My speech to the closing plenary session of the Jaipur Counter-Terror Conference hosted by India Foundation, Mar 18-21, 2015
Bhaiyo or Behno, Namaskar, Adaab aur Salaam Alaikum.
Happy New Year. Aap sub ko Gudhee Paadavaa aur Naroze Mubarik ki Badhaeean aur Naya Saal Mubarak Ho.
Seventy years ago today, the Red Army was knocking on the doors of Berlin and on May 5, 1945 it captured the German capital to bring to an end to the five year war in Europe.
In those five years, the USSR and its western allies that included tens of thousands of troops from our India destroyed the largest army ever mobilised. When the guns went silent, 50 million men and women were dead including six million in the Death Camps of Auschwitz where Hitler tried to exterminate the Jewish people.
Ladies and gentlemen, we were able to destroy the might of the German Wehrmacht in a mere five years, yet today, 14years after the United States declared a war on terrorism, we have not only failed in defeating the forces of international jihadi terrorism, we have ended up strengthening the very enemy we sought out to destroy.
We should ask ‘Why?’ We don’t.
When Osama was killed, Obama declared Al-Qaeda had been decimated. When Saddam was dethroned, Bush landed a plane on an aircraft carries declaring “mission accomplished”.
Despite the Bush and Obama declarations years ago, we are today meeting here in Jaipur because the United States has failed dismally in defeating and army led once by men in caves. Men who had noPanzer divisions, no V1 and V2 rockets, no Messerschmitt fighters, no Stuka bombers, no Tiger tanks, no Rommel, no Hess, No Goering and no Goebbels.
As India’s NSA Ajit Doval disclosed on Thursday, the United States alone has spent 5.1 Trillion dollars on this war. For every dollar the Jihadi terrorists spend, the USA has to match that dollar with $75,000 dollars. Imagine that.Over a million men and women have died, yet we are nowhere close to “Mission Accomplished”.
The question to be asked is why such a spectacular failure.
Let me put it succinctly. To fight Malaria you need to drain the swamps, not kill individual mosquitoes. We have let the drains stagnant and sent missiles to shoot down mosquitoes. The result has been for every mosquito killed, a 1000 are ready to replace it and spread the disease. Instead of draining the swamps, we are shooting down individual mosquitoes, one mosquito at a time.
But to drain the swamp, we need to identify it.
During the Second World war we not only knew who the enemy was, we were able to name him, without any guilt or hesitation.
In contrast, in this 21st21st century fourth world war, there are no Churchills, no Roosevelts, no Marshall Zhukov and no Chiang kai Shek. All we have today are midgets that celebrate mediocrity and practise appeasement. Appeasement that would make Chamberlain look like a courageous man.
Imagine a scenario during World War Two ifthe US in 1942 would consider Italy as an ally. Impossible, right?
But, today the same United States considers Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar — the sworn enemies of everything that liberal secular democracies stand for — as allies of the USA.
But wait a minute. There’s more. The one country, the elephant in the room that no one wishes to speak about is the original “Islamic State of Pakistan” the mother lode of International terrorism, yet the beneficiary of billions of dollars of American largesse.
In addition, before and during the SecondWorld War, the motivating ideology behind Germans seeking world domination was the Nazi doctrine of Aryan supremacy , and all of us had absolutely no problem saying so.
In a similar manner the motivating ideology behind the Warsaw Pact during the Third World War aka the Cold War, was Communism that sought the ‘Dictatorship of the Proletariat’ and no one, not even Mr. Dange or Mr Namboodripad (leaders of the Communist Party of India) had any hesitation saying so.
This begs the question. What is thei deology of the jihadi terrorists seeking world domination to hasten the End of Times?
It is Islamofascism, the 20th century doctrine of Islamism, which is the use of Islam as a political tool to establish Islamic supremacy on the rest of the globe.
However, it seems we are too scared to dare mention the word ISLAMISM. Our American friends call it “Violent Extremism”.
What is this “Violent Extremism”? Why beat around the bush and call it for what it is, i.e. Islamic Extremism?
Let me show you a graphic clip that best illustrates our Islamic Extremism. It’s graphic, so pardon my indiscretion. Itis from Afghanistan and the tragic event happened just yesterday.
