City was destroyed mid-flight by Libyan terrorists killing 270 people. On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines Flight IC 814, was hijacked and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan culminating into the release of three dreaded terrorists, Maulana Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, in exchange of the lives of 176 passengers and 15 crew members. One passenger, 25-year-old Ripen Katyal, had already been killed by the terrorists.
And then on September11, 2001, in four coordinated terrorist attacks,the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Centre, in the pinnacle of dread and devastation. America declared a war against terrorism. Iraq and Afghanistan were invaded. Libyan leader, Munnavar Gaddafi, was killed on the road; Osama bin-Laden was caught hiding in Pakistan and killed; the defeated Iraq President, Saddam Hussain, was tried and sentenced to death; and Iran’s general and commander of elite Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, was killed by a drone strike. And yet in the end, the US Army left, handing over Afghanistan to Taliban, as if nothing had ever happened!
Afghanistan is not some isolated part of the world. The cancer of terrorism has already spread all over the planet. The new aspiring world leaders, China and Russia, must know that if the genie of terrorism is not bottled up again, there will be consequences for their own people and interests. After Taliban has been gifted an entire nation, the other three no lesser forces of ISIS, Boko Haram, and al-Qaeda would not sit idle and would seek their “pound of flesh” in controlling territories they consider themselves legally entitled to, in a ruthless and inhuman way.
Whosoever brought the Genie out of the bottle cannot run away and preach the world about pacifism. The Chinese are surely determined to rule over the world and it is important that they remember what happened to the British, Russians and Americans who had been there earlier. Even modest expectations in Afghanistan can be audacious.
English novelist, Eric Arthur Blair, who wrote as “George Orwell,” in his book, “1984,” famously wrote, “The object of terrorism is terrorism. The object of oppression is oppression. The object of torture is torture. The object of murder is murder. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?” Let us not sugar-coat, or put our heads in the sand.
A snake can never be a pet and poison cannot become nutrition. Above all, there is a lesson to be learnt by aspiring superpowers that no leader or nation in the world can now be an object of worship. No country must intervene in another country’s problems, spill blood, and leave mess behind. Let each nation carry its own cross and no one can become the Saviour and the stopper of the buck.
It is also time for India to wake up to the reality that no one in the modern world is any one’s friend. It is a zero-sum world where every act is a transaction. History will never forgive our leaders of today if they remain blind to the writing on the wall and keep themselves busy in the electoral politics of winning elections and enjoying the power that they bring. Let us call things by their proper names and wake up to the grim reality as one united, determined, and formidable nation of 1.4 billion people.
MORE FROM THE BLOG
Reskilling in the Era of AI
I arrived in Hyderabad in 1982, and since there were no official housing options, I rented a section of a house in the Vidyanagar neighbourhood. From there, I would take the local train to Uppuguda, and as a form of physical exercise…
The Idea of Universal Orthopraxy
The Mahakumbh Mela, one of the largest gatherings of people for religious purposes worldwide, has just concluded in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The Kumbh Mela takes place every 12 years by rotation at four locations—at Haridwar, on the banks of the Ganga River…
The Fabric of the Universe
Nestled in a family and career, it may appear a little unsettling to consider oneself part of a cosmos, primarily unknown. But when this realisation dawns that not only one but everyone else around, and indeed everything, are a mere part of a larger drama that is rolling out…
Excellent sequencing of cause-and-effect Sir. May I add two points: (1) Terrorism is basically acts of violence intentionally perpetrated on civilian people; and (2) Terrorists are basically non-state actors and if they are able to function in their own country they operate from ‘save heavens’ elsewhere in other countries.
These other countries are failed or weak states, who lack the capacity or will to exercise territorial control and maintain a monopoly of violence. This leaves a power vacuum that terrorist organizations may exploit to maintain safe havens, training facilities and bases for launching terrorist operations. Conversely, terrorists may also find safe havens and carry out support functions in strong and stable democracies, due to the greater liberties that residents enjoy there.
Repression by foreign occupation or by colonial powers had given rise to a great many national liberation movements that have sought recourse in terrorist tactics, guerrilla warfare, and other political means. Wherever they failed to secure power in the new regimes, they have turned into terrorists.
It is indeed important that terror is tackled internationally and safe heavens are destroyed without discrimination. As Prof Krishnam Raju rightly observed, any land where terrorists were harboured had never flourished. Also, terrorism is cleverly linked with religion, which should not have been the case. All terrorists are essentially demons and must be securely bottled up by their own governments.
Dear Sir ,Thank you for putting your insight in words on subject that is making impact ubiquitously on entire humanity, While reading I sensed glued equanimity between self & topic. Before putting my comment, my mind recalled Dr Kalam’s Words “one can never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, one must build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete” of your column in esakal.com, Topic: OTH technology that changes strategy.
To extinguish the existing uncontrolled fire (Read Terrorism) each one needs to understand its causes & nutrition, as in case of uncontrolled fire there is uncontrolled supply of fuel, oxygen & spark. To sort out all its causes & support, humanity first needs to understands its effect in long term is only & only harm & regret, and each nation & its denizen would have to bear consequences. So all the aspiring global leader , must make consensus ( Which is one of toughest thing to do in diverse & complex world) among them , And make new model understandable, viable & scalable for sustainability of ecology of planet Earth.
Your insight into the culture of terrorism without any ideological glasses is excellent Prof Tiwariji !
Your clarion call to wake up to the grim reality and call things by their proper names is very apt in the current circumstances !!
Prof Tiwari, thank you so much for the thought provoking article you just penned, not very common in this day and age where each is protecting their kind against the deadly invaders into their equilibrium.
COVID – 19 pandemic is not done with, appears the virus is very determined to keep us cowed and on our toes, sadly instead of spending time employing what interventions work against it world over, we are divided as if we are not in the know that all of us are at risk despite the few that have been vaccinated.
On terrorism, no one is safe!
The ripple effects of an attack in one part of the World reaches to all, one doesn’t need to look very far, the ever constant alertness in security organs in our various Nations, the heightened security around Government installations, the detailed and thorough screening when entering certain Government establishments/Airports and while planning to board planes destined to the USA, Canada, Australia to mention but a few, its just not the same.
I could not agree more than the quote you made of Eric Arthur Blair in George Orwell’s 1984 “The object of terrorism is terrorism. The object of oppression is oppression. The object of torture is torture. The object of murder is murder. The object of power is power”
Let us not sugar-coat, or put our heads in the sand, the best treatment for cancer is what specifically works be it radical surgery/Chemotherapy/Radiation therapy, but this is after a correct diagnosis has been made. All of us need to come together and address this problem and agree on the best way forward, no one is safe till all of us are. A snake can never be a pet and poison cannot become nutrition.
Above all, there is a lesson to be learnt by aspiring superpowers that no leader or nation in the world can now be an object of worship, only God is the Supreme Being worthy of our worship at all time, Isaiah 43: 10 -13 reflects on this position so accurately:
You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe ME and understand that I am HE . Before ME no god was formed, nor will there be one after ME.
I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from ME there is no savior.
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed — I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am HE.
May this assurance encourage us at individual level as a prerequisite for National and Global compliance.
Sir, Our PM, after meeting President Biden, has named “5T’s” as the basis of India-US relationship – Tradition, Technology, Trade, Trusteeship, and Talent. I am not sure if the sixth ‘T’ of fighting terror is deliberately missed. With my little knowledge, unless India signs a Free Trade Element with the US, nothing else is going to work out. The other four have been there all along, so what great has happened. There are only 2 T’s here – trade and terrorism.
Sir, once again, thank you for a wonderful article. Spreading awareness is one way we can fight terrorism—and help people make informed decisions while electing our nation’s leaders, who, as you rightly pointed out, are critical in dealing with terrorism and the like.