A Muslim mob beating to death a 27-year old mentally challenged Muslim women on charges, she had burnt pages of the Quran. After beating her senseless, the crowd then sets her on fire and watches her burn to death. In interviews people justify her murder.
What have we become that we would beat and burn a young woman alive, even if she had deliberately set the Quran on fire?
Now the question is, What is to be done.
I’ll make one general policy proposal and four specific recommendations:
Definition of Terrorism under Resolution 1373
On 28 September 2001 in the wake of the9/11-jihadi terrorist attacks on the United States, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1373.
The resolution was a counter-terrorism measure adopted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, and is therefore binding on all UN member states. It marked a shift in international law. Until then, international law was presumed to be valid only if the concerned state had voluntarily signed the international treaty; whereas after 1373, the Security Council imposed the resolution on all member states.
Following 1373, India made a call for a global convention on defining terrorism and finding commonly accepted means tocombat it.
Guess who obstructed the Indian initiative?Our good friends of the Islamic State, not in Rakka, but in Islamabad.
Pakistan, the epitome of state terrorism scuttled the effort by raising issues about “causative factors”,arguing that those who are “freedom fighters” cannot be labelled as terrorists.
It is unfortunate that the powers that matter in today’s world should only look at the tactics and methods used by such actors to define terrorism. To this day UN resolution 1373 exists only paper. Its not too late. Let there be a comprehensive convention against terrorism under the United Nations, which has been pending since 2001, when India first proposed it.
I say let us define Terrorism and then fight the state that feeds it.
Four Recommendations
But until then I have four recommendations for the Indian government:
- Disengage with Pakistan completely. No talks, no visits, no trade.
- Since Pakistan itches for parity with India, please shut down the silly March of the Roosters at the Wagah border cross point. This is the single most spectacular circus that puts the rogue state of Pakistan at par with the democratic, secular and dignified Republic of India.
- End the ridiculous “Aman ki Aasha” that is a one-way traffic of ISI aunties coming to India and running circles around Indians, and even cause the fall of one of India’s brightest sons. ‘Aman ki Aasha’ is nothing but a shameful exercise by Pakistan’s upper class Hindu-hating, pan-Islamist Jinnah’s Orphans who benefit enormously. An entire industry has been created that is milking Indian goodwill to do the Pakistan military-civilian establishment’s bidding and propaganda.
- Finally. Please don’t wait for a second Mumbai to create a Balochistan. Please start assisting the brave men and women of Balochistan today.
Help the young men of Dr. Allah Nazar in the hills and Baloch exiles like Mehran Marri and Brahamdagh Bugti. Plan and work towards the policy goal, unwritten and unsaid, for the disintegration of the so-called rump state that refers to itself the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
I say so-called state, not only because there is nothing ‘Paak’ about Pakistan, but because of the fact is Pakistan in 1971 changed its name to Bangladesh and what we call Pakistan today is Pakistan’s leftovers.-
Thank you for inviting me as a speaker to this conference. Jai Hind.
If indeed India is to follow this route, it must go further.
It must also sanction every company or its owner or significant shareholder from doing business inside India which means,from selling or trading in India.
So, if nestle wants to do business in India,it must shut down its operations in Pakistan. If Al Jazeera wants to broadcast in India or have journalisrts in India,it must shut down operations in Pakistan.
There are some exceptions like Oil,because Indians may use Saudi crude and obviously cannot dictate to the saudi but these exceptions will be few.
You haven’t understood the article at all.
I hope the host nation and all its citizens understand what is at stake.
Unless drastic steps are take and measured attempts are made to quash the agenda of Pakistan Army and other Islamofacists there an din all other countries the third world war may be not too far.
Sorry to say this Sir, there is a nuclear overhang between India and Pak. Whether we like it or not Pakistan is a nuclear state. There is no love that forces India to engage with Pakistan but the fear of Armageddon which can happen. Who ever win that war but surely people will lose.
A country which is owned by army would fear less about losing people.
I agree with bruce riedel (ex CIA) that it’s not that India is not capable but they couldn’t find the way without any fallout.