Dear sir, Thank you very much for a time and hard hitting blog. The most incisive statement in the blog is “Snake cannot be pet and poison cannot be nutrition”. If this sentence is very seriously pondered over then many of the ambitious and highly intoxicated super powers will realise what should be and what should not be done. Bhindrawale is the apt example for the statement and what happened on 31 Oct 1984 is the result. Madam Indira Gandhi paid the price for nurturing the most dangerous pet may be political in mind.
Both China and Russia have to draw some lessons from what has happened world over in the past and decide upon their engagement with Afghanistan. Otherwise they will have to pay the price. “Nadan dost se Dana Dushman Achha ” goes the saying in the village folklore. This precisely guides us on our line of action.
Sir, As you rightly brought out, in the present world, everything is a transaction and you cannot count on anybody as friend. Best way forward is to be alert and be prepared. Develop our own strengths and methods to counter the terrorism and parallely exert diplomatic pressure on all the rogue super powers for whom “RULE THE WORLD” is the single motto. Global unity against terror is the only way forward to make this world safe.
Entertainment in the form of terror games if one form of perversion. It is developed and propagated by persons who have a sadistic mind and have not consideration for human life and values. These terror games are now available freely on mobiles and other devices. Even movies depict forms of extreme violence.
Before the terror unleashed by the terror games become a pandemic and the sanity of humans is affected, these games should be banned universally and immediately. We should join ourselves in the campaign against the terror games. We as individuals should contribute our best by propagating against these games in our own circle, however small it might be.
I recall vividly, President Bush holding a megaphone in his hand declaring that you were “either with us or against us”. There was no middle ground, no allowance made for the subtle nuances of the Middle East with its ever-shifting alliances and allegiances. In Iraq, which the US and Britain invaded in 2003, this uncompromising position turned potential allies into enemies, laying the foundations for today’s ongoing global jihadist movements.
In Iraq taking revenge on Saddam Hussain, the United States had undercut the Iraqi state. Tens of thousands of young men rendered out of work and they had become the nucleus for al-Qaeda in Iraq and then the nucleus of IS. Also by eliminating Saddam Hussain and Munnavar Gaddafi the US had opened the Pandora’s Box. The terror had spread all over the world like poisonous worms hidden inside the home furniture, ready to bite any time.
By rewarding the Taliban to rule a country, the US had further complicated the situation. It appears as if George Bush was and Joe Biden is the President of two different countries. And China will undo its great civilization if it empowers the Taliban, as it appears to be doing. For India there is no choice left but to join anti-terrorism forces and pay the price. We can’t be naïve to get favours free.
There are two approaches to deal with the terrorism issue. We can think of it as a disease and try to develop strategies for suppressing it. Alternatively, we can think of it just as a symptom of underlying diseases and look at the root causes.
The second approach leads us to political and religious ideologies and sociocultural factors that provide a breeding ground for terrorists and nurtures them, Our political, religious, and sociocultural systems need to be reformed for creating just and peaceful societies.
I think there is a greater need for using the second approach in addition to the first approach.
Thanks bhai saab. It’s a pleasure and blessing to get this gift every fortnight: Not only professionally done, but always, insightful. And of course, entertaining!
I was not born then but through your blog I can now see the deadly tail of how terrorism was created. What if Israel was not created in Palestine land? And later, where was the need to attack Iraq and convert thousands of trained soldiers into terrorists overnight. Now as the US has left, we are watching on TV Taliban warlords with their weapons, and black headgears, as new rulers of Afghanistan. I wonder if the great world leaders are really as wise as they are considered. There is something terribly wrong somewhere.
Dear Arun, Your latest blog-‘Time to Stop Terror Games’ is very much relevant in today’s contest. Though, country is deploying massive resources to counter or to prevent acts of terror, still citizens feel unsafe. One never knows what will come next moment. The big question is- how to tackle it?
Why a group of individuals become terrorists? What is their psychology, what are the reasons of their hatred? These are the few thoughts which rush to one’s mind. It is sure that terrorists are frustrated lot. Frustration always produces aggression and aggression is always produced by frustration.
Each gives what he has. You can give only what you have. Terrorist will give what they have- hatred, violence and creating fear among civil society-non combatants. No doubt, terrorism is one of the biggest threats to the society at the moment; we have to tackle this huge problem somehow. We need to realise that the best defence against the enemy is not fortified wall, but the fortified character. Wish you all the best.
Twenty years on from the day America was attacked on 11 September 2001 and US servicemen left have now left from Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa, terrorists, far from subdued, stand rewarded to rule over a nation. India has a real danger and must not wait to be struck but strike pre-emptively. It is time to become an ally of the US, shunning of pretensions, as we did with the USSR in the past in 1971.
Drone strikes targeting terrorist leaders in their safe heavens is the only way to tackle them. This technology superiority terrorist will never get. And if China or any other country breach the code and arm terrorists with advanced technology, the world should deal with it firmly. You can’t sit in the UN security council and arm terrorists. Terrorists are nobody’s friends, harbouring them is like trying to make a snake as your pet, as you have rightly said.
George Orwell is so correct, “The object of terrorism is terrorism. The object of oppression is oppression. The object of torture is torture. The object of murder is murder. The object of power is power.”
Wonder why crave for power. A small country like Switzerland (not that small either) is an example for many to follow, but no, many are not even willing to look at their model. I salute you for presenting the right perspective of world politics. Great job. Keep educating us Prof Arun Tiwari.
Most Americans vividly remember September 11, 2001. At that time, I lived in Wylie, TX, a suburb of Dallas and recall watching from my living room in shock what transpired that horrific day. The event united the country in its resolve to punish the perpetrators and to safeguard our homeland against future attempts of such terror.
No one could have imagined then, that on the 20th. anniversary of that event, the US government would enable a terrorist group to govern the country of Afghanistan, leave them $80 Bil of military equipment and in the process, describe the terrorist group as “businesslike and professional” during our evacuation, leaving hundreds or thousands of Americans behind. The US has put its head in the sand.
I pray that other nations do not sugar-coat.
Your yesterday’s blog Arun ji is surely a wake up call…… Good morning World.
It’s time to open our eyes, rub them well for the alarm has done its job. The onus now squarely lies on us to start off methodically but in a jiffy. Any laziness, callousness or delay will topple the cart of life. And desire howsoever we may, any remote thought of some more sleep, some more snooze and we had it. It would then be we, and we alone to be blamed. Time and tide waits for none we would be swept away into oblivion as an individual, a group, a nation or a continent.
Your chronological short and crisp, to the point details of the formation of Taliban and its rise to the present status makes an assiduous read.
You have rightly said, the Genie is out of the bottle, the onus is now on us to tame it, cajole it or even fight it before we ourselves get wiped out. Taming the Genie and putting it right into the bottle with a permanent non open-able lid is the need of the hour.
A terrorist or terrorism is a dread. Living by the gun is the culture. Ruling ruthlessly and being barbarians is in their blood. To be slightly off their frequency, their thought, ideology or their dictates qualifies one for a hole in the head. To wait for two thoughts is not in their book and displaying it to the world to ensure fear penetrates deep in the masses is their methodology.
Being sandwiched between China Pakistan and Afghanistan…you are right to point out that time is running out. We just can’t think of sitting back. Let’s not be the pigeon sitting with closed eyes thinking if I don’t see, nobody sees me. Neighbours are watching eyeing and preparing to pounce especially C.P.&. A.
In today’s materialistic world of cut throat competition, it certainly is survival of the fittest; every country has its own motive its own axe to grind. It’s difficult to trust, rely or be dependent on others. We ourselves need to be strong and prepared mentally and in every which way. Dark clouds are looming over the horizon it’s a matter of time. Moreover it’s not necessary now, to destroy a nation by military warfare only, a nation can be shattered or conquered by economic, biological, political, environmental or like wars as well. Slowly, steadily and methodically a nation can be destroyed. It’s a war without going for a war.