All out offence is not on table right now, We need to be as crafty as possible wait for the right moment then hit the pressure point. We need to beat them in their own game. In this way the casualty will be minimum( alas some casualty will be there like Mumbai)
Udit, Pakistan will not attack India with nuclear weapons for refusing to trade with them. And if they do, let them. India as an independent nation has every right to cut off relations with Pakistan. India can trade with whomever they wish to trade with, and cut off trade with whomever they want to cut relations with.
Sir with due respect, on the one hand you are saying kashmiri freedom fighters are terrorists on the other hand you want india to aid baloch freedom fighters, isn’t this a contradiction. If use of violence for political purpose is terrorism then both kashmiri & baloch fighters are terrorists, surely we cannot aid one & kill another for that is a typically paki way of doing things.
Tarek Sir, is speaking truth. Pakistan army is involved in all type of illegal trade.
We have not seen any army over centuries, which are so cruel. India are socialist state and what we are doing in Kashmir is under the world preview and with all respect its democratic in nature. The ever mindset of Muslim is , if you try to love them they will hate you and if those who hate them, they love them. I am talking about Indian Sub-continent Muslim. So there is no other solution rather than to think what Tarek Sir has said… He is real intellectual among most other columnist.
I have been pushing for India to put Pakistan into Coventry for more than a decade. So have K.C.Singh and G.Parthasarathy. India should have nothing to do with Pakistan until Pakistan demonstrates a penchant for good and civilized, i.e. non Islamic, behaviour.
Pakistan is a society of 180 million people - not everybody is a terrorist and there is an every growing secular force that is fighting for a peaceful country……Harsh statements and crude language of intellectuals like Tarek Fateh totally destroys the efforts of liberals in Pakistan… The west and the U.S.A in particular are responsible for the Terrorism the world is facing right now…………………………Pakistan is far better then the Sheikhdoms, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, Syria,Libya…….Terek Fateh is obsessed with Pakistan.
I am not agree with your point is Disengagement; I think it is not the solution to rid of terrorism. You are creating distance and hate in between two countries.
89hp
India in its new found love for Uncle Sam has forefeited the freedom to use its free will against Pakistan. Tarak is right when he says that to have relations with Islamabad is tantamount to condoning its treachery. We need not peace with Pakistan but a credible capability and intention to inflict a rap on it knuckles on the slightest mischief. If Israel can thrive on such a doctrine why can’t India?
Stop all kind of relations with Pakistan Government. Stop giving Visas to Pakistanis. Stop infiltration at the border. Raise the bar of internal security. No cricket or hockey with Pakistanis in India or abroad. Search for the Pakistanis who have overstayed in Indian cities and send them back immediately. Pakistan and world must know by this action that we mean business. We will not allow any kind of stupidity to go on on our soil. Enough is enough.
I agree with Tarek sir and what he has said is true, enough is enough Pakistan is Just bleeding India and I think we are very passive we have to be aggressive henceforth the best way as Tarek sir has said Break Pakistan, stop all trades and talks.
Thanks for visiting India. We love you
Tariq Fatah is born in Pakistan, but spewing against Pakistan only due to the reason that he is working on western agenda against Muslims and Pakistan and it’s the same reason brought him to India to ignite the already present hatred between the two nations.
Read his columns in Sun news and almost all of them are somehow against Muslims and Pakistan. He’s not even a Muslim except by his name.
Whatever happens to politics of Pakistan, corrupt politicians and
crooked army generals are not interested in any welfare for its own people,
Zia’s legacy will not disappear in years to come,since last 50 years Mullahs,Politicians and Armymen have seized power and rules of law which is not going to go ,so people living poverty has no any hope of peace and
improvement of their living standard.These poors have no any means or
power to raise their voice.
Many elite,educated Pakistanis left their motherland for the sake of liber.
I`ve been following Tarek`s TV appearances lately and have been immensely impressed with his knowledge and views on the subject of India-Pak relations.
He says what everybody around is afraid of saying, the truth is always very bitter. He shows a mirror to the Pakistanis and people advocating soft approach towards Pakistan in India.
By coming to India he definitely has done a ‘ghar-wapasi’, albeit a bit late.I wish he settles permanently here and him taking on Pakistanis in English TV debates will be a sight to behold!!