Let’s not let the alarm ring its full duration, lets rise immediately. The basic need of the hour is to be strong as a nation, to shun internal, political and religious misunderstandings. It’s time to be a one collective strong nation.
Succeeding in doing so… will qualify for a bright, sunny and a wonderful ‘good morning,’ … to be savoured with a nice cup of herbal green tea with a full grain biscuit as well.
Arun excellent piece of time capsule of history of terrorism and consequences. Yes unfortunately everything has become transactional in the current world affairs and society as well. I think this is going to be so till all nationals learn their lessons from their own devils. Congratulations for writing this piece.
Dear Sir, We have a democracy in our nation and parties need to win elections happening every now and then in our country. Waste of time and money, why they are not conducting elections for all at a time?
Terrorism is definitely going to be a biggest challenge for India now, we have more number of traitors inside than outside enemies. Certain communities inside are educated to destroy the nation to establish their religious rules.
We need to change the education system to build the value systems in upcoming generations otherwise, will be having more internal war than outside. People are being discriminated based on the their caste more than creed. We are already living in a war like situation, most of us are not realising. Need to get up and become most powerful for our nation and peace of world. भय बिन होऊं ना प्रीत. Warm Regards
Excellent unfurling of the facts Sir.
Every thing has become a transaction, as long as it benefits both the parties there is alliance, else it’s terror. And then, there is always this constant race on being a supreme power!
Somewhere in this chaos we forgot we are all humans and need to co-exist. I believe it’s every nation for itself given the circumstances. The idea of peace seems grim in today’s world!
Arun ji, very timely and comprehensive messages, particularly on who can be a pet, where not to intervene and waking up to the reality. Congratulations.
Your summation of what ails the world today is crisp and to the point. It also has valuable information that underlines the fact that prosperity cannot exist where terror reigns. Time and again, history has proven that suppression ad oppression and outright slaying of innocents lays a mantle of accountability and moral responsibility on each and every thinking individual. Voices must be raised and heard against this.
This has been done in the past too. Peace marches to stop war has been a recurring effort by the conscious and conscientious. The two big wars in the last century, the near averting of nuclear war during the Cuban missiles crisis, the cold war that nearly trigged a nuclear finish to this wonderful planet we live in must never be repeated.
Excellent summing up of the tale of terror. There is no doubt that if it is not contained now, there will be destruction worse than the coronavirus. It is time to use advanced technology to eliminate targets who are making a mockery of geo-politics by appearing with guns on TV screens. America must have left Afghanistan but it can leave Asia.
For the Indian part, we must join Quad as a responsible steward in the Indo-Pacific region which is not possible by India alone. China has almost circled India. They are in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal already. China can’t continue to earn profits from its imports without paying the price for being a responsible power. Their behaviour in Dokalam was no different than terrorists.
Dear Sir, Very well-articulated, unfortunately the genie is out, and every nation needs to play a role to ensure global harmony prevails.
I believe that the development of AK47 and that landing in the hands of bad actors had a paradigm shift on how they operate. Countries need to up the ante on intelligence, vigilance , ruthlessly manage it head on and protect their citizens and not allow a few to run away with their agenda of creating disturbance.
India must expand its Intelligence network, make it more robust, use technologies like artificial intelligence, face recognition etc, to identify the source and nip it at the bud before it causes civil unrest. Once again thanks for sharing your views and the chronology of modern terrorism.
This is a true and correct situation analysis – global terrorism has no “exempted friends”. We are all targets of this heinous crime.
Rather than take opportunistic stances, the world should unite against terror and its perpetrators.
Look at what Africa is going through – terror reigns from the northern Maghreb areas down to Southern Africa with Mozambique in turmoil. And the roots of this terror are to be found in religious extremism.
When these terrorists hit anywhere, it’s indiscriminate – all creeds and colours are hit. There are no geopolitics to consider.
I concur with you Prof – let’s all join the call for global unity against terror because we are all targets